So, I Was In The Loading Room Today...

[sestoppelman]

Here are a few rounds I loaded this weekend, for the rifle I haven't picked up yet. 180gr Sierra left slightly long so I can fine-tune the OAL once I get the rifle:

View attachment 241105

And what exactly will the aforementioned rifle be eh? Hmmmm???????

 

[larry4831]

Glad I read these posts .I thought for a while I was the only one that was nuts. Very therapeutic.

 

[tarbe]

And what exactly will the aforementioned rifle be eh? Hmmmm???????

The No. 1 in 30-40 Krag with the pic posted on the previous page.

Picking it up Friday from one of the most dedicated No. 1 collectors in the country.

 

[sestoppelman]

Ooops! I was thinking of your .32 Special!

 

[tarbe]

Loaded 46 rounds of 450/400 today. 300gr Hornady Flat Points and 400gr Hornady DGS.

Loaded 67 rounds of 45/70 yesterday....300gr Nosler Ballistic Silvertips.

Loaded 34 rounds of 470 NE on Monday. 500gr Barnes Banded Solids.

Yes, work may have sucked this week...but the Loading Room Life has been pretty good!

Miller Time!

 

[tarbe]

Picked up a Ruger No.1 in 30-40 Krag yesterday...so was tweaking the OAL of the rounds previously loaded.

Decided to load up some 200gr Partitions to go along with the 30-40 Krag ammo already done up with the 220 gr Partition, the 220gr Woodleigh, the 180gr Sierra and the 150gr Hornady.

As I was documenting the rounds I just loaded, I realized that this Krag is the 8th different 30 caliber cartridge I have loaded for.

No other single caliber has as much representation in my "portfolio".

Got me to thinking...how many different 30 caliber bullets do I currently have on the bench?

Well, the answer is 48 unique 30 caliber bullets. Nosler, Woodleigh, Barnes, Speer, Sierra, Hornady, Lapua. 100, 110, 125, 130, 150, 160, 165, 170, 180, 200, 220 and 240gr.

Sptizers, Spire Points, Flat Points, Round Nose, Hollow Points. Cup and core, bonded lead, lead free and even a couple of cast.

I bet I am not the only one here who is over-represented by 30 cal?

And while I have loaded for the king of the 30 cals (30-06, with apologies to Cody)...I have never owned a 30-06!!

Go figure!

 

[tarbe]

And what exactly will the aforementioned rifle be eh? Hmmmm???????

Here she is. Picked up yesterday.

Mounted a 2.5x Leupold so I can take here out for a spin tomorrow.

Have not decided what glass she'll wear when I (hopefully) take her to the BVC next August as my light rifle.

 

[Bullthrower338]

Here she is. Picked up yesterday.

Mounted a 2.5x Leupold so I can take here out for a spin tomorrow.

Have not decided what glass she'll wear when I (hopefully) take her to the BVC next August as my light rifle.

View attachment 244921

Looking forward to inappropriately touching your new rifle tomorrow! Me thinks I may represent well in the 30 cal arena also, let’s see...300 whisper, 30-30, 308, 30-06, 300H&H, 300 WM, 300RUM. Soon a 30 US!

 

[tarbe]

Looking forward to inappropriately touching your new rifle tomorrow! Me thinks I may represent well in the 30 cal arena also, let’s see...300 whisper, 30-30, 308, 30-06, 300H&H, 300 WM, 300RUM. Soon a 30 US!

30 US in an 1895 or.....something else?

 

[Bullthrower338]

You know how I excess because of my abused childhood where I didn’t get everything that I wanted so yes

 

[tarbe]

Just remember son, you can't have them ALL.

You can try though!!

 

[Bullthrower338]

I thought my white privilege allowed me to have all of it? Hmmm? Better get back to work I guess

 

[tarbe]

10 months from today I will be neck-deep in a Buff/PG hunt in the BVC.

With the weather finally cooling down into the range we'll be hunting in, I figured it was time to start poking around and come up with my Buffalo load.

I warmed up yesterday by loading 20 30-40 Krag and 17 practice rounds for the 450/400 (400gr DGS with 81gr of IMR 4831).

Today I broke out some new brass, prepped 9 cases and loaded up a few rounds.

I've done just enough loading/shooting with this rifle now (about 400 rounds) to have a bit of a feel for where I will end up in this process.

I know up to 88gr of IMR 4831 is safe in my rifle with the 400gr Hornady...and I also know I don't need 2,300+ fps for popping a buffalo at <50 yards.

So I am starting where I hope to end up...85gr and around 2,225 fps.

I will start by shooting 3 each with North Fork, A-Frame and Woodleigh over the chronograph and on target. Will move on from there!

 

[tarbe]

Sharp is an A-Frame junkie and wants me to hunt with them.

I want to poke a Buff with a NF...and I think the Woody would be great for the PG (Eland is on the list).

I hope to take some ammo loaded with all three...and I hope I get to do enough shooting to test them all.

 

[Bullthrower338]

Sharp is an A-Frame junkie and wants me to hunt with them.

I want to poke a Buff with a NF...and I think the Woody would be great for the PG (Eland is on the list).

I hope to take some ammo loaded with all three...and I hope I get to do enough shooting to test them all.

I will so rat you and your NF’s out to Uncle John!

 

[tarbe]

Yer killin me!

 

[tarbe]

Today I was resizing the 18 450/400 empties from the previous range session.

As I was gazing at the brass and letting the aura of vintage cartridge goodness permeate my soul, a thought came to mind.

That thought was "I wonder if anyone has necked the 450/400 down to .375? Maybe shoved the shoulder forward a couple tenths"?

What a great way to get a really potent, rimmed .375 cartridge for doubles and single shots.

Yeah, I know there already is a .375 Flanged...but it is kinda lacking in capacity to allow it to compete head to head with the H&H, Ruger and Dakota offerings.

If I were going to do a .375, I'd want to be able to get useful velocity with the 350gr NF and/or 380gr Rhino, and I don't think the Flanged is up for that.

Has this been done (450/400-.375)? A quick search didn't come up with anything.


Tim

 

[sierraone]

Is the wood on that #1 Krag factory? Don't believe I have ever seen one that nice.

 

[tarbe]

Is the wood on that #1 Krag factory? Don't believe I have ever seen one that nice.

Yes sir, right out of the box!

It is a sweet little rifle and essentially a rimmed .308Win in the strong No 1 action.

I had no trouble getting 2,550 fps with the 200gr Nosler (actually touched 2,600 but expansion said I was at the limit).

What can't be killed cleanly within 200 yards in the CONUS with a 200gr Nosler starting off at 2,550?

I think I have a theme for a new thread....

 

[tarbe]

So....I was loading some 45/70 this evening. 54 rounds with the 300gr Nosler Ballistic Silvertip.

As I was logging the rounds in my binder, I realized that my first 45/70 loads were put together in June of 1975.

It has never been a high volume round - but tonight's put me at 1,409 for this particular cartridge. It just tonight passed up the 375 H&H on the hit parade.

I think it is safe to say that I will probably be messing with the 45/70 until my shooting days are over!