Decades ago, I started out by shooting a few boxes of .270 Winchester ammo and kept the brass. This once fired ammo case is a great start to reload. But you need dies to reform brass, add a primer, powder and press the bullet.

For me, reloading is the ultimate satisfaction of doing-it-yourself like DIY.

Like chipping a broadhead from a piece of stone and killing game by your own hand as our ancestors did is the ultimate in satisfaction. 

The component of a cartridge requires a brass case to hold the powder, primer and bullet.

The brass needs to be “resized” in reloading dies, spent primer removed and replaced (left die) and a bullet seating die (right).

 But new brass can be purchased too. See image below.

A reloading press and dies are essential. There are several companies who cater to reloaders.

A basic bottle-neck die set consists of two dies, one to resize the case and another to press the bullet into the case. See Photo above.

Every cartridge caliber needs its own die set. Die set costs to load for hunting typically cost less than $70.00 for a set.

Reloading for long distance hunting and shooting can be more exacting and cost much more. Like this Redding Die Set with micrometer bullet seating.

I had my first Savage .270 Winchester and loaded it with an RCBS Press and dies 40 years ago.  I use it to this day and saved untold dollars and Did-It-Myself…to my great satisfaction. I hunted Africa with my custom loads.

The key to good reloading technique is to read reloading manuals and guides, watch reloading video’s on you-tube. Listen and pay attention to areas of safety. Inspect your brass and spent primers for gas leaks, case damage of older brass. RCBS offers a free downloadable reloading guide.

https://www.rcbs.com/rcbs-downloadable-guide.html

Companies like Nosler, Hornady, Speer, Lyman, and several others sell reloading manuals. My two favorite manuals are Nosler and Hornady. Don’t forget all the videos on the web. 

Check-it-Out

Recently, I hand-loaded some Alliant Reloader Powder I had in my lower cool dry garage cupboard.

It was for my 7mm Rem Mag rifle and discovered the powder lost some of its potency. It was an opened can and had about a half pound left. All of the loaded ammo fired fine but lost a couple hundred feet-per-second from published data. This powder had very little solvent smell and looked fine.

I was looking for a near max load.

I loaded rounds later in steps to see what I could wring out and did so just fine.

I would buy a new pound of Alliant Powder as soon as it is available and consider quickly using the older powder. 

I also loaded some rounds with a new can of IMR powder which had a potent solvent smell. These rounds followed published data very well. 

New powders often have a solvent Acetone like smell and over time the opened can will lose the solvent smell. Over longer periods, it will degrade to an acidic off smell.  When powder has that off smell it is time to dispose of the powder. Below is what Alliant says about storage and handling of modern powder.

https://www.alliantpowder.com/getting_started/safety/storage_handling.aspx

Another article I liked below.

https://www.rifleshootermag.com/editorial/how-to-determine-gunpowder-shelf-life/83922

Good Shooting!

First, I like my new Browning X-Bolt rifle, but some of you know I had difficulty cleaning the red sealant out of the adjustment screw Allen wrench hole a few weeks back. Thinking my 2mm wrench stripped the hole. But I revisited the adjustment with a tool that I can put pressure on to get deeper in the Allen socket hole.

And it worked. The screw turned.

Thinking, now I can adjust it down to 3 pounds, but the adjustment screw did not lower the trigger to 3 pounds in fact just an ounce below 4 pounds, no matter what I did. And I am pretty good with tools!

Accordingly, frustrated I reassembled the trigger base and shot some snap caps for how the trigger felt. Nope, not much change. They say you can buy an adjustment spring and replace the existing trigger spring but it is not an easy job.

For me, I will test a Timney trigger when it arrives. It will adjust 1.5 to 4 lbs. Mine will be set at the factory to 3 pounds.

The only downside is that it costs around $200.00 and you have to take the stock off, remove and replace the trigger and proof the safety latch works. The Timney will no longer lock the bolt however. Many shooters see this as a minor loss.

https://timneytriggers.com/browning-x-bolt/

More Soon!

Shooting a semi-auto .308 or 6.5 Creedmoor AR for hunting can be done and done well. An AR example below. I prefer a bolt action but hey…this works. A great wild boar rifle too, where southern and western farmers are overrun with them.

The semi-auto AR 10 platform for hunting is a do-it-all rifle for protection, hunting game, and predators.

I personally prefer a bolt action rifle but in the right hands, this rifle works. In brown bear country, this reliable rifle gives comfort to folks living off-grid as does a 44 mag pistol as a side arm.

Ranchers use this tool like they use a hammer. If you have a nail, then the hammer is the right tool. If you have a brown bear sniffing in your direction, having a large clip of .308 cartridges at the ready can be comforting. Or live in Texas or Florida where they are overrun with pigs.

I am no expert on AR Rifles for hunting big game but I did find a great article on the web by Outdoor Life.

https://www.outdoorlife.com/photos/gallery/guns/rifles/centerfire/2011/11/20-best-semi-automatic-rifles-big-game-hunting/ 

Check it out, they are fun to shoot.

Most all rifles shoot far more accurate than the hunter, but out in the field, things can happen fast. The hunter must be accurate and ready.

The honest truth is, shooting off a bench at a bullseye is not hunting…it is target shooting. 

In reality, accuracy is, for the most part, in the hands of the hunter, not necessarily in the rifle. It is common to see hunters shoot MOA or even sub-MOA bench rest groups with todays rifles and be happy, ready to hunt. Right? Not really! 

We must practice how we are going to hunt. Hunters that do not prepare physically out in the field, including me, or shoot their rifle enough to know it well, are kidding themselves.

For me, it is a self talk to get my butt to the range regularly, shoot standing off a tripod rest or offhand burning powder and sending bullets downrange. Thus having an intimate relationship with your rifle, its recoil and trigger time.

Once your rifle is sighted-in, it is time to get you “the hunter” sighted-in away from the bench. 

It is best to shoot at a target that does not have a bullseye, after all deer and bear do not have a bullseye on them. 

 A paper plate target can help give you some focus to keep bullets on it.   I often purchase near life size paper animal targets to put my crosshairs on. It helps greatly or create a cardboard left or right facing shoulder/chest to aim at. What if the game is facing you, and that is your only shot opportunity. Are you ready? 

Good Hunting!

If you read my first articles on my Browning X-Bolt Speed, I was eager to shoot some Nosler 175g ABLR’s in my new rifle. I had hoped they would group well for long range moose hunting even with 9.5 twist rate.

This week I shot several rounds. Initial groups were just over 1 inch. The X-Bolt Trigger set by the factory at 4 lbs. is a bit too stiff for me, and a pain to try to adjust. I will shoot more this next week. I did shoot a single “cold bore” at 100 yards and then moved the target to 150 yards and shot “cold bore” again with the 100 yard zero. I expected the bullet to drop a bit. It fell only one inch, as expected. Nice! This initial testing with 175g was very encouraging. 

I hand loaded the bullet with Reloader 22 at 62 grains, (COL 3.24), giving a published estimate of over 2900 fps with a 24 inch barrel. The X-Bolt has a 26 inch barrel. I estimate a 50 fps improvement but will chrono some next week for real data.

Below is the JBM ballistic chart for this bullet if it’s muzzle velocity was 2950 fps. Energy at 600 yards is over 1800 ft-lb and velocity is over 2100 fps. Recoil is 24 ft-lbs. Felt recoil is much less, maybe half, with the great recoil pad on this rifle. 

Very impressive start!

More to come…

I can shoot my heavy recoiling 375 Ruger very well, so why choose a 7mm Remington Magnum instead? First and foremost the 7mm RM, in my new Browning X-Bolt, is lighter, even with a 26 inch barrel, and has almost 50% less recoil than the 375 (40 ft-lb for 375 Ruger). And the 7mm RM has less recoil than the 300 Win Mag or 300 PRC. 

The 7mm RM can maintain superior moose killing energy at long ranges out to 500 and even 600 yards. Shooting Nosler’s 168g AccuBond Long Range, it has almost 1900 ft-lbs and over 2200 fps at 600 yards. Bullet speed allows mushrooming, and the energy translates to penetration. Below is Nosler image of an AccuBond mushroom at 1350 fps. Most bullets require 1800 to 2000 fps to open like this.

Lesser potent cartridges have killed many moose but have energy limitations at long range. And most local sporting retailers carry 7mm Rem Mag ammo. 

Cost of a moose hunt in Newfoundland isn’t cheap so I got a rifle caliber that can reach further for maximum opportunity. 

My 375 Ruger’s energy quickly poops out around 400 yards or so. Shot distances in Newfoundland tundra and bogs can easily exceed 400 yards. 

Rifle and shooter accuracy is of vital importance, perhaps more-so than delivered energy.  That said, less felt recoil translates to improved accuracy. I use a very sturdy Bog Death Grip tripod for those long range shots. 

Practice out to 600 yards becomes essential, and I have a local range that can do that. I just loaded up some 175g Nosler ABLR’s and soon will load some Nosler 168g ABLR. I will shoot some in my next article.

More soon!

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