Reloaders answer to "wife's rifle."

[Darrell Davis]

Hey there shooters,

Now don't you 243 lovers out there get your tails in a twist, I also own and have owned a 243 for years. It is just that there are more forgiving rifles to start a new hunter with then a rifle with little room for error.

REDUCED LOADS!!!!!!!!!!!  Yep, IMHO that is the best way to go providing you reload and hunt in an area with opertunities for game larger then White  Tail.

I have used this method with my wife and daughter, both shooting a 270. and with a teenage friend who, by the way, took her first Idaho elk this past fall.

Now do I recommend sending the small/young/new hunters to the woods with "reduced loads?"

BY NO MEANS would I do that.

Ask a hunter if they felt the shot (s) they fired at game animals. I expect the answer will be as usual, NO.

It is also NOT the shots fired at game which causes fear of recoil or a flinch.

It is all those practice rounds they shoot - or should be shooting - during the remainder of the year.

In our situation, if there is any sighting in to be done, I do it, and because we are using scoped rifles it is both quick and easy as well as accurate.

However, if you also realise that when using a scope target size and distance are relational, then you just may not need to do any sight adjustments.

Example, Shoot at a quarter sized target at 25yds. and it is for all practical purposes, the same as shooting at a 4" circle at a 100yds.

The point being, while shooting the reduced loads, move those targets and pop cans up close, save yourself a lot of steps and get that shooter to shooting -- LOTS.

Find the reduced loading info in some of the reloading manuals or a copy of the Lyman Cast Bullet manual, shoot a light for cal. bullet, some well used or "pick up" brass with a small charge of a recommended powder and make the practice sessions fun and relatively inexpensive for all involved.

This system works great, give it a try.

Keep em coming! :-)

[Don Fischer]

Now do I recommend sending the small/young/new hunters to the woods with "reduced loads?"

I'm not sure I understand the problem with going into the field with reduced loads? If you load a 280 Rem down to a good yet mild 7mm-08 load, I believe it will still act like a mild 7mm-08 load. That is, at a range someone your talking about is likely to be shooting, it'll still shoot thru the animal with a broadside lung shot. In fact it'll probally do quite well going thru a shoulder. Load a 30-06 down to 300 Sav., same thing. Load a 270 140 gr load down to a 140 gr 6.5x55 velocity and again it will likely not fail. What will a 120 gr bullet from a 25-06 doing 2600 fps not do that the 250 Sav. does?

Reduce them and go for it. Let them sight in and shoot their own rifles.

[PA-Joe]

I started my childern on a reduced 7mm08 load. Dropped it down to 30-30 ballistics. Still provides 1 shot kills out to 100 yards. 5 years later we are still shooting reduced loads but all our shots are kept under 200 yards.

[Darrell Davis]

Yep, it's just IMHO,

But, if I send the wife, daughter etc. into the wood with a 270 it WILL BE a 270 and loaded to that level of potential. If I/they desired to have them hunt with something less, that is what we would have.

There ain't noth'in such as too dead, and as my present hunting rifle is a 300win. mag., that is what I do all my rifle hunting - deer, elk, bear, with.

Do I shoot reduced loads in that rifle? Yes, but never while hunting. If I wished to do that, I would have a 30/30, .308 or? something below the level of the .300 mag. loads.

I enjoy shooting, and wish for everyone possible to also do so. I also feel it is a smart move to start a shooter with a rifle which will be equal to the task 10 years from now, even if that happens to be elk or possibly the once in a life time Idaho moose hunt which both my wife and I have take part in.

Therefore, IMHO, reduced PRACTICE loads are the answer.

Enough said by this poster, But Keep Em coming! :wink:

[Don Fischer]

I enjoy shooting, and wish for everyone possible to also do so. I also feel it is a smart move to start a shooter with a rifle which will be equal to the task 10 years from now, even if that happens to be elk or possibly the once in a life time Idaho moose hunt which both my wife and I have take part in

The 6.5x55 and the 7x57 have been killing deer, elk, moose and even elephants for over 100 yrs. So tell me, how long has the 300 Mag been doing it? Hell, the 6.5x55 and the 7x57 even did it with crappy bullets!

[nomosendero]

Either way will work, it just depends on the way you want to approach it. Loading down will work, this is why some companies sell the "reduced recoil" loads. As the young or Lady shooter becomes more proficient & either hunt at a little longer ranges for Deer or if they persue bigger Game, you can step up the loads & the problem takes care of itself, because by then they have practiced enough to handle a little more recoil.

I choose the smaller cartridge route, with me sitting with my kids for a couple of Deer Kills because the smaller rounds also meant smaller guns, I
allways look at guns from a system/application approach anyway. Later,
we sold those smaller guns without a loss & moved up in bullet weight & gun weight. Again, either approach will work.

[Mike in Ct]

I've only used one brand & caliber of factory loaded reduced/managed recoil loads...my buddy bought some for his 7MM mag sporter so his daughter & neice to try out Grampas old hunting Gun..I'm the smallest of the 3 of us guys..So I got to try it out before the girls...ouch !!! It was no bargain & they cost like 20 bucks a box...I think a handloader with reduced loads can do better ...I made some 110 gr loads for my 270 sporter it shoots really well the girls shot that & some really light loads John had made up for the 7 mm magnum...Don't just try to cut the powder charge in half if u reload...Reduced loads of slow burning magnum powders can be very dangerous..I believe it is called a pressure excursion..you must find a suitable powder & charge weight to make reduced loads for big magnum cases...Use your head..Be safe>>mike in ct

[azmike]

I taught myself to enjoy my first deer rifle (Savage 110, 30-06) by handloading 110 grain hollowpoints for practice.  Very manageable recoil.  Gradually worked up to max pressure 165 grain SPBT's for deer/elk.  

I'm still getting an Encore in .243 this year, though  :-) .  Figure that down the road, I'll have an excuse for another barrel in 30-06 or 7x57.  THEN I'll load that one down.