The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

I have been watching with some concern at the apparent poor reloading practices that seem to be going on through the window of this forum.

It seems that people are asking for loads for their rifles, getting recipes that work in that calibre from other people and are merrily applying them to their rifles.

This is potentially a recipe for disaster.

Any load taken from another shooter should be checked against published data for that calibre, powder and bullet/boolit. By published I mean data from powder manufactures, handloading equipment and bullet manufacturers who have pressure tested their loads and provide maximum and minimum powder weights with a given bullet. If this data is conflicting as it often is as no two testing situations are the same then start with the lowest published load.

When handloading for a new calibre, rifle or when changing components in a load then the charge should be reduced by at least 10% or restarted at the minimum published for that combination and worked up to achieve the desired accuracy and velocity constantly looking and measuring for pressure sign.

This is safe, wise and proper handloading proceedures and are ignored at the peril of you and anyone else who is shooting beside you.

From what I have seen here there are some members who I would not shoot alongside if their reloading practices truly are as they appear here.

Apologies if I have been picking this up wrong but either way good and tested handloading practice will keep us and our sport safe which is the primary concern of us all.

Mistakes do happen and can happen to any of us, so do not let us increase that risk by adopting sloppy procedures.

Just because a load is safe in someone elses rifle it is no guarantee that it will be safe in yours.

When you shoot a rifle you are letting off a pipe bomb next to your face, a cavalier attitude to reloading will only lead to serious accidents and even death.

Take your time. if your are rushing your reloads to get ready for a shoot the next day then stop, take time over them and have them ready for a later shoot.

Better later than dead!

There is no short cut to a safe and accurate load for your rifle. You must work up your loads!

I don't actually reload but I know that when Bnz asks for advice and data he then goes and finds the info and reads up on it. It isn't so much not knowing what to use as double checking what others have found works best. I trust him 100% :)

No names no pack drill here.

Just something for us all to remember.

All sound advice and I believe that most people offering example loads also add the 'rider' to follow safe reloading techniques as outlined above.

What worries me more is when people just launch into it without any form of education either taken formally or via an (hopefully!) experienced friend.

I have tried to identify a market for delivering hands-on reloading courses but there seems to be no appetite for it.

Good reminder of the real dangers in any event.

DaveT

Dromia is correct in every respect.

I won't tell you what my loads are, not because it's a secret but for the reason that they suit only my gun, my scales, my components, my techniques and my skills.

If you want me to show you how I do that I will, but you sign a disclaimer first, and we will load only for a specific firearm, step by step

We all have to start somewhere and, if you are new to reloading - do a course, read a book (that's how I started) but never, ever, copy someone elses loads without first starting lower and working up.

Who knows, the lighter load may well suit your gun better.

A blown up firearm is easily replaceable, eyes, fingers etc. not so.

Don't try and run before you can walk, reloading is simple, nothing of which to be afraid but you must treat it with caution and respect.

I would never use anothers load, unless it's his gun! (or unless it's a proper commercial manufacturer)

Now then, where's me press? Iv'e seen this load on the internet which is giving this fella 1/4" groups at........... :roll:

:cheers:

I had never reloaded anything apart from blackpowder, as I have just got a K31 I thought I would learn from someone who knows what they are doing. I found Andy Allwood a really nice and helpfull bloke and a mine of info. As said before you cant beat experience.

I totally agree with Adam.
I would never use ammo re loaded by any one other than my self.
I all ways work up loads.
If I say a load works in one of my rifles that does not necessarily mean it will be safe in yours.

Oi, are you accusing me of being a rotten reloader?

Is that for a Krummlauf barrel?

I have advised several times on here to work up loads.

I have on many occasions felt that such advice had been ignored.

:-P