airedale

They sell just the bullets and other reloading components, no live ammo. Al

Don't do it, go online to Natchez or Midway and get the 380 bullets they will have them in stock and will ship them to your door. Al

I have been told that the FMC ammo in 223 is manufactured to function and give decent accuracy in the AR type rifles many of which have a different twist in their barrels from hunting type rifles. Al

The two indicators you have mentioned are the main ones and will usually start showing up at about the same time when pressures start getting up there, also the shell case head itself will have shiney marks from being pressed hard against the bolt face. Working up a load gradually at half grain intervals the signs will start showing slowly and will increase rapidly if you continue to raise the powder charge. The worst case I have personally witnessed was a friend's 338 Win Mag in a Ruger 77. The handloads were mine that were not even considered to be a hot load and worked perfectly fine in my Sako showing zero signs of high pressure. In the Ruger we had all we could do to to get the bolt open and pull the case, the primers were flat and very bright marks on the case head from the bolt face were very apparent. I backed the load down a grain and a half and there were no pressure signs and the gun shot great. A case of slightly different chamber dimensions that made a big difference in pressures and a good reason to never start with a maximum load in a loading manual. Al

That is a nice chuck hunting outfit, tough to beat a Savage like that for accuracy. Like you said it is a little heavy if you are doing a lot of walking. Al

I worked in a retail store and also raised and sold hunting dogs for many years if the customer is not happy I always refunded their money. Did I like doing that ? Absolutely not but it saves a lot of hassle and you keep your reputation. Al

Most of my firearms are made of the chrome moly blued steel and from what I have seen if taken care of properly they will hold up extremely well. I do like stainless and under certain situations I would prefer it over chrome moly because it is definitely more resistant to corrosion. I just put together a black powder rifle and went with a stainless Green Mountain barrel over chrome moly more than anything because of it's resistance to rust and corrosion. Also stainless barrels in the high velocity calibers like a 220 swift and the fast over bore magnums hold up somewhat better to throat erosion having a longer life, almost all top end target rifles these days utilize stainless barrels. In the end a lot of the decision will come down to the looks, some like it and some don't. For me today if I were to buy a target rifle, a black powder gun or a varmint rifle that would be shot a lot I would buy stainless if it was available in the particular firearm model I was wanting. Al

Today and tomorrow, 1000 tables of sensory overload for gun lovers! I will be heading out shortly. Al

Low cost does not win every time as far as my purchases go, I am always looking to buy American first if the item is available. Below is a site link I have had on my forum for quite a few years that will help find some American made goods. Al http://madeinusaforever.com/

With the right habitat and the right pheasants I believe it very possible to have a sustaining huntable population of pheasants.The next best thing to releasing wild trapped birds is hatching pheasant eggs with game hens, they are hens from the old time fighting cocks. You have to have a large flight pen and let the hens raise the chicks naturally with as little human interaction as possible. The game hens will teach those pheasant chicks how to find food and avoid danger. When released as young adults they will be much better prepared to survive than a regular pen raised pheasant. Al

Nice sidelock, she looks great and you can't beat stainless. What kind of twist does the barrel have? Al

"Information overload sometimes!" I love frying my brain on this stuff LOL! Al

For those who are not aware Hornady has a free online ballistic calculator. It is a nice useful tool for the handloader as it will show pretty much how a load will perform ballistically at a multitude of ranges. http://www.hornady.com/ballistics-resource/ballistics-calculator To give an idea on how it works below is a sheet I worked up using data from a load for my 220 Swift. You fill in the description which in this case was "22 cal" Put in the ballistic coefficient for the bullet being loaded which was .229 Bullet weight 52 grs Put in your sight in distance which in this particular case is 250 yds Finally the feet per second you are getting at the muzzle, my 220 hits just over 3900 fpson my chronograph Then hit calculate fro your data From here you can make a little cheat sheet by clicking on cheet sheet. It can be printed out and saved, some folks will have them in the ammo box and others will tape them to the stocks of their rifle.

This information would definitely be used in conjunction with various reloading manuals. This kind of info would probably not be of much interest to the average reloader, for someone that has gone off the deep end it can be very enlightening. Al

This is LoLo a Redline type Airedale hunting dog owned by Audwin McGee from Georgia, she had to have her rear leg removed after being shot while hog hunting by an idiot. LoLo has recovered and even though she now has just three legs she can get around well enough to be a significant and contributing member of Audwin's pack of hog hunters. Al

Numerous variables preclude the possibility of exact burn rate comparisons. Exercise proper handloading techniques and safety precautions at all times when handloading ammunition. This is the most up to date complete listing I have come across, 266 smokeless powders from all the major manufacturers fastest to the slowest. PCL 514 (PB Clermont) R-1 (Norma) AP-30N (ADI) PK3 (Bofors) P805 (Rottwil) BA 10 (Vectan) N310 (Vihtavuori) Titewad (Hodgdon) Nitro 100 (Accurate) Bullseye (Alliant) Pis-3 (Nobel) Solo 1000 (Accurate) P801 (Rottweil) S121 (Somchem) Red Diamond (Scot) AS (Vectan) Red Dot (Alliant) PCL 509 (PB Clermont) PK5 (Bofors) e3 (Alliant) NOB-78 (Nobel) Solo 1000 (Scout) MS200 (Somchem) Promo (Alliant) AS- 30N (ADI) Titegroup (Hodgdon) No. 2 (Accurate) American Select (Alliant) AA Plus (Winchester) N2010 (Norma) Clays (Hodgdon) N320 (Vihtavuori) Competition (Ramshot) Royal D (Scot) WST (Winchester) AP- 50N (ADI) HP38 (Hodgdon) 452AA (Winchester) 453 (Scot) 231 (Winchester) PB (IMR) Zip (Ramshot) 700X (IMR) Green Dot (Alliant) AS- 50N (ADI) International Clays (Hodgdon) PCL 515 (PB Clermont) NOB-80 (Nobel) No. 5 (Accurate) 473AA (Winchester) HS-5 (Hodgdon) WSL (Winchester) PK4 (Bofors) PCL 506 (PB Clermont) P804 (Rottweil) PCL 501 (PB Clermont) Unique (Alliant) Universal Clays (Hodgdon) NOB-82 (Nobel) N330 (Vihtavuori) AP- 70N (ADI) Power Pistol (Alliant) SR-7625 (IMR) HS-6 (Hodgdon) AS-70N (ADI) Silhouette (Ramshot) NOB-84 (Nobel) WAP (Winchester) N340 (Vihtavuori) P803 (Rottweil) MP200 (Somchem) A1 (Vectan) AP-90N (ADI) 540 (Winchester) Herco (Alliant) WSF (Winchester) BA9 (Vectan) SR-4756 (IMR) PCL 504 (PB Clermont) AP- 100 (ADI) PK6 (Bofors) AO (Vectan) Solo 1250 (Accurate) S221 (Somchem) SP8 (Vectan) 3N37 (Vihtavuori) 800X (IMR) No. 7 (Accurate) Longshot (Hodgdon) Solo 1500 (Scot) True Blue (Ramshot) NOB-86 (Nobel) P806 (Rottweil) SP2 (Vectan) N350 (Vihtavuori) 3N38 (Vihtavuori) HS-7 (Hodgdon) Blue Dot (Alliant) 571 (Winchester) NOB-PP1 (Nobel) N105 (Vihtavuori) No. 9 (Accurate) Enforcer (Ramshot) 4100 (Scot) Steel (Alliant) 2400 (Alliant) N110 (Vihtavuori) Lil Gun (Hodgdon) 30 Carbine (Rottweil) R123 (Norma) PCL 512 (PB Clermont) NOB-89 (Nobel) SP3 (Vectan) R910 (Rottweil) S265 (Somchem) REV-1 (Nobel) H110 (Hodgdon) REV-3 (Nobel) BA6 (Vectan) 296 (Winchester) AR2205 (ADI) SR-4759 (IMR) N120 (Vihtavuori) 4227 (IMR) RP1 (Bofors) R901 (Rottweil) H4227 (Hodgdon) 5744 XMR (Accurate) 410 (Alliant) RIF-3 (Nobel) N130 (Vihtavuori) SP-3 (Vectan) 680 (Winchester) N200 (Norma) PCL 508 (PB Clermont) 1680 (Accurate) TU2000 (Vectan) AR2207 (ADI) H4198 (Hodgdon) N133 (Vihtavuori) 4198 (IMR) BM1 (ADI) Brig 4197 (Scot) 2015 XMR (Accurate) Brig 3032 (Scot) Reloader 7 (Alliant) RIF-2 (Nobel) 3031 (IMR) Benchmark (Hodgdon) BM2 (ADI) RP2 (Bofors) R902 (Rottweil) S321 (Somchem) N201 (Norma) Brig 322 (Scot) AR2219 (ADI) H322 (Hodgdon) TU3000 (Vectan) X-Terminator (Ramshot) 2230 (Accurate) RIF-1 (Nobel) 748 (Winchester) Reloader 10X (Alliant) BLC-2 (Hodgdon) AR2206 (ADI) 2460 (Accurate) H335 (Hodgdon) TAC (Ramshot) H4895 (Hodgdon) 2495 XMR (Accurate) AR2206H (ADI) PCL 507 (PB Clermont) N202 (Norma) SP10 (Vectan) BOF7.62 (Bofors) S335 (Somchem) Reloader 12 (Alliant) 4895 (IMR) Brig 4065 (Scot) N135 (Vihtavuori) SP9 (Vectan) Varget (Hodgdon) 5000 (Vectan) AR2208 (ADI) 4064 (IMR) 4064 XMR (Accurate) 2520 (Accurate) SP7 (Vectan) 4320 (IMR) N203 (Norma) R903 (Rottweil) PCL 516 (PB Clermont) BOF RP3 (Bofors) N140 (Vihtavuori) N540 (Vihtavuori) 2700 (Accurate) Big Game (Ramshot) Reloader 15 (Alliant) H380 (Hodgdon) N203B (Norma) S361 (Somchem) S355 (Somchem) R907 (Rottweil) 760 (Winchester) Brig 4351 (Scot) H414 (Hodgdon) RIF-0 (Nobel) TU5000 (Vectan) PCL 511 (PB Clermont) N150 (Vihtavuori) N550 (Vihtavuori) 4350 XMR (Accurate) 4350 (IMR) S365 (Somchem) TU7000 (Vectan) AR2209 (ADI) H4350 (Hodgdon) N204 (Norma) R904 (Rottweil) BOF RP4 (Bofors) Hunter (Ramshot) Reloader 19 (Alliant) N160 (Vihtavuori) N560 (Vihtavuori) 4831 (IMR) Brig 4831 (Scot) AR2213SC (ADI) N205 (Norma) 3100 XMR (Accurate) S385) Somchem) WMR (Winchester) H4831 (Hodgdon) MRP (Norma) S371 (Somchem) R905 (Rottweil) BOF RP5 (Bofors) Reloader 22 (Alliant) 785 (Winchester) H450 (Hodgdon) Mag Pro (Accurate) N165 (Vihtavuori) WXR (Winchester) 7828 (IMR) H1000 (Hodgdon) SP12 (Vectan) PCL 517 (PB Clermont) AR2217 (ADI) Magnum (Ramshot) Reloader 25 (Alliant) MRP2 (Norma) TU8000 (Vectan) AR2225 (ADI) Retumbo (Hodgdon) W785 (Winchester) H870 (Hodgdon) AR2218 (ADI) B-12.7 (Somchem) N170 (Vihtavuori) AR2211 (ADI) 8700 (Accurate) 24N41 (Vihtavuori) W870 (Winchester) 50 BMG (Hodgdon) H5010 (Hodgdon) PCL 513 (PB Clermont) SP13 (Vectan) 20N29 (Vihtavuori) (slowest burn rate)

As a long time handloader I have ended up with a collection of an even dozen handloading manuals from most of the major component manufacturers. When researching a new load the first thing I will find is the huge discrepancies in the data from book to book. The reasons for this are many, slight variations in cases, chambers and barrel dimensions and barrel length. Powder lots of the exact same powder can differ slightly just as bullet weights from different makers will give different results and in recent year liability. Loads from the same manufacturers have been toned down in recent years from what they once were. While it all adds up to a good starting point for loading a cartridge it can be far from being the last word on actual performance. The 25-06 and the 257 Weatherby are both great hunting cartridges, I in fact owned a custom 25-06 I built up myself and loved it. But in all honesty between the two the 257 Weatherby has the edge in performance and it is fairly substantial. There is a sizable difference in case capacity and with suitable powders a 250 to near 300 fps difference can be obtained by a handloader who knows what they are doing. While the cost of factory ammo is in favor of the 25-06 handloading cuts that dramatically. Al

I don't believe folks that buy rifles firing the Weatherby cartridges are looking to be practical or save money. Like 600 horse power cars, 80 inch big screen TVs, a $30000,00 Harley Davidson motorcycle etc etc, it is all about having the baddest. If one has the desire and the ability to scrape up the cash I say treat yourself and have fun, you only live once. Al

For western open country it may be the best Deer-Antelope caliber there is, if I lived and hunted out west I would definitely have a rifle chambered for it. Al

An inherently accurate cartridge, an inherently accurate action and an inherently accurate barrel, and sounds like a pretty good stock. If I were a betting man I would say you probably have a real tack driver there. Al

When you read this stuff one can understand why the TV show Duck Dynasty is popular with some, they relive many of the simple ways country kids invented things to amuse ourselves during our childhood. Al

Dan, The rifle's magazine limited my overall length of the loaded cartridges, when I seated the bullets out a little more there was a marked improvement in the average group size. Not really a big deal but it kind of pissed me off because I know the gun will shoot better. Al

Back in the late seventies a good friend of mine ran a sporting goods store that I helped out in part time. We took in a really nice Husqvarna 30-06 sporter on trade from a fellow I knew well. That particular Husqvarna has a commercial 98 mauser action. I had a bad habit of falling in love with the merchandise and paying for it with my paycheck and the Husqvarna ended up coming home with me. My Dad was still alive back then and we were going on hunting trips pretty much every year to Canada mostly. After using a Sako Finnbear 338 Winchester mag for a couple of hunts I decided I was going to try a 280 Remington in a light weight sporter and my plan was to re-barrel this rifle with a 22 inch sporter barrel. I sent the barreled action off to Douglas and had them put on their best barrel and had the everything reblued. I then glass bedded the barreled action into the stock. After that I took off the old varnish finish and did an oil finish. I topped things off with my favorite big game scope the Leupold 2X7 that kept the whole package fast handling and light weight. A good friend of mine who actually turned me on to the 280 had extensively worked up different handloads and felt that the Norma MRP was the best powder for this case. I went with his advice and worked up more of a power load than a fine accuracy load. I ended up going with 60.5 grs of the Norma MRP and it was chronographed at just over 3000 fps. I was getting one and a quarter to one in a half inch groups with the 150 grain Nosler Partition bullets and although I got better accuracy with some other bullets I stuck with the Partitions for a couple of reasons. I was going to be using this rifle on Moose hunts where varmint accuracy was not needed and for the unfailing reliability of the Noslers holding together. To sum things up the 280 Husqvarna has been a winner for me, after several moose and a bunch of deer it has performed 100% and I would not hesitate to use it on any game in the US. Al

Glad I could help you out. Al

I will support any group that supports my hunting and shooting interests as much as I can. I support Ducks Unlimited and buy Duck stamps most years the same as I buy Turkey permits even though I hardly hunt much for either these days. A so called "Birder's" stamp for the bird watchers is an easy solution. Al