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  #31  
Old 11-20-2017, 06:14 PM
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huntinstuff huntinstuff is offline
 
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I started reloading to amuse myself
I shoot 30-06. Common and cheaper than a lot of calibers

But, I wanted to learn something new so I bot a Lee Anniversary kit, a digital type cannibis weigh scale, a trickler and dies

Its fun. Real cold boring days. Something to do.

Save money. Maybe in 22 more years....I’ll break even or close

I make about 60 cartridges a year
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  #32  
Old 11-20-2017, 06:36 PM
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Scott N Scott N is offline
 
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Sounds like I'm with the majority on here so far... I reload because I find it to be an enjoyable hobby, not necessarily a money saver. I do save money reloading 44 magnum with hardcast bullets though, that factory ammo isn't cheep! When I was younger I used to shoot a lot of gophers with my 222, so I saved some money back then too. But if I were only loading today for my hunting rifles, it would be for enjoyment, not to save money.
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  #33  
Old 11-20-2017, 06:45 PM
amosfella amosfella is offline
 
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From CGN:

Don't do it..........get counselling............stay completely away from it, it's worse than heroine or cocaine.......you will never be normal again, you'll start to obsess about things like how far apart 5 bullets are in a piece of paper at 100 yds, then 200 yds and before you know it, it'll be 1000 yds. Then you start buying guns because you got a great deal on a set of dies you have no rifle for..........and you'll actually convince yourself that there is nothing wrong with that. Your admittedly small apartment will look like an ammunition factory in very short order and you'll be eating off a loading bench that now takes up 2/3 off the space in your apartment. Your cupboards will slowly change from holding dishes and food to holding powder and primers and dies and hundreds of pretty green boxes with all kinds of various cartridges and test loads for every one. You'll convince yourself that you are saving so much money handloading that you can afford another 2 or 3 rifles a month, which by the way are now taking up the remaining 1/3 of your apartment. Pretty soon you'll be staying up all night because you just have to finish that new batch of test loads for 12 rifles with a "new" powder you've just discovered that is supposed to shrink your groups by 1/16" or give another 12 fps. It isn't long before you're calling in sick to work because you absolutely have to get to the range and prove out that 1/16" smaller group or see the magic chronograph confirm those 12 fps. If you have a significant other, she has already left you or soon will......doesn't matter you tell yourself, that just leaves more time for loading and buying guns..........oh ya and let's not forget the case trimmers and neck turners and Chargemasters and chronographs and case prep stations and case cleaning tumblers and progressive loaders and gauges and calipers and reamers and run-out indicators..........THEN you start thinking what if I took a 378 Wby and necked it down to 23 caliber..............now you have hit the lowest point, you are a full blown ADDICT, you prefer the scent of gunpowder, burnt and unburnt, to the stench of feminine perfume, you can speak of nothing that doesn't relate to internal, external and terminal ballistics. All of your old friends shun you because of your single minded obsession and you are finding new sick people to talk to on forums like (shudder) CGN. Everything you knew before in life has changed....................Run Dorian run, don't let the gunpowder permeate your soul and take over your life............BUT if you still decide to continue against my best advice, welcome to the wiccan, for you are about to be bewitched and your life changed forever more.
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  #34  
Old 11-20-2017, 09:34 PM
IL Bar IL Bar is offline
 
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For those that have been reloading for a while what reloading setup would you recommend to a beginner if you had to start all over again? I’ve been looking for a kit myself just not sure how fancy a setup I should buy. RCBS has a decent rebate right now.
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  #35  
Old 11-20-2017, 10:14 PM
Tactical Lever Tactical Lever is offline
 
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If you're asking, better start shopping and save yourself some beating around the bush.

The .35 is hard to find on shelves, and I had to pick up quite a few boxes just to get brass. Not the easiest to find bullets for either... It would suit casting for, quite nicely... Maybe a bit challenging with a Microgroove barrel at first.

I bought it specifically to handload for. For all intents and purposes, factory loads are nearly identical in power levels to the 30-30 (comparing 180 and 170 gr. loads). I wanted more of a intermediate round with heavier bullets.

The factory loads are loaded in deference to the old Remington self loader. In a Marlin, the loads can be boosted a bit. Tons of info on responsible hot rodding this one, just like the 45-70. If you keep the pressure at 30-30 level, with the bigger case and larger diameter bullet, it is quite respectable, but still easy on the shoulder and ears.

If handloading itself doesn't really interest you, and it's merely a lack of ammo, you wouldn't really be losing anything by selling it to a rabid .35 enthusiast, and replacing it with a 30-30. Ammo is also about half the price for a 30-30. Not to mention, cheaper to handload jacketed bullets, and brass is everywhere.
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  #36  
Old 11-20-2017, 10:25 PM
Tactical Lever Tactical Lever is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IL Bar View Post
For those that have been reloading for a while what reloading setup would you recommend to a beginner if you had to start all over again? I’ve been looking for a kit myself just not sure how fancy a setup I should buy. RCBS has a decent rebate right now.
Doesn't have to be fancy. You can make stuff that goes bang with a Lee Loader and a mallet, if you save your brass.

For a good intermediate kit, an RCBS Rockchucker is a nice press, and they make good dies, also. I also use Lee dies, and the factory crimper is nice. I also like the hand primer, trimmers that can be used in a drill, and the Lee Handloader hand press.

I like using a powder measure, and just use a scale to verify the first few and the last few loads dropped.

I use a cheap Canadian Tire Vernier caliper, and a very basic Chrony chronograph.

I don't use a vibratory cleaner, as I don't need sparkling, new looking brass, and they also put a lot of lead dust in the air. I just hand wash the brass.
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  #37  
Old 11-20-2017, 10:27 PM
coolpete1 coolpete1 is offline
 
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i'd be ok to sell it and replace it with the same rifle in 3030 . its a beautiful rifle , marlin 336 .
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  #38  
Old 11-20-2017, 10:40 PM
Tactical Lever Tactical Lever is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coolpete1 View Post
i'd be ok to sell it and replace it with the same rifle in 3030 . its a beautiful rifle , marlin 336 .
A few guys are convinced that the .05" makes a real big difference; but I think you would have to ignore the numbers and really want to believe it.

If the casting and reloading aspect of it didn't interest me, I would have just stuck to the 30-30 myself. I'll do a little math to improve the ballistics for fun, but if I wasn't doing that, it really wouldn't make much sense unless you really like having something different.

I'd estimate that probably 90 some percent of the .35 rifles out there are Marlins. They are beautiful rifles, and they seem to command a little more money in .35 Remington.
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  #39  
Old 11-21-2017, 08:00 AM
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Groundhogger Groundhogger is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IL Bar View Post
For those that have been reloading for a while what reloading setup would you recommend to a beginner if you had to start all over again? I’ve been looking for a kit myself just not sure how fancy a setup I should buy. RCBS has a decent rebate right now.
I'm partial to RCBS (press, dies, priming tool) but have a mix of brands if you looked at my reloading bench. With the kits, I think Lee/RCBS would serve you well but if it's real precision loading you're after, I'd be looking for something with a digital scale. I had a beam scale (Lee) but far preferred the repeatability/precision of the digital scale.

I was so unsure I even wanted to reload that I took a couple of years to gather-up everything I needed. Bought an RCBS "Partner" press and .223 die set for $75 total. Several months later, a Lyman digital scale with built-in trickler, a few months later an RCBS hand priming tool. A couple years later, a Lyman bench-top trimmer. A Lyman tumbler shortly after. All the bits and pcs. as I learned. The press is small, but I've successfully loaded up to .243 Win with it. I keep looking at the Rock Chucker press and while they're not that expensive..it's hard to justify it when my little Partner Press keeps doing such a good job.
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  #40  
Old 11-21-2017, 09:10 AM
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Mike_W Mike_W is offline
 
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I reload my big game rifles at about $1.80 a piece assuming around 5 loads per case life.
I have about $1000 in reloading equipment plus dies all of which will load 1000's of cartridges.
Even if you spread that $1000 in equipment over only 2000 cartridge reloads my value per shell is under $2.50 per.
Right now Nosler 270 WSM or 300 WSM Trophy Grade ammo is $86-90 per box of 20 so about $4.50 per cartridge.
So every time I pull the trigger with a reload it costs me 2 dollars less or if I shoot 223 factory shells I would be able to purchase all my reloading equipment. That said at a $2 savings per shell I would need to shoot 500 shells before I see a cost savings.

My setup is in excess of what is needed to reload your own shells and not very extensive compared to some.

Of course at the end of the day there is a sense of pride in taking down an animal or having a gun shoot sub MOA with a load you have developed and made which is priceless.
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