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RDC wrote:

snayperskaya wrote:

RDC wrote:
It's why I have started. Mosin with chinese surplus was 2-3 foot groups at 200 yards.... Handloading has brought that down to around 3 inch groups at 200 yards

2-3ft at 200 yards!!!.......was it shot out? . Have you tried shimming the action?.

It was a lot better with PPU than the Chinese surplus, but I struggled to get it for a while. That said, the PPU still doesn't group anywhere near as good as the handloads with 150gr Sierra pro hunters.[/quote]

Both my Mosins and the Dragunov shoot really with handloads with 150gr .311" PPU SPBT bullets and also shoot really well with 182gr .311" PPU FMJ "Match" bullets.......but they don't like 174gr bullets for some weird reason I can't explain!.That said they shoot pretty decently with whatever I stick through them.The PU and Dragunov will shoot 1"-1.5" groups with either Russian or Chinese milsurp all day long, that drops considerably with handloads.

Reloading with quality components is rarely cheaper than military surplus, so it is not a financial gain with these calibres. You will get a much better round regarding accuracy and consistency (assuming you have half a brain and a semi decent reloading regime or technique and components).

With other ammunition (not military chamberings) the cost of a factory round can be many times the cost of the components to make it at home. Rare or hard to find cartridges are, by definition, not readily available from the usual outlets so hand loading is the way to ensure a supply. Also some ammunition is just not available with the bullet weight or type you want.


So reload because you get a better round, reload because you get your round of choice, reload because it may be cheaper, reload for consistent ammunition.
The worst of my reloads is better than the best factory load out there, for at least one of these reasons.

What Mattnall just said

Pete

Thanks to timely bulk-buying my component cost for competition .308 ammo is 42p, compared with 90p for equivalent factory. I fire 4100 rounds a year, so in theory I save about £2000 per year. But the fact is, I would never have shot anywhere near as much if I had to buy ammo at factory prices, so I'm probably still spending more as a result of loading my own (but shooting disproportionately more as a result).

Tools and equipment hold their value well, and have long since paid-off their depreciation.

I shot factory for decades, and wasn't interested in handloading; I started handloading out of necessity during a period when I was a full-time competitive shooter, and I simply could not have afforded the volume of ammo I needed for training. I discovered I rather enjoyed it - the therapeutic nature of task itself; the improved understanding of shooting and ballistics and, perhaps most of all, I enjoyed developing new equipment, new processes, optimising workflows, and sometimes disproving conventional wisdom.

I think there's a stark difference to having no enthusiasm to reloading as to being cavalier about it.

I don't necessarily have enthusiasm to reload for hours on end, but when I do, I put all of my concentration into the parts that matter. Priming, Powder measuring and bullet seating.

Why do I do it? it's not for the cost, that's probably how it started for me, at 85p per round at the time for match ammo, I could make it myself for around 45p per round, which means I can shoot twice as much! The added benefit was that the more I got into the reloading side of things, the smaller my groups got as I learned more.

These days, I reload because I'm used to a certain level of accuracy. Same as why I batch test Rimfire ammunition. I'm accustomed to a certain level of accuracy, that I simply can't give up. I understand how much variation there can be to buying stuff off a shelf compared to stuff that's tested and proved, be it by batch or by careful meticulous load development. It doesn't save me all that much money to reload these days, with the prices of powder ever growing and projectile prices ever rising, but I couldn't give up the peace of mind of knowing my equipment is all good, if something goes wrong at the target, it's all down to me.

/\/\/\/\ This

I do save SOME money on rifle rounds, particularly given that there doesn't seem to be much milsurp ammo in the RFDs near me. But now I've started reloading my own solid slug shotgun ammo i'm saving a fortune, just under 50% of the cost of commercial stuff, with mine being just as accurate but more reliable

One of the main reasons I reload is convenience/consistency of supply, its great when you become (sort of) ammunition independent

Blackstuff wrote:

One of the main reasons I reload is convenience/consistency of supply, its great when you become (sort of) ammunition independent

That is ultimately my goal.

As in the post above, I am only allowed to have 500 rounds of each caliber. However having a possible 3000rounds available in a disassembled state fills me with confidence. I do find the reloading therapeutic. The way I do it is 1 stage a day for the whole batch, the only combined being powder loading, seating and crimping in the same day.
@Snayperskaya.. My ex dragoon Mosin likes the 174grains ppu with 44grains of rx15. Will shoot straight at 100yards with the bayonet on, otherwise 20cm high

Asgard wrote:
@Snayperskaya.. My ex dragoon Mosin likes the 174grains ppu with 44grains of rx15. Will shoot straight at 100yards with the bayonet on, otherwise 20cm high

I also have an ex-Dragoon, a very nice 1926 Izhevsk with a like new bore.

If I have a Mosin that won't shoot to POA at 100m with the rear sight set to 100m I make a new front sight post, these are made from the small punch that comes in an AKM cleaning kit and once installed are indistinguishable from a standard Mosin sight post.

My Mosins and the Dragunov all shoot very with .311" PPU 150gr SPBT bullets using either Viht N140, Reloder 15 or Ramshot Big Game powder.....I have loads that work with all three powders.Strangely my "Russian Ladies" shoot particularly well with 150gr bullets (especially the Dragunov as the 1:320mm twist rate favours a 150gr bullet, as it was designed for) , not as good with 174gr bullets but then shoot really well again with 182gr PPU FMJ "Match" bullets........tried 174gr bullets from PPU, Sierra and Hornady but never as accurate as the lighter and heavier bullets!.

With the 150gr SPBT's both the Dragunov and my '44 Izhevsk PU will both easily shoot sub-MOA if I do my part

I haven't tried the 150grains but the 182 ppu factory ammo I found it less accurate than my 174 loads.
I am also looking for a tigr... Hard to find one at the moment. I am applying for more slots on my fac to get slowly the whole Mosin collection.
Only interested in soviet guns and ammo... A bit of a cultural thing for me :)