Silver Supporter
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In the mid 80's while in the Navy, I went home to Montana for hunting season. Didn't have any loaded ammo for the -06, but no problem, just bring brass, bullets, primers and powder, and load up at my buddy's place. I used what I figured to be a "Mid range load" from a 1949 Lyman manual, and didn't bother to sight it or shoot it. Four days into an elk hunt, came across a nice cow at maybe 100 yards. Shouldered the rifle (A custom FN Mauser) sighted on the chest, and squeezed one off. After recovering from significant recoil, I saw the elk had dropped like a wedge, shot through the spine instead of the chest. The bolt wouldn't open none too easy, so I had to finish up with a sidearm. Finally hammered the bolt open, the case came out ok but the primer pocket was jugged out and the primer fell onto the follower. I had read somewhere in the distant past to only use current manuals for load data, and that actually crossed my mind as I was loading that batch. I have a bunch of old manuals I use for reference, but I never again use that for what I'm loading these days.