Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles New to reloading - First time shooting my own cartridges ?s

I am new to reloading and just finished up my first 5 cartridges - 260 Remington caliber. I have had my RCBS equipment for over a year and have read the ABCs of reloading a couple times, watch numerous videos on it, and read tons of forum threads on it. I feel confident in my abilities to follow instructions and measure correctly with calipers and the scale. I have made up 5 cartridges of 260 remington loads - 100gr Nosler Ballistic Tip over 39 grains of Varget (minimum load on Nosler's website), and CCI 250 primer. Once fired Remington cases were Full Length resized and trimmed to 2.025, bullets seated to 2.800. I double\triple checked measurements during every step. I have weighed each completed cartridge, so I know there are no double charges or inconsistencies.

So I am ready to test fire these. Obviously I am nervous due to the horror stories and dangers of what can happen. I like having all my fingers and eyes intact. Does anyone have any recommendations for me when shooting first loads? Should I strap the rifle to a lead sled and get a nice long piece of string and take cover? I am hoping for something safer than close my eyes and pull the trigger.

If you were that anal about every step, you have nothing to worry about. I don't even trim my brass or measure it. If the powder charge isn't at max, fire away.

Yeah, you'll be fine. The first time your own loads go bang is a wonderful thing.


"I am hoping for something safer than close my eyes and pull the trigger." That's exactly what I did with my very first reloaded .38 Special in a Ruger Blackhawk. I pushed the revolver out in front of me, turned my head away, closed my eyes and pulled the trigger. When I opened my eyes to discover that I hadn't turned into a smoking hole in the ground I was hooked.

Always wear eye pro and you'll be good to go.

Don't stress yourself.

Wear shooting glasses and good hearing protection (like always). Check for bore obstructions (like always). Don't be surprised if your brass is blackened due to low pressures.

You actually have to go over pressure quite a bit to damage yourself with a modern rifle. I haven't managed it in 45 years of reloading.

Like Jim said, after the first one doesn't frag you, you'll be hooked.

The one thing I would do befor I shot this load, that you didn`t do, or at least didn`t mention, is to make a dummy round, sized,trimed case with bullet seated to same depth as your loads, and cycle it through the action for function check. This will reinforce all your measurments and give you confidence in what you did, you did correctly. If not, the error will show up in the dummy round.
If all is well, shoot the stuff!
Good Luck

set the target at about 50 yds with a decent target and shoot for a group, when they all hit the paper, take the cases do the same thing and increase the powder charge by 1/2 grain and do again, keep repeating till you get a good group, then load a hundred like it an go hunting!

sounds like you got it all put together right so far.

record your load so you can duplicate it later.

Find a way to make straight ammo and you'll be hooked for life. powdr

Thanks for all the good advice and easing my worries.
I did make a dummy round and it does cycle without issues. I will shoot for best groups and go from there.
I will post back after the weekend as to how things go.

I do not think anyone has mentioned it but you are using a magnum (250) primer vs the regular primer (200). Should not have an effect at the starting load. Just be aware the two are different. You should not have any trouble using a regular primer in a 260. Maybe someone can let us know the difference between the two. I have never used them myself so I am curious also.

Thanks for the tip. I will check for pressure signs after firing the 5 rounds I have loaded already. I will load the rest with CCI 200 primers.

You won't see pressure signs with those loads but if you want to look for them, check after each round, don't wait for five. That will come in handy later on when you're near max loads. The most telling are ejector slot marks on the case head (IMO).

But think of it this way--like someone else said, you've been very careful (anal) in your loading so why would you have more trepidation in shooting those loads than you would with factory loads assembled outside your control on an automated line where things can go wrong?

260 will really shine with 130-140's........boolits........

H4350.......H4831sc

A few years back a guy on snipers hide had this to say -
" the most inaccurate shot I had ever taken was my first reload. Of course knees knocking, head back and eyes mostly closed, hands shaking may have had a bit to do with that. After that one shot the next nine were the best I had ever shot."

Another question. I have been reloading for quite some time, for a number of different chamberings. My brother just bought a Savage in .338 Federal...nice rifle. When looking at load information, almost all of the viable hunting loads were of the compressed variety. I have never attempted the compressed load. Just how do you go about getting a 110% powder charge in a case that is 100%? Just sayin"...

compressed...........

or.....test other powders

http://chuckhawks.com/338_federal.htm

http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/d...mp;Weight=All&type=Rifle&Source=

I heAr it gets cold in PA, you might want to stick with the magnums.

Let someone else shoot it first...

You will always remember the first handloads you shoot. Mine were 150 gr. in a 8mm mauser. 45 grains of imr 4064, I think was the load. Any way you will always remember the first animal you shoot as well. Mine was a coyote at 200 yards. Was deer hunting out of a stand on a high line, could see for miles. Little yote ran out at the next high line pole. Stopped to sniff something on the ground and BLAM!!!! Best shot I have made with that rifle, well smallest living thing I have hit at that distance with it. You will be fine. You are well below max and the mag primers will be fine. They run a little hotter than standard primers to ignite the larger volumes of powder in magnum cases, but are fine, just work your way up with them.. Anytime you change something like primers you need to start over going back down in charge weight then back up to the max for that rifle. Each rifle will have it own personality. It might like mag primers over the standard, or this bullet over that one. Just got a 6.5x55 this summer and shoot 4 different kind of factory ammo to see which one it liked best. I didn't have time to work up loads for it. It told me real quick which it liked. Shoot Remington stuff into 5 inches , s&b 131 grain in to 2, 140 grain S&B into 1.5, and fusion into a smig over an inch. I'm good with that till I have time to work on some. M8x57

PA,

As long as you have matching shellholder for your die you can full length size and not have a headspace issue. I have however seen where a mismatched shellholder and die has created as much as .025 thou headspace in a factory chamber and that would be an issue. I would highly recommend a headspace gauge to ensure this part of the reloading process is in check if you haven't already done this. From what I can tell from your description everything else is in good shape.

Best wishes and I hope you find much satisfaction in your reloading endevours


Trystan