Can we please keep this civil. Thank you
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Can we please keep this civil. Thank you
and continue that way. Nothing at all wrong with that.
Bill Hollinger, You have mailQuote:
Originally Posted by phil441
I am actually thinking of loading for mine, too. I have a bout 1500 rounds of REP FMJ and JSP, but want to "reload as I go" using my own brass. 1500 rounds is not a lot for 2 carbines. I think I still have dies, brass, primers and some 296.
Reloading with 15.0gr W296 and Rem 110gr FMJ or SP is currently running me about $11.60 box of 50 (reusing brass). Using 12.0gr 2400 knocks it down to about $11.16 per box of 50. While it does take some effort and time for case prep (size, trim, etc), I still feel like I get a better cartridge at less than half the price of commercial.
As far as not using reloads for HD, I believe that part of the argument put forward over the years has been being able to defend it in a court. Shoot someone, even during a burglary in your own home, and you are going to get sued by the perp or his family. I agree that using a "super" homemade 44 magnum reload with hand-cut fragmenting projectiles would be hard to defend on the stand - especially when standard commercial ammo is available. "Soooo, you were not satisfied with how deadly commercial ammo is and you obviously wanted to kill someone by cutting x's in your bullets, is that right Mister Smith?"
But I see no problem with using reloads when they are duplicates of standard commercial/military loads. "You Honor, I reload to save money and stay profficient in my safe weapons handling. I use unmodified commercial bullet loaded to exact military specifications for which the carbine is designed." I have a couple 30rd mags loaded with Remington 110gr SP bullets. I used brand new brass, bench-rest primers and I hand-measured the 15.0gr of W296 powder in each case. I am comfortable that they will go "bang" if needed.
Please note that I thank GOD every day for my family's safety and that the bullets are still in the magazine.
The key to the kingdom regarding carbine reloads is getting the case mouth bell correct. Until that is found you will have some collapsed cases and loose fitting projectiles. Once you have it right, they come off like factory loads. The caliber is not hard on either the cases or the weapon. The only pitfall for the caliber is case length. If it is too long problems arise.
Eventually I would see cracks develop lengthwise in the old cases. Very small and just a pin hole in diameter. Other wise case life was longer than most everything else. I used all types of brass and mostly cast gas check bullets. Once you've worked up a load that functions correctly, stay with it and you're good.
I shoot reloaded ammo only, since i got all the equipment to do it. And with the 110grs. PRVI bulletts and 14.3grs of the H110 powder, the CCI small rifle primers i´m at $17.90 per 100 rounds over here and thats very cheap.
I'm an experienced reloader and I just got set up with my Dillon for .30 Carbine. It took a little study work with a case length gage and stripped bolt in the rifle to make sure I was trimming correctly and not over sizing. At the range last weekend I fired 200 without a hick-up. 14.5 of 296 w/pulled 110gr RN. 1.285" cases work but I went to 1.280' hoping to get another reload before trimming again. This is a fun rifle and great for the wife also.
I even shoot cast lead bullets out of them from an old Lyman mould. Watching case size parameters is important, but so should all of our hand loads.