Like the title says, what's on your list of handloads you've qued up to work on in 2024?

I'll be working on 2 cartridges:

First, I'll be revisiting my .257 Roberts and the 3 bullet weights I rely on - 110 gr. NAB / ELD-X, 115 gr. NPT, and the 120 gr. NPT.
They all are currently using H4350 and I'm going to be tweaking the existing loads, then giving StaBALL 6.5 a try in all of them.

Next is developing a couple of "Scandinavian" loads for the 6.5CM. Namely the Norma 143 grain Bondstrike and the Norma 156 grain Oryx.
Both using Vihtavuori N555, and both using Norma / Lapua brass. Regrettably, I don't know of any "Scandinavian" primers to use, so it will be Federal / CCI.
Target MV for the 143 grain Bondstrike is ~2,700 fps, and for the 156 grain Oryx ~2,600 fps, both from a 22" barrel.

I know something else will inevitably pop up, but these 2 cartridges are at the top of my list for 2024.

Fun question. A few load projects:

6.8 Western in browning xbolt SR. Shoots factory loads well so not been in a hurry to load for it to date. Plan on 165 ablr or 155 lrx and most likely h1000 and rl26. Oddly in my other 6.8W my trial with 165 ablr handloads did not go so well despite the fact that the factory 165’ablr shoots marvelously. I went with 175 tgk there. Bought a new ablr seater plug for dies from sps so maybe that will help

Have a couple 30-06 need to load for. An original M70 EW and a early 2000 700 BDL recently bought. Have always just used factory loads in these guns despite doing a lot of handloading for 30-06 have had in past. Probably set up one to shoot 150s and the other to shoot 180s. Not sure yet

Lou

405 gr cast bullet in my 2016 Remlin 1895 45/70

200 gr cast bullet in my 1957 Marlin 35 Rem.

Might dive into building a fly weight bolt action deer rifle and might have it done in time to work up a load. Still deciding on chambering.

45-70 with a Hammer 250 gr. bullet

243 WSSM with a Barnes 80 gr TTSX bullet

257 Weatherby with. Barnes 101 gr. LRX bullet

6.5 CM with a Barnes 100 gr. TTSX bullet

I'll be trying to find usable powders and projectiles
for the old established loads I worked up and
settled on a long time ago.
If I can, I'm going to load how ever much of
everything I can find and afford so as not to
be bent over by bullet and powder companies
again when they decide to discontinue something
that I need to make accurate fodder for my
firearms
Whatever I can't load what I figure is a lifetime
supply for, will be traded off or sold

None for myself.
I've picked up 2 customs to be put away for my 2 grandchildren for future use.
- Rem 7 in 250Sav gonna try 110gr ELD-X
- Mauser 98 in 257Bob AI gonna try 115gr BalTip
Then for my son a Vanguard 300WinMag gonna try 125gr BalTip

I'm gonna try IMR 4350 in all 3. The 300WM has given good results in the past with that bullet and powder combo, in other rifles. I'll have play a bit with the 25's.

I'm with you Ranger, I like a good supply of ammo on hand, along with the components for the future. Several friends and family laugh at how I go slightly overboard. But I don't go to the store to buy ammo, sweat price hikes, or discontinuing products. And go shooting whenever time allows.

Fun topic.

Good shooting,

R.D.

6.5mm Grendel, 6mm ARC, 221 fireball & 17 fireball - all in bolt action rifles may be enough.

I’m going back to bonded bullets and solids. Doing some loads for 6.5 PRC, 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Win, and .308 Winchester.

I’m also doing a new F-T/R .308 Winchester.

I actually did my load development in August of ‘23, but never had the opportunity to test it on game.


So, it’s “game” on for next year……pun intended. 😉 memtb

Going to give Staball 6.5 a go in the 30 06

Have to find some Berger 115 gr. bullets to try in the 6mm creedmoor.

I need to load some 270’s and 338 Federals

6.5CM with 143 ELD-X and some 140 seconds from Midway.

Helping a buddy of mine with a .38-40 WCF.

Helping out another buddy with a 6.5mm Grendel.

Plan on trying 160 gr Speer Hot-Cor bullets in my .280 Rem. This rifle shoots OK with a variety of 140 gr. bullets in front of a case full of RL-23, but I haven't yet found a load that gets me excited.

Continuing with workup started with a Barnes 120 gr. TTSX load in one of my 7mm08 Rems using Big Game. Playing around now with seating depth to see if I can tighten groups a touch more.

A custom model 70 7mm STW. I had an STW when they first became popular in the late 90’s. But was not a hand loader back then. I also have a big, heavy 300 win mag that I had built last fall that I need to start on.

Still working with a Win 88 in 284. I got a load last year that works but plan to tinker some more.

Have been dabbling off and on with other powders in the 358 Win since IMR4320 got discontinued. I've got a supply of 4320 but it won't last forever.

Dale

I'm GTG with components for quite awhile. What I don't like to do is prep brass when I'm in the groove developing loads, so right now I'm busy prepping brass.
I've got ~1,100 pieces done, with ~900 pieces yet to do. This is brass across 7 cartridges.

Main goal is to perfect the 139 Scenar/6.5 PRC load. I have RL26 and Retumbo.

.300 Blackout, .450 Howell, 7x57 Mauser, 7mm Dakota.

I just wrapped up a load today in my 7-08 using Varget and 120 gr. Barnes TTSX. I’ve been working on that load for nearly a year now. I’m also going to redo my load for it with StaBALL 6.5 and 120 gr NBT. I’m going to get serious on developing loads for my 6.8 Western and a load for my .280 Rem with 140 gr NBT. Then load development in 6 ARC, 6.5 Grendel and .223/5.56 in my gas guns. Last, but not least work on 10mm hard cast loads for bear protection.

I just finished developing the loads for a 120gr Nosler Solid Base with StaBall6.5 and Varget in my 7x57.

I'll be working on a few loads with bullets/powders I've wanted to try for a while.

A 6.5 creedmoor with the Sierra 130gr hollow point boat tail, probably using RL 16, and Hyrbrid100V.

A 338-06 with the 200gr Nosler BT and also the 215gr Sierra GameKing, with StaBall6.5 and IMR 4350.

A 280AckImp with the 165gr Sierra Gamechanger and RL 23 and RL 26

Bought several guns the last few years I haven’t had a chance to work up loads for yet. These are the ones I jus started on a dhope to finish by this spring

1. JOC tribute 279win, h4831sc and 130SP & 140 BTSP

2. 6.5 Prc custom with 143 Norma bond strikes, h1000,n565,h4831sc

3. Wife’s 6.5cm and 143gr Norma Bondstrike, h4350/RL16

4. LAW professional 300win mag custom, 200gr accubonds with h4831sc, H1000, or n565

.348 Winchester , maybe some for .325 WSM for a Kimber.

7mm mag.
7mm08
7-30 waters
6.5
300 win mag

Close to acquiring a Ruger M77 in 257 Robert’s. I have the dies and cases. Looking to come up with a hunting load for the rifle. I’m thinking about a Speer hot cor or something of that nature.

50-100-450 Winchester; 40-90 Sharps Bottleneck; 40-50 Sharps Bottleneck


I decided to get some bullets cast up while it is cold outside. I cast a bunch of 40 caliber bullets for the 40-50 and 40-90 Sharps Bottlenecks. The 40-50 is a Remington rolling block, the 40-90 is for 3 original Sharps buffalo rifles that I have.


I was trying to get the 40-90’s to shoot with black powder and paper patch bullets, but gave up when you could barely hit a truck at 100 yards. When I tried a load with the 40 caliber 282 grain gas checks bullets I had for the 40-65 Winchester, and they shot great. To hell with the paper patch and black powder.

The 50-100-450 shot some 315 grain bullets that I already had for the 50-70 and 50-95, and it shot real well. I found a guy that made bullet moulds and he recreated the same mould I had for those 315 grain bullets and so I cast up a bunch of them too…

300 AAC BLK subsonic with 200 grain cast for a single shot.
.45-70 with pointy bullets for a Mauser.
.280 Remington for a Ruger 77 Hawkeye that is still in the box that it came in five or more years ago.
…and that’s just the new stuff.

Will continue tweaking the ‘06, 7.65x53 and others for target/plinking/reduced loads.
The emphasis in 2024 will be to load and shoot more target rounds and obsess less about perfecting hunting rounds.

375 H&H AI, 375 Whelen AI, 375 Win, 358, 35 Whelen, 280, 250 Savage, 257 R, 280 AI, 30-06’s, 270, 6 mm, 348, 30-30, 44 Mag rifle, 45 Colt rifle and revolver, 357, 38, 32 Long, 256 WM, 30-40, 35 Rem, 45-70, 45-90, 25-06, 8x57, maybe buy a 257 Weatherby, maybe an 03 bored and chambered to 9.3x62, who knows what’s coming this way from a gun show(?),

But mostly I hope to cast more bullets and shoot less jacketed.

I've got a Howa Mini 6.5 Grendel barreled action on order from Brownell's, likely to go in a Pendleton stock. I'd be interested in how you guys make out with your Grendels. PM me if you'd like. Bought some 129 ABLR seconds from SPS for deer hunting. Will find a similar weight cup and core to shoot at lower cost. I'll probably start a 6.5 Grendel deer hunting thread here to see what everyone is using. Been looking on other forums as well.

Also closing in on a 75gr Gold Dot load for my 223 Kimber Montana for deer hunting. H4895 in the lead right now. Have Rl15 and BLC2 to try. Lucked into some bullets on another forum.

Good luck to you guys.

Frank

6.5-06 imp. It's not new but a couple years ago it started blowing primers with a load that used to be ok, so I shoved it in the back of the safe and forgot about it for a while.

I've never been fussy about cleaning but I bought a bore scope and the barrel looked pretty bad. After several rounds of cleaning it still had what looked like a tar ring a little past the throat. Since it didn't come out easy I'm guessing it was carbon. I used every chemical I could find (except clr), including: paint thinner, carb cleaner, white gas, montana extreme, bore tech, free all, kroil, lucas oil bore solvent...and ended up using JB bore compound to finally get it all out.

The throat has eroded about .060 and there's alligator skin in the grooves. My first trip out didn't blow any primers with the old load (RL 26, 143 gr eld-x, 0.049 off the lands, nosler brass & win large rifle primer) but the groups were just ok. I'll be using H4831, RL26 & Viht n165 with 140gr eld-m & 143gr eld-x.

6.5CM aka 6.5 Man Bun. 130TGK, 127 LRX, 140ELD-M
280ai. 140NAB/V V N165. This one is a known quantity. Just gotta lock down powder charge for this particular rifle once it's finished

The 338-06 is done for now.
Working on a 160 N part in 270 winny. Still trying to get it to a comfortable 2800. Standard 22 in. Savage barrel.
Expecting a 284 win. back from the smith any day. Have some 168 ABLRs that I would also like to hit a comfortable 2800. 24 in. barrel on that one. Wondering if it would be reasonable to try a 175 gr. at 2800?

338 Weatherby RPM.

200 gr Accubonds for longer shots

160 Barnes loaded at 338 Federal velocity for everyday loads

a few grains of pistol powder, light load for small game.

7mm-08/Barnes 120 TTSX

4831 SC is the powder.

In a 24 inch barrel in 270, you can't get enough 4831 SC in a 270 case to exceed SAAMI specs.

I have ran a 160 grain SMP Nosler Partition at 2950 for decades in a Model 70 of mine. Don't experience loosened primer pockets in the brass, even after 10 plus reloads. Use Larger Rifle Primers, not Magnum. Federal, CCI , Winchester & Rem 9.5.

This winter and spring will be working with the 6 x 45, varmint bullets and pistol/shotgun powder loads, 200 yds and under for sage rats. Bullets 75 grains and under. Goes a long way, yet very destructive on the 'end user'.

Loads for my recently acquired 6.5 Creedmoor and 270 WSM.

Plan to work on a load for my 8 year old son to hopefully take his first deer with next year. He will be shooting a ruger m77 compact chambered in 243 win. So far I've loaded some 100 grain hornady interlocks with IMR4064 and IMR4350 to see which it likes better.

Thanks seafarers. Don't have sc but do have Imr4831. Not likely I'll find the sc either. Got a few cases loaded up with the imr. See if they produce anything soon.

Going to work up some loads for my son's 270.

In no particular order, for rifles.

> 6.5 Creedmoor for my Tikka T3X CTR

>7x64 Brenneke in my Sako 85 Hunter

> 220 Swift in my Sako L579

> 6.5 Grendel in my Howa Mini and AR-15 w/ LaRue Upper

On the handgun side it will be 10 mm Auto w/ 180 gr. XTP's and Accurate # 9.

StarchedCover

6.5 Creedmoor 127 LRX, 7x57 with 160 Speer Hot Cor, and 350 Legend with 170 grain TSX.

Ron

I picked up some 130 gr. TGK in .264 so I'm gonna give them a go in my Barrett 6.5X55. I've been using 130 Accubonds, but I hear good things about these bullets so I'm gonna them a go.

Speer hot core 145’s in my 7mm-08.

Sierra 110 hp for practice and a 150 or 165 Speer hot core for the new .308.

Hopefully I can just tweak my original 6.5 PRC load of 139 scenars with RL26 for my new Seekins .

I’m going to work with my Sakos. I developed ‘good to go’ 225 NP load for my AV .338 carbine. Took my moose with it. But i have a pile of old 275 gr speers to try, plus other pills. My son’s AV could use a good ekeing out too. I vave 2 AI 6PPC repeaters that i need to develop and a Single shot Sako AI in 22 ppc that I need to play with. I just bought a bunch of brass and dies from 10gauge. That should spur me along.

I’m working on the 338 with 275 Speers myself.

Starting soon:
.375 Wby
.375 Wh AI
.275 Rigby
.416 Rem

Good luck with those. I still have a box or two. When they were available, I wacked a couple of blacktail bucks with those, and that certainly was a bang/flop scenario. I'm certain they'd put the hurt on a big black bear, and probably even a griz.

I've had friends in those days use them on moose and Elk, over in Montana, out of 338/06s and 338 Win Mags.
They are like an easy button. The 250 grain Hornady RN/SPs were also a good bullet for big stuff...especially out of a 338/06. Any bigger 338 is just more horsepower to give even more of a "good thing" result with them.

Funny, but until I saw the thread, I hadn't given it a thought. I had to seriously think.

My reloading went into overdrive last year. Chemo had kept me from reloading for the better part of 2022. I had a backlog of projects. Furthermore, reloading was part of my "therapy" for recovery. I was still a mess a year ago December and I went for OT and PT. As soon as I could climb the stairs and as soon as I could pick up nickels, I went downstairs and started reloading. My first project was rebuilding my Hornady LNL Progressive, and then using it to load 500 rounds of 223 Rem.

I suppose the first project is to develop a working 180-grain load for my 35 Whelen. That was the one failure last year, and it came late in the summer, and I didn't have time to pursue it. My goal is to take the "Whelenizer", my Rem 7600, and bring it back online as a whitetail deer rifle after a decade out of the rotation. I had reasonably good luck with 200 grain RNs over H4895 back in the day, but it was just so much muss and fuss and the Whelenizer didn't do any better job than my 30-06. The 180 grain load I'm working on was not to my expectations of accuracy at 100 yards, so I shelved the project to spring.

I am in an ongoing search for best accuracy from my .223 Rem RAR predator. Last summer I began working with Hornady 75 grain HPBTs, and got some good results. I'm going to pick up where I left off.

Then there is 'Bess. 'Bess is a .75 cal black hole. I had no idea what I was taking on. Large caliber flintlocks are a real mad scientist gig. There are just so many dials and switches. I've added to the mess by actually making my own black powder. My first attempt was fairly energetic stuff. My next batch will be a test for using toilet paper as a charcoal source. In the meanwhile, I'm still refining a turkey load and deer load.

Continuing the changeover from Alliant to VV powders in everything that still uses Alliant. RL 26 is a tough one, N565 doesn't do it. As $$ permits, will get some N560 & some N170. Have to get to the range to try some N165 loads. Also testing with different primers to conserve my WLR, WLRM, & Fed 215 supply.

Got a pile of TTSX on sale last month to try in 25, 7mm, 338, & 358. Haven't tried anything all copper since those miserable fouling original X bullets came out. The 257/100s are lookin' good in a Robts. Imp.

Those 275 Speers were the only thing that shot under an inch in a 338 WinMag that used to live here. They were long OOP when I got them from an old geezer at a gun show. Thinking there are still a few boxes in the collection of stuff still packed away. What fun.

I’m taking my Ruger No. 1 in 30-06 to Africa this summer and need to work up a load for the Barnes 180 gr. TTSX. I’ve seen a number of good reports for Ramshot Hunter for that bullet but can’t find that powder anywhere.

I'm going to try the 100gr Barnes TTSX in my 257 R and 25-06, also NAB 110's in the 25-06. I have some 87gr Sierria's to try in a 243 and 6MM Rem. First up however is to load buckets full of 16,20,28 & 12's all 2 1/2 inch for the sporting clays season.

Well all of these projects have also rekindled my never started Swaging endeavor. 5 years ago I bought the components from a deceased BR’er daughter and widow ( my wife’s ex sister in law) 17k 6mm jackets- Sierra and Gardner? 175# of .22 cal lead wire, core cutter, B&A dies and an A2 RCBS press.

Ugh, sounds like a lot of work..still.

212 ELDX in a 300 win mag, H4831, IMR-7828, RL-23, RL-26, Magnum, H1000

270 TSX in a 375HH, IMR-4064, Varget, RL-15; maybe AR-comp and H4350 if I don't have a headache yet

and to give my shoulder a rest, I will enjoy shooting tinny groups with my 7mm08

I am working towards having a single load for each rifle. I have enough different chambering that I want to get to one load for each rifle, then just change rifles as the situation dictates.

I had excellent results with Ramshot Hunter with the 180 grain TTSX in 2 different .30-06 that I worked up loads for this year for an elk hunt.

Oh, I hear ya. My problem is there's always something interesting just beyond the tip of my nose in powder and bullet offerings that I just have to try and explore in my existing cartridges.

I *think* I've been able to finally squash the new firearm / new cartridge impulse. Except perhaps for that little gremlin whispering 6.5 PRC...

6.5 Grendel with AA 2520, a new powder to me, and 125 Partitions in a CVA Scout pistol.
375 JDJ in a 26" Encore barrel, just because I got one cheap, have plenty of the parent cases, and 2520 is also supposed to work with it. Hawk 235 RT bullets showed promise last season.
444 Marlin in a rebarreled No. 1, focusing on Benchmark and jacketed bullets. Initial results last season suggest that powder and the Nosler 240 JSP are a good match.
348 Winchester in a rebarreled No. 1 with Hawk 230 spitzers. Had good initial results with that bullet and 4350 last season.

Like duckster, I'm looking for a single good hunting load for each chambering that I load for.

With sub-zero weather ahead, not much will get tested for a while.

I'm pretty sure I have the loads worked out, but might tinker a bit, fine tuning the loads I'll use in my .450-400 3" Nitro Express. Hunting Cape buffalo in Mozambique in July. Most likely will use Hornady DGX Bonded bullets, but may try a Swift A frame and see if they regulate in my Merkel double. I'll use North Fork Cup point solids for the left barrel. They regulate well and hit hard.
For plains game I'll be shooting my Verney-Carron bolt action in 9.3x62. It would be easy to just use my standard 285 grain Norma Oryx / RL 15 load at 2400 fps again. Perfect load. But I may try the Swift Aframes in it as well. Wish I could buy Ramshot powders here, I'd use some of Mule Deers data.

I have three fast twist barrels coming. 26 inch varmint weight for a Savage 12.

1 22-250 Imp, actually the Creed variety of imp. Have to get dies and brass.
2 6mm-284 I have dies and loaded rounds waiting
3 6.5-284 Another one I will have to buy dies and brass for.

35 Remington in a 336 with 200 gr hornady flex tip bullets.
22-250 in a recently acquired 788
Keep saying I'm going to get away from 165 gr NBT and Imr 4350 in a couple 30-06 rifles. If it's not broken don't fix it though.