What is your favorite firearm to load for?

[DunRanull]

Favorite would be the 444 Marlin.
So easy. Had it dialed in decades ago.
And for fun, sometimes will load a 44 caliber hydrashok or gold dot for spectacular water filled milk jug explosions.

I'll admit to a soft spot for the .444, as used in the Michigan deer woods. A very impressive cannon I got to know before .45-70 was a modern-day "thing". The ability to use- within limits- the .44 mag bullets is a plinker plus...

 

[ageingstudent]

I can't think of a single gun that I don't like loading for. Some I like shooting more than others.

I don't particularly care for loading 9 mm or smaller just because you need a magnifying glass and a pair of tweezers.

 

[ageingstudent]

I once got to shoot a gen-u-wine Colt 1860 Army of known Rebel/Texas provenance. It has been in a friend's family since The War. For an antiquarian such as myself it was a privilege.. It was the second BP I ever shot- the first being a Ruger Old Army I was dumb enuff to trade off...

I hate trading one away and regretting it later. My big regret is that I had a side-by-side Western Field that was made by miroku Gun Works. I've never had a better shotgun I really miss that gun.

 

[ageingstudent]

I can't think of a single gun that I don't like loading for. Some I like shooting more than others.

How is that 300 Savage going? When I was loading that I noticed that the short neck made it something of a challenge to get enough neck tension.

 

[Pepe-lepew]

Cartridges for my hunting rifles are my favorite. There is just something satisfying picking the bullet and powder, testing it for accuracy and drop at distance and then using it several times to take game. Unfortunately, it is the least amount of loading I do because a 100 rounds lasts many years.

 

[P7M13]

How is that 300 Savage going? When I was loading that I noticed that the short neck made it something of a challenge to get enough neck tension.

I have a Lee FCD for the 300 Savage. Can't remember if you sent one or I bought it, but I use one for every one of my magazine fed semi-autos across all the different calibers, eight in total.
I enjoy shooting the rifle so much, when I saw a 35 Remington Model 8 on the rack at Guncrafters in Salem, I bought it on the spot. I use a FCD for that too.
A buddy sent me some stripper clips, and now loading the magazine is easier than unzipping your fly (makes about the same noise).
Made about another 100 pieces of brass from all the 7.62 I have stashed. Annealed all of it plus what you sent and the once fired I bought.
Have put roughly 300 rounds through it at this point. It shoots 147gr Winchester M82 ball projectiles quite happily, and I still have >1500 of them.
It performs best with LeverEvolution powder, but does almost as well with H380 or Alliant 2000MR. I haven't even bothered trying Varget or 4166. I find H380 smoke stinks worse than Vihtavuori.
Yeah, I'm loving that Model 81....

 

[ageingstudent]

I have a Lee FCD for the 300 Savage. Can't remember if you sent one or I bought it, but I use one for every one of my magazine fed semi-autos across all the different calibers, eight in total.
I enjoy shooting the rifle so much, when I saw a 35 Remington Model 8 on the rack at Guncrafters in Salem, I bought it on the spot. I use a FCD for that too.
A buddy sent me some stripper clips, and now loading the magazine is easier than unzipping your fly (makes about the same noise).
Made about another 100 pieces of brass from all the 7.62 I have stashed. Annealed all of it plus what you sent and the once fired I bought.
Have put roughly 300 rounds through it at this point. It shoots 147gr Winchester M82 ball projectiles quite happily, and I still have >1500 of them.
It performs best with LeverEvolution powder, but does almost as well with H380 or Alliant 2000MR. I haven't even bothered trying Varget or 4166. I find H380 smoke stinks worse than Vihtavuori.
Yeah, I'm loving that Model 81....

I had heard that Mauser stripper clips worked in that model 81 is that true?

 

[P7M13]

I had heard that Mauser stripper clips worked in that model 81 is that true?

Yup, 8mm Mauser.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M257FGI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[red442joe]

Favorite would be the 444 Marlin.
So easy. Had it dialed in decades ago.
And for fun, sometimes will load a 44 caliber hydrashok or gold dot for spectacular water filled milk jug explosions.

What velocity? Hodgdons said 230 grain XTP's have a working velocity of 800-1600 fps...the pretty much come apart in clay/dirt. Over speeding hydrashoks or gold dots gotta be fun!

Joe
Edit: Hornady said, not Hodgdons...oops.

 

[red442joe]

148 grain button nose lees work well in all three of my guns. Red Dot loves the 38 for target loads. I was thinking about trying to cast some super soft projectiles and powder coating them just to see where the line is where the leading starts. That powder coating works so well I almost think you might be able to shoot something dead soft if it wasn't overpowered. Seems like you could get some really good expansion.

Get and read Lee's Modern Reloading....the parts on leading, hardness, and pressure helped me.

Joe

 

[sikhed]

What velocity? Hodgdons said 230 grain XTP's have a working velocity of 800-1600 fps...the pretty much come apart in clay/dirt. Over speeding hydrashoks or gold dots gotta be fun!































Joe

90% of my loadings are the hornady 265gr flatpoints, with a medium/fast rifle powder.

I do dabble in 2f black powder, and sometimes pistol bullets with smokeless rifle powder.

 

[ageingstudent]

Get and read Lee's Modern Reloading....the parts on leading, hardness, and pressure helped me.

Joe

I have that for sure. I have definitely read it along with a lot of stuff from Mike Venturino. Powder coating has changed the way that all works quite a bit. It is still fairly new so those of us who picked it up have to do a lot of tinkering with it to find out where the Line is now. I also read all of Glen Fryxell and Robert Applegate's online articles. The powder coating changes all of that but those articles and that book are a good place to start.

 

[thorborg]

From decades of hindsight, It would have to be the 6.5 / .264 caliber for me in what ever configuration you please. Based on the seemingly gigantic diversity of quality components available.
Everybody makes much, for the 6.5.
currently loading for the 6.5X55.

 

[ageingstudent]

From decades of hindsight, It would have to be the 6.5 / .264 caliber for me in what ever configuration you please. Based on the seemingly gigantic diversity of quality components available.
Everybody makes much, for the 6.5.
currently loading for the 6.5X55.

I think the new higher ballistic coefficient bullets have really brought that caliber along. People seem to be really excited about it.

 

[pharmseller]

.223 Rem for my Tikka Varmint.

Brass prep is very easy and I throw charges instead of weighing so it's fast.

Makes it simple to roll enough for a long day banging steel.






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[JRuby]

270 wichester in my riger #1.

 

[ageingstudent]

.223 Rem for my Tikka Varmint.

Brass prep is very easy and I throw charges instead of weighing so it's fast.

Makes it simple to roll enough for a long day banging steel.

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I have to admit I kind of miss doing 223/556. I keep meaning to look around for another Ruger ar-556 but I just haven't gotten around to it.

 

[washagonian]

1911.45 ACP is the easiest caliber I load for and had the most fun monkeying around with loads for.

I shoot my 1911 more than any thing else these days, so .45 acp is my favorite, trying various loads ,same ol' same ol' is just boring, I like to buy some bullets here and there, try a range of powders, etc. just so the reloading stays fun.
we shoot steel plates,kind of informally,here in Florence so the ol' 1911 needs lots of feed

Yep, 45 ACP. Easiest for me on a progressive press - just not finicky.

I have a couple of 1911's in 45 that I love to shoot.

I even picked up a used Springfield XD-E in 45 for a song. Kind of an odd duck, but actually a very nice gun to shoot, and I do like DA/SA firearms.

Hey, that reminds me, I need to replenish my 45 ACP supply. Better get out to the garage ......