Thread: Firearms
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      10-20-2016, 08:24 AM   #82
EALm4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Joekerr View Post
Bolt actions are great. Something simple but precise about them. I've never shot a .338 - what was that like? How's the recoil?

I don't think I could ever get a .338 as much as I suspect I'd like one...the ammo is just too pricey. I'd have to get into reloading.

How many people reload on here I wonder?
.338 to me is no much worse than .300win mag. My buddy won a custom .338 in a raffle like 10 years ago. Was worth like 8K (came with a NF optic and AAC can). Shot the box of ammo that they threw in and hasnt fired it since lol. It's a safe queen but god damn it's probably the nices rifle I've ever shot. I'm not a decent shot anywhere beyond 300-400yrds but this thing is capable of 1000+

IMO, you'd absolutely have to reload for these. Even buying the "cheap" .338 is break the bank expensive.

I reloaded .45 for a brief time and it's much easier than what you think. Get a basic RCBS rock chucker supreme kit, nice pair of calipers and the latest loading data then you're good. Also get a good bullet puller die, those kinetic bullet puller hamers are sketchy af. IMO setting up the dies for me was the hardest part and that's where the bullet puller came in handy. It was a lot of trial and error for me. If you go the RCBS route and want to load multiple calipers, the press can be modified to use a Hornady Lock N' Load kit which will save you so much time when it comes to setting your dies.

It's expensive to get started and you'd have to reload in bulk to break even but once you do it's great. Some people find it therapeutic to sit there and crank out rounds but a single stage press will take some time. I wasnt able to break even but I learned a lot. I believe the break even point for me on .45 was 2500 rounds. I bought my press brand new but a lot of the stuff I got used off a local forum.

You can typically find used brass on the low on local gun forums or from your local range to cut the price down. The problem with that is most ranges will sell it by weight and it'll come in tons of different calibers. Sort that shit sucks. Also, I was told to have your doctor run blood work to check your lead levels every 6 months if you're bulk loading.

If you want to go straight crazy right out of the gate, get a Dillon 550 progressive. It'll take longer to setup and get dialed in but you'll cut your time loading bullets in half if not more. The break even point on this would be significantly higher though.

I'd also never load a precision round such as a .338 on a progressive press.

Give it a try but know that it's a commitment
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