I just realized looking at my stack of die sets that I haven't used many of them in years ! I'm only using the top 4-5 and the bottom 5 hardly ever….I could easily be happy with just my 223rem, 260rem, 30-06 and 9.3x62.
I could get by with your top 4-5. 30-06, 338 win mag, 9.3x62mm and 223 rem. However, I've been loading for the 270 as well and it's a sweetheart. Very easy to load for. I've also found the 22-250 easy to load for.
I stick with my 257 Roberts and 30-30 for deer, both of which are sub-MOA with reloads. When I need to "expand" my horizons, I can fall back back to the 6.5x55, 7-08, and even the ubiquitous 30-06. For general fun, I can go back to the 223.
For me it's .257 Roberts and .35 Whelen, both sets of dies are set-up in my Ponsness Warren press ready to go. Only adjustment needed is seating depth when changing bullet weights, otherwise I just sit down and load.
Serious question: What do you use the 338 WM for??
I must be doing something wrong!! I have NOT had any trouble/problems loading for any cartridge/cal that I have EVER had.
Years ago I had a Rem 700 BDL 6mm Rem and I could NOT hardly put together any load that would shoot MORE than 1". That was 1 of 2 shootinest rifles I ever had.
223, 243,308,30/30,30-06,357max,and 356/358w are my 'I'm always loading or hoarding to load' calibers. Other stuff on hand, but just shoot those the most.
Jerry ! I use my .338wm for wild boar and red deer hunting. Good knock down power and animals rarely go far into the woods after being shoot and very litle meet damage.
Next winter on my Moose hunt I will use the .338wm or 9.3x62. P.S. I will buy a 6.5x55 one day....probably the new Tikka T3x.
I like the 223. Easy on the powder, and a large selection of bullets. I also like the 260 for the ballistics, and the reduced recoil compared to a 30 caliber. I buy bulk for those calibers.
223,260,7RM. I like the spread and one day when I've had enough, the 260 and 7RM will get replaced with a lowly 270. Reloading schit goes in the classifieds and I'll play with factory fodder.
Just aint quite there yet. Maybe I'll get a second wind...
Jerry ! I use my .338wm for wild boar and red deer hunting. Good knock down power and animals rarely go far into the woods after being shoot and very litle meet damage.
Next winter on my Moose hunt I will use the .338wm or 9.3x62. P.S. I will buy a 6.5x55 one day....probably the new Tikka T3x.
There is big game hunting in Iceland? If so it just jumped to the top of my travel list!
Yes, we have a good population of reindeers and until about 80 years ago we also had some muskox. Then there is the occasional polar bear that wonders on our island from Greenland our closest neighbour.
For me it's: .30-30 .22 Hornet .30-06 Savage .22 HiPower Savage .303
With over 30 bullet molds with which to feed them, the possibilities are infinite in nature. I could get rid of them all and keep only the .30-30 and keep myself busy experimenting with my M54 Winchester in that caliber for the rest of my life.
Getting back into .223 after a hiatus of 20+ years. I suspect the new AR is gonna be a hungry beast to feed.
I have always reloaded for economy but have found it pretty easy to beat or match factory ammo for accuracy. I have actually tired of reloading so maybe a box or two for each chambering every year and I'm done. Same for rifle shooting.
My stuff would be: 1. 22 Hornet, 2. 22-250, 3. 25-06, 4. 6.5x55, 5. 7x57, 6. 7mm-08, 7. 30-30, 8. 308, 9. 30-06, 10. 300 WSM, 11. 7.62x39, 12. 7.62x54R, 13. 303 British, 14. 8x57, ... for friends I sometimes do: 204, 243, 270, and 280. Then there's about 4 different pistol cartridges also. I could cut down on the number of rifle cartridge die sets but I still own guns chambered in those and some of which I don't shoot much any more. But if I want to take out one of the lesser used guns I sure don't wanna buy factory ammo for it unless it's just to get the brass.
I have some others I load for about once a year and several others I load for whenever. I would like to get a 6.5 Creedmore to use in place of the .243.
Your in Iceland! I looked where it is and it's way up North! It's 46F there with a rain shower now. Here in Ct USA it's 61F with a rain shower.
I have a few more dies than you and have been handloading rifle cartridges since 1953.
My interest moves from one favorite rifle to another. Of late it's custom 30-06 on a mauser action with an octagon barrel. When I go to the range I usually bring four rifles and shoot them for being sighted in, groups and some times I chronograph velocity.
I use to load for 6 different rifle calibers and 3 pistols. I downsized about 5yrs ago and now only load for 3 rifles. I don't shoot the pistols nearly as much as I use to so I loaded up a good inventory and got away from the pistol reloading. The 3 rifles I load for are a Rem 700 CDL 25.06, Rem 700 .260, and a Rem 700 LTR .308. The .308 don't see much hunting action mainly shooting cans and punching paper. The 25.06 and .260 are mine and the kids deer hunting rifles.
Mine changes from year to year depending on interests or new acquisitions. My 300 Weatherby dies have moved to the bottom of the stack and will probably stay there for awhile. The novelty seems to have worn off. Same with the K-Hornet although that one has a better chance of moving up. Lately I've been playing with a 30-30 again so that one is sitting on the top of the stack. Over time I would say 223, 22-250, 243 and 270 will stay towards the top.
My favorite to reload is .257 Weatherby because it is the most expensive to buy of the cartridges I shoot. Next would be 35 Whelen, for the same reason.
Some cartridges, like 9mm, aren't worth my time to reload. I can buy a box of 50 for $10 on sale.
My loading list is pretty long:.22hornet, .222,223,.22-250,.22-250 AI,.220Swift, .243,. 250 Savage, .25-06, .270, 7mm-08 7mm Rem. Mag., 7mm Wea. Mag. .30-30, .300 Savage, 30-06, .300 Win M. , .300 H & H, 300 Wea. .340, 32 Special,.375 H & H, .45-70. Plus lots of dies for calibers I no longer own like .338 and 6mm Rem. But my favorite calibers to reload are the.222, 223, and .22-250..
I have the "stuff" on hand to load around 50 different cartridges, but mostly load for the cartridges that I shoot most frequently; 204, 223, 22-250, 243, 257 Roberts, 25-06, 6.5 Creed, 260, 6.5x55, 256 Newton, 270, 7x57, and 30-30.
I enjoy working with all mine although lately i hsven't been doing a lot. Right now I'm fooling with my 308 and cast bullet's dor deer this year. My 6.5x55 as a backup both deer and elk season and Haven't decided wwhat I'll shoot primary for elk, might be the 6.5x55. I ddo enjoy loading them all. What I'm not enjoyinh is loading for my 9mm's. Use a Dillon Sq Deal and just can't get the hang of it. Gonna sell it and get a set of 9mm dies for my Rockchucker. I have a hard time getting 50 rds an hour because always something going wrong. I have learned to detest that Dillon!
My favorite for loading is anything based on the 308 case. They are not finicky as to powder ,primer, bullet selection. All will turn in more than acceptable accuracy.
I love to reload. It's nice to get in the shop away from the TV and enjoy the quiet.
It really doesn't matter what I'm loading for. I especially like loading for some of the odd stuff like 222 Rimmed, 25 Remington, 6.5x53 Rimmed, 400 Whelen, 10.75x57 and 401 Herters Powermag.
I really like loading roll crimped loads for a couple of my shotguns. I have a 2 1/2" Thomas Bland 12 gauge and a 2 7/8" Ithaca 10 gauge that I load for and all those loads are roll crimped.
I'd have to say my least favorite reloading is grinding out 12 gauge trap and skeet loads and high quantities of 40 S&W. I don't minds loading for them all that much once I get started but it takes a little more motivation to get me going on them.
Mostly load for 270 (aka 7x57 ultra improved). Also load for 35 Whelen to maximize its performance. It is the American 9.3-62. Never load for the 223 as I think of it as a substitute for the 17 HMR.
45-70, 358 Win and 7mm-08 are the easiest to reload for me. I quickly found the most accurate load and, although I did a bit of experimenting with different bullets for each of these calibers, I really didn't need to, I found the projectile that provided best groups fairly quickly. I could probably add 9.3x62 to the group as well.
I don't shoot for recreation, defined as going to the range and shooting paper or steel, very much anymore. I try to maintain proficiency with a good air gun.
Most of my hunting and varminting is with factory ammo. I can't honestly say that I enjoy reloading, although I'm equipped to do 8-10 cartridges.
Most all my reloading is of necessity. .218 Bee, .219 Zipper, and good .44 Special loads are mostly non obtainium. Perhaps if I bought some modern time saving equipment, loading might be more fun. I tend to weigh every charge, so an electronic scale might help. ,
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