New rifle or start re-loading?

[BRL]

Okay, maybe this is the wrong place to post this being that it's a reloading section...everyone might tell me to reload. BUT, that is what I am leaning toward now anyway. We'll see.

I have become really interested in big, slow moving bullets for close in deer/hog hunting. I have been thinking seriously about buying a .35 Remington. I, especially, like the looks of Buffalo Bore's load for the .35 Rem....220 grain moving at 2,200 fps. I have seen other factory ammo with 200 grain at 2,100.

Here's what I have already for hunting...I am left handed and don't currently own a bolt gun.

Remington 7400 auto in .30-06
Browning BLR (lever) in 7mm-08
NEF Handi in .243
Bushmaster AR-10 in .308

Last night I was really pondering rifles and calibers to fill my void. All of a sudden, I thought...wait! I could just buy a new re-loader (I already own a Dillon Square Deal B for handgun calibers) and load the .30-06 or .308 with 180 grain or 200 grain at the same velocities as the .35 Rem. For the amount of money that I would spend on a Rifle and scope, I could get a pretty nice loading set up. Then, my ammo down the road would pretty cheap too. Whatever I choose I could load light...all the way up to full with either caliber.

Any thoughts on this idea? Both the .308 and .30-06 are autoloaders. Might I run into problems loading for those? Would it be better to leave loading for those types of actions alone? I know it's done but would I not get good results or become frustrated with other roadblocks?

Thanks for any thoughts!

[Cheesehead]

Since you are some what familiar with Dillon products, just buy a Dillon 550 and mass produce ammo for all of your rifles. You will never regret it. A bit of a learning curve starting out.

Cheese

[corbanzo]

Doesn't matter the gun, reloading is reloading.  As long as your full length size, it isn't going to matter what gun you put a catridge in with what action.  

A cartridge loaded in the factory isn't going to be different than a catridge reloaded in my back room.  Well, cept for more quality control in my back room.  

I have seen .308 caliber bullets up to 240 grains.  They were rediculous looking, and might not fit well in your action, but are out there.  Have seen and shot some 220 grainers which werent too bad.  

If a bigger weight is all you are looking for, a 30-06 will push a 220 grain bullet plenty well enough.  Here are some options:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=553477
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=547799

I've shot plenty of the 220 grain remmy soft points, they were a good bullet.  


If you want your wife mad at you for spending too much time and money on the reloading bench.... then reload.  If you want to save time and money...  get some factory!  Honestly, I love reloading, can't keep me away from it, but if you have one simple problem you want to solve... reloading isn't the way to go.

[Savage]

Yep, wrong people to ask! Anyone here is either a hopeless reloadaholic or is considering the downward spiral to becoming one.
So----------sure! Spend the money on the reloading equipment. See how quickly your problem was solved! Now, with that out of the way.
One of the real benefits of reloading is tailoring your loads to your rifles and uses. It would be pretty easy to duplicate the .35 Remington ballistics in your rifles. The 06 and the .308 are a couple of fine ones to start on. Many years of loading experience has taught me that small base dies and  Lee Factory Crimp Dies are the best die investments you can make when reloading for auto loading rifles! Most likely someone will chime in and tell you that small base dies and FCDs are not needed in auto loaders. They might even tell you that it's not even necessary to crimp. Sometimes ammo so loaded will even work in some rifles. The difference is, when the SBDs and FCDs are used, ammo works all the time in any rifle. So believe what you want.
Other than the above, get a good starter kit for rifle reloading. If you might use military brass, you'll need a method to remove the crimps from the primer pockets. Either a cutter type or a swage tool work well. I prefer the swage tool from RCBS. It's been a long time since I loaded for the auto loading .30s, but I found IMR 4895 worked well in them. Good shooting, and good luck finding components!
Savage 

[wncchester]

"Any thoughts on this idea?"

You asking us, a hopeless bunch of reloaders, if reloading makes senxe?    


"Both the .308 and .30-06 are autoloaders. Might I run into problems loading for those?  Would it be better to leave loading for those types of actions alone?"

Not really.  It somewhat limits the powder and pressure selections but it' s not difficult to do.


"I know it's done but would I not get good results or become frustrated with other roadblocks?"

We all can and to get frustrated, but it's our choice, not automatic that it will happen and solutions can be found!  But, if you have high expectations of safely getting 2,200 fps with a 220 gr. bullet out of a Marlin 336/.35 Rem you WILL be frustrated.

[LaOtto222]

Gathering up all the cases after you shoot with an auto loader can be a pain.  The only semi-autos I own are rim fires - 2 - 22 LR rifles. No handguns or center fire rifles. The rest of my guns are revolvers, single shots, levers and bolt guns - easy to get the empties. BTW if you want a big bore going slow, look into a Marlin lever, but in 44 Mag, 45 Colt, 444 Marlin or a 45-70 Gov. Easy to load for and plenty of power for those shots under 150 yards. My Marlin 44 mag clocks at 1800 fps out of a 20" barrel with 240 grain Winchester white box (Factory load), but can be duplicated easily enough. Good Luck and Good Shooting 

[BRL]

Good posts, thanks.

I suppose that is another option...44 mag. I already load for that with my Dillon and could just have a .44 barrel fitted to my NEF single shot. That would certainly be the least costly way to go. No new gun, nor a new reloader.

The Dillon 550 does have me pondering though...thanks for the tip. They've been refined a little since I bought my Square Deal B back in 1993.

[Swampman]

Get the .35 Remington.

[Cheesehead]

Get the .35 Remington.

and the .44

Cheese

[flashhole]

If you do go the reloading route and want to use the heavier bullets make sure you have sufficiently fast twist to stabilize them.  Your auto loaders will need a 1:10 or faster twist.  I used to shoot the Nosler 30 cal 220 grain semi spitzers.  Lots of punch.

[jlchucker]

Get the .35 Remington.

and the .44

Cheese

You might as well pick up a 30-30, too, while you're at it--just because!

JLChucker

[BRL]

Get the .35 Remington.

and the .44

Cheese

You might as well pick up a 30-30, too, while you're at it--just because!

JLChucker

LOL...I hear ya.

Good point about the twist and heavy bullets. Thanks flash.

[Cheesehead]

The 44 magnum and the Dillon 550 work very well together. You will run out of components so fast it is amazing, but you will have 1000's of loaded rounds. Good times.

Cheese

[Lone Star]

Many heavy-for-caliber rifle bullets are built with tough jackets and hard cores for use on large and/or dangerous game and don't expand well at low velocities or on smaller game.  Take this into account when loading for your .30s, if the bullet does not expand well killing power will be compromised.  One of the reasons the .35 Remington has such a great reputation is the bullets it uses - the 200-grain Core-Lokt is a superb bullet and works perfectly in the .35 Rem on deer-sized game.  The cartridge does not work quite as well with non-expanding bullets (but it will work of course).  A .308" bullet which does not expand has 35% less frontal area than an unexpanded .358" bullet.  Bullet diameter is another reason the .35 Remington has a good reputation.  

If in doubt about your .308" bullet choice, call the bullet maker of your choice and see what heavy 180-200 grain bullet they believe will expand well at your reduced velocity.  An example is the Speer 180 MagTip, which the maker states expands well at .300 Savage velocities - around 2400-2500 fps at the muzzle.



.

[BRL]

That's a good point too...I like Hawk Bullets and have contacted 3 other companies but have only heard back from Hornady. I didn't contact Remington only because I've used the CoreLokt quite a bit but probably should to see what they say about their 200/220 gr. 

[41 mag]

If you use the Remington .308 bullets for the 30-30, you can load them to lower velocities from both your .308 and 30-06 and have some fine thumper loads which will work properly.

I have used the 150 and 170gr RNCL's from my .308 on feral hogs and they drop them like lightning. Best part is they don't mess up a lot of meat and are cheap to shoot in comparison to other brand names.

[Tonk]

I have never regretted getting into reloading and I have over 25 calibers nowdays, perhaps even few I have forgotten about in the vault......must do some rechecking perhaps. You will save at least 50 to 60 percent in ammo cost and put out a better product for your guns.

If I purchase another press, which I will do this year, it will be the Hornady Lock-N-Load press. Now with the auto case feeder, it will load around the 700 rounds per hour mark. It is supper quick to change calibers, something my Dillion is NOT!!! MY Dillion XL 650 is (pain in the butt) not quick in changing calibers at all, it loads around the 900 rds an hour but if something goes wrong, it's a real effort to fix it quick. Not like the Hornaday Lock-N-Load.

RCBS makes a plan Jane turret press that will stand up but is not that fast compared to those above in rounds per hour.

[possum6]

Have mercy on you Another lost soul going into the bottomless pit I'd rather throw powder as eat You'll never regret it,         good luck  Have fun !!

[Steve P]

That 7400 with 180 grain bullets would be ideal for close in deer/hogs.  I would jump on that wagon in a second!

Steve

[Badnews Bob]

I think you need to get a .45-70 barrel for your handi and have great fun reloading for it. And then you need to start casting.