Frenchieboy Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 (edited) Well I have finally been converted to reloading all of my own C/F Ammunition, not for cost reasons, more for the satisfaction. I find it a bit like fly fishing - It's great to catch a wild brownie on a dry fly but it's even more satisfying if you can catch it on a fly that you have tied yourself! Anyway, I started on my .222 using a Lee Loader Kit with 52g A-Max powered by H4198 and CCI Small Rifle Primers in once fired (Through my owm rifle) PPU brass. After carefully prepping, checking and priming all the cases I started with the minimum load from the data (16.5g) and gradually worked up till I got the tightest group possible at 110 yards, which I found was with 18.5g - Well below the maximum load. The results (A clover leaf) are shown on the "Shoot N See" target which I am more than happy with. My .243 Lee Loader kit arrived on Thursday so I went out to Kirklees Guns yesterday and got some H414, a box of Hornady 58g V-Max and some Large rifle primers and settled down to an afternoons reloading. Again I started at the minimum load from the data (46g) and worked up doing a few rounds of each weight to try. When tried on paper at 110 yards I found that the best group was with a load of 47g (The maximum load given in my data is 49g) giving me a nice 1/2 inch group, as seen on the home printed target. Just out of interest, when trying the home loads in the .243 which was set up for 70g Blitzkings I didn't have to alter the zeroing on the scopes to get this accuracy, which is an added bonus as it means that I can swap between the 70g and the 58g without having to rezero. To say that I am a really happy little egg with my reloading would be an understatement! Edit: I should add at this stage that I haven't yet run any of the loads through a chrono as I don't have one! Edited July 13, 2013 by Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotShot! Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Wouldn't be upset by that at all ! Let us all know when you get your first fox or something with them ! Well done ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.C Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Well done Frenchie, those groups look spot on. Ive always wanted to start reloading but never have got round to it. Was it relatively easy to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted July 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Well done Frenchie, those groups look spot on. Ive always wanted to start reloading but never have got round to it. Was it relatively easy to do? Yes, it was relatively easy but I made a point of studying hours of videos and reading lots of posts, hints, tips and advice as well as getting my mate (An experienced home loader) to watch over me initially. I use the Lee Loader system which is about the cheapest of all to buy in both .222 and .243. Each one cost me between £25.00 and £30.00 with postage and the only other things I have had to buy was a set of scales, a set of digital calipers, a funnel, a powder trickler (Given to me on a long term loan by a good friend) a couple of bullet trays and a plastic headed hammer. (Plus of course powder, primers and bullet heads) - I use my own once fired PPU brass. I didn't go into it to save money, I was more interested in the technical side of it and the satisfaction of successfully mastering it - Plus of course I find it very relaxing. Well worth trying in my opinion mate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon6ppc Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 once you start reloading pal its gets you in to a new world of shooting,it gets more a science at times,my advice is which you prob will know is go for accuracy not power also which you prob will know as well is keep them barrels clean and cool, ive spent years trying to put bullet on bullet at all distances,its hard work now as ime hagged with heat haze seeing the target and my barrel over heating,ha ha cant win with the weather ABT cheers simon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted July 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 once you start reloading pal its gets you in to a new world of shooting,it gets more a science at times,my advice is which you prob will know is go for accuracy not power also which you prob will know as well is keep them barrels clean and cool, ive spent years trying to put bullet on bullet at all distances,its hard work now as ime hagged with heat haze seeing the target and my barrel over heating,ha ha cant win with the weather ABT cheers simon... My thoughts exactly Simon! I'm not interested in trying to developing a load that will travell twice as quickly as the star Ship Enterprise, nor am I interested in target shooting out to ranges more than I regularly shoot vermin, pests and deer at - About 250 yards maximum. I'm more interested in getting consistently accurate shots without burning out my barrels prematurely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ste12b Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Nice one Pete, they look good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Brilliant,,, and folks would of scoffed at you using PPU brass and cheapo Lee gear! Never liked the H414 in 243 but that means nowt! Nice going. U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted July 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 Brilliant,,, and folks would of scoffed at you using PPU brass and cheapo Lee gear! Never liked the H414 in 243 but that means nowt! Nice going. U. I would have prefered to use Varget or H4895 but I couldn't get hold of any so I had to get the nearest suitable one in stock. There's not much wrong with PPU brass, especially if it has only been fired in your own rifle, and I have quite a bit of it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted July 13, 2013 Report Share Posted July 13, 2013 I use to favour H4350 but I am not sure how it would do on those light bullets! It felt like the 414 was a faster powder,,,, thinking about it I can see it being better with the lighter bullets U Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harnser Posted July 14, 2013 Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 Not bad at all . But you missed the £1.00 coin . Harnser . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted July 14, 2013 Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 and the question is do you chase the one hole group or get out and kill most of what you shoot at Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon6ppc Posted July 14, 2013 Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 and the question is do you chase the one hole group or get out and kill most of what you shoot at i do both.ha ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted July 14, 2013 Report Share Posted July 14, 2013 i do both.ha ha But not with a lee loader and at a cost of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camokid Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 good results pete i also fired my first bunch of reloads and wow the different's was grate i put five bullets near enough in one hole apart from one i pulled right a bit buit well impressed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 nice one now get the paper out a lot further and you will see what they are really about. Like you I have a 85grn load that shoots an inch lower at 100 yards so I can swap straight over if I happen upon a muntjac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.C Posted July 15, 2013 Report Share Posted July 15, 2013 Yes, it was relatively easy but I made a point of studying hours of videos and reading lots of posts, hints, tips and advice as well as getting my mate (An experienced home loader) to watch over me initially. I use the Lee Loader system which is about the cheapest of all to buy in both .222 and .243. Each one cost me between £25.00 and £30.00 with postage and the only other things I have had to buy was a set of scales, a set of digital calipers, a funnel, a powder trickler (Given to me on a long term loan by a good friend) a couple of bullet trays and a plastic headed hammer. (Plus of course powder, primers and bullet heads) - I use my own once fired PPU brass. I didn't go into it to save money, I was more interested in the technical side of it and the satisfaction of successfully mastering it - Plus of course I find it very relaxing. Well worth trying in my opinion mate! Cheers for the info Frenchie, I think it's something that I'm defiantly going to have a serious look at doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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