Keeping the sport going

[Dougan]

I guess we need to realise to some extent that in isolation shooting is an individual sport so the chances for social activity are perhaps limited, especially for non dynamic shooting

Not at all - I'm going to Bisley tomorrow for a comp with my TR club - Being a competition (as opposed to a fun shoot) some of us will only shoot 24 rounds all day...so not very dynamic at all - And despite being a comp, most are going for the social as much as anything else...with the weather looking good tomorrow some of the guys wives will come as well, we'll have lunch on the range and generally chill out and enjoy the day...in some ways as much a picnic as a shoot

I've also been lucky in that when I moved down here to Dorset, I found a good club straight a way - It's a small (relatively) club where the core membership have know each other for decades, but myself and my father were warmly welcomed and have now made some good friend there.

Thinking about it shooting makes up the majority of my social life these days...

[Dombo63]

If you are having a comp I hope you have better markers than the absolute muppets whose efforts we had to endure this morning on Century. In relatively windless conditions some of our club's best shots were seeing 5s and V-Bulls alternating with complete misses according to the nonsense being "marked". After 7 shots of my 10+2 and several "Message 4"s to the butts I gave up in disgust and went home.

[Dougan]

I'm sorry to hear that Dombo, and I hope we don't have the same tomorrow - In the past we've had time for a comp, and some practice/load testing/plinking...but recently we're struggling just to get everyone through the comp...

...but there's already another thread about the marking, so lets not go off topic too much.

[Dougan]

I think the cost of full bore shooting must put a lot of people off. I am doing less shooting these days, I just can't justify the expense.(newly retired and discovering the joys of living on a much reduced income) My current FAC runs to 2017 I don't think I will be renewing it. If I do it will only be for .22 Rimfire. The old boy (80) I was shooting alongside at my last club meeting said that this will be his last year. He told me that he had just bought 200 7.62x55mm cartridges cost him 80p a round. Have to say though I can't bear the thought of having to let my beautiful Enfields .303s go.

Jenks

It's definitely worth looking a reloading - You don't have to buy all the toys and gadgets (though it can become a hobby in itself) to make decent ammo - .303 is easy for milsurps, and with a basic set up you can make ammo for 25p a round (if you've already got cases), or around 30p a round if you account for new cases.

I only shoot about 300 .308 a year, but at nearly a pound (!) a bang now for RUAG it's getting a bit much - So I've decided to add .308 to my loads (already .357, 6.5 and .303)...As I'm doing it mainly to save money, I've just bought a basic die set and shellholder for less than 50 quid, and I'll soon be producing some good practice ammo for around 45p a round...less than half price.

If you're disciplined (don't buy unnecessary kit) you could recoup the initial outlay long before 2017...not trying to twist your arm; just don't like the sound of you having to give up on your Enfields...

[Jenks]

I think the cost of full bore shooting must put a lot of people off. I am doing less shooting these days, I just can't justify the expense.(newly retired and discovering the joys of living on a much reduced income) My current FAC runs to 2017 I don't think I will be renewing it. If I do it will only be for .22 Rimfire. The old boy (80) I was shooting alongside at my last club meeting said that this will be his last year. He told me that he had just bought 200 7.62x55mm cartridges cost him 80p a round. Have to say though I can't bear the thought of having to let my beautiful Enfields .303s go.

Jenks

It's definitely worth looking a reloading - You don't have to buy all the toys and gadgets (though it can become a hobby in itself) to make decent ammo - .303 is easy for milsurps, and with a basic set up you can make ammo for 25p a round (if you've already got cases), or around 30p a round if you account for new cases.

I only shoot about 300 .308 a year, but at nearly a pound (!) a bang now for RUAG it's getting a bit much - So I've decided to add .308 to my loads (already .357, 6.5 and .303)...As I'm doing it mainly to save money, I've just bought a basic die set and shellholder for less than 50 quid, and I'll soon be producing some good practice ammo for around 45p a round...less than half price.

If you're disciplined (don't buy unnecessary kit) you could recoup the initial outlay long before 2017...not trying to twist your arm; just don't like the sound of you having to give up on your Enfields...

Dougan..

Yes, I have been reloading for a number of years. .303 6.5x55mm 308 30/30. 270 Im just about out of Bullets in 303 and 308 I will very soon need to buy some more powder too Rel 15 and Rel 22 goodness knows how much is going to cost me to stock up. But I'd wager it will be more than a weeks state pension

Jenks

[dromia]

Suitable cast bullets and appropriate powders for them will reduce your costs substantially.

[Dougan]

I think the cost of full bore shooting must put a lot of people off. I am doing less shooting these days, I just can't justify the expense.(newly retired and discovering the joys of living on a much reduced income) My current FAC runs to 2017 I don't think I will be renewing it. If I do it will only be for .22 Rimfire. The old boy (80) I was shooting alongside at my last club meeting said that this will be his last year. He told me that he had just bought 200 7.62x55mm cartridges cost him 80p a round. Have to say though I can't bear the thought of having to let my beautiful Enfields .303s go.

Jenks

It's definitely worth looking a reloading - You don't have to buy all the toys and gadgets (though it can become a hobby in itself) to make decent ammo - .303 is easy for milsurps, and with a basic set up you can make ammo for 25p a round (if you've already got cases), or around 30p a round if you account for new cases.

I only shoot about 300 .308 a year, but at nearly a pound (!) a bang now for RUAG it's getting a bit much - So I've decided to add .308 to my loads (already .357, 6.5 and .303)...As I'm doing it mainly to save money, I've just bought a basic die set and shellholder for less than 50 quid, and I'll soon be producing some good practice ammo for around 45p a round...less than half price.

If you're disciplined (don't buy unnecessary kit) you could recoup the initial outlay long before 2017...not trying to twist your arm; just don't like the sound of you having to give up on your Enfields...

Dougan..

Yes, I have been reloading for a number of years. .303 6.5x55mm 308 30/30. 270 Im just about out of Bullets in 303 and 308 I will very soon need to buy some more powder too Rel 15 and Rel 22 goodness knows how much is going to cost me to stock up. But I'd wager it will be more than a weeks state pension

Jenks

Sorry mate, the way you were talking I thought you were shooting factory...

...If you want to stick to Jackets, I bought some bulk PPU .303s off Jon17 (JD Reloading on here) which worked out at about 18p each...they didn't perform like SMKs but made perfectly good practice ammo - or, as Adam says, go cast...cheaper boolits and far less powder.

I may be going cast myself with my .303, but not for economy...that'd just be a bonus.

[phaedra1106]

If you want jacketed have a good look around the internet, I got 2000 Nosler 168gr Custom Competition shipped to my door from Germany for less than the PPU.

I believe Rox also got several thousand 155s at a good price as well.

[Dombo63]

Three questions i have re cast boolits in a 303:
1. Can you buy them off the shelf rather than cast them yourself
2. how do you avoid flashover if there's less powder in the case?
3. where do you find load data? Viht tables only have data for the standard sized FMJ and expanding bullets
thanks.

[phaedra1106]

1. Yes, Kranks sell cast boolits (mainly pistol calibres) DodgyRog on here and Shell House Bullet Co. have a wide range of cast boolits.
2. By using a suitable fast burning Pistol Powder, flash over or SEE (Secondary Explosion Effect) is usually the result of using small amounts of slow burning rifle powder in a large volume case.
3. Cast Boolit laod data is covered in a sticky post in the library section here, http://www.full-bore.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=810