Accurate Reloading

This site is for anyone interested in reloading ammunition, varmint hunting, and target shooting. If you think that reloading your own ammunition is difficult, dangerous, time consuming and expensive, I'd like to change your mind. With the right attitude and a few simple tools, you can be up and running reloading your own ammunition with an investment of just a few hundred dollars, perhaps even less if you are a good Ebay shopper! Along the way I plan to share whatever tips I've learned, and pass on some great ideas for setting up your reloading area, building a portable reloading/shooting bench, and whatever else I think might be of interest. Please bookmark the site and come back from time to time to see whats new.

I've been a casual shooter and varmint hunter since the early eighties.Over the last ten years my interest in accurate shooting, particularly rifle shooting and long range varmint hunting has grown steadily. For years I resisted the urge to begin "rolling my own" ammo, thinking it would be difficult and expensive, and that it would be hard to beat the accuracy of factory ammo. That was fine when I was primarily shooting my Remington .223, since there are some outstanding factory reloads available through Ultramax and Black Hills. Once I bought my Savage 12FV in .243 Winchester, however, it became evident rather quickly that I needed to learn reloading, or I'd never be able to afford to shoot it!

After reading 'Modern Reloading' by Richard Lee, I ordered a Lee Anniversary Reloading Kit, some Lee .243 dies, bought some powder and primers from my local gun store. Why Lee? I had heard the book was well written, and it most certainly is. Also..the Lee equipment is less expensive. In very short order I was turning out VERY accurate loads, with groups routinely 1/2" or better at 100 yards. Now I'm hooked, and I hope you will be soon.

Well, it looks like California has done it again. Effective 1 July, in a huge part of the state considered to be Condor habitat, it will be illegal to hunt with lead bullets, or even posess lead ammunition while hunting. A big problem for non-reloaders, but no sweat for the reloaders among us. Too bad for rimfire shooters, though, as the ban in its original form did not include rimfires. The California Fish & Game Commision, however, decided to extend the ban to rimfires. That effectively bans all rimfires, since at the present there are no companies making non-lead ammo in 22LR, 22 Mag, 17 HMR or 17 Mach 2.

Here is a link to the state webpage that covers the specifics. Including a list of manufacturers with approved non-lead ammo. Does this law affect you? Here is the link to the map of the areas considered Condor habitat.

I am amazed at the number of shooting tables on the market today. I've seen them in catalogs at prices ranging from $75 to almost $500. While I'm sure its a pleasure to shoot from one of the high end benches, I wouldn't want to drop the cash on one, nor would I want to assemble & disassemble one each time I repositioned. The vast majority of the lower end tables or benches are so rickety that it would be difficult to shoot accurately from them. Heck..some of them look like SPACE ALIENS! If you have a saw and a drill, or can borrow one, Here's how to make your own portable shooting and reloading bench for about $50 to $60. Start with a 3/4" plywood panel, available at Home Depot or other lumber yards for about $15.  Pay a few bucks more for a birch or other nice veneer, it will look fantastic if you plan to varnish the table. The panels come  48" by 24". You will also need some wood glue, and about 15 #10 wood screws, about 1-1/4" long.  Check out my video on how to build the bench using an awesome set of folding sawhorse legs that make a great shooting table.  If you opt for standard banquet table legs, which are cheaper but heavier, you will need about 20" of scrap 2x4 and 4 to 6  3" lag bolts with washers and nuts to bold the 2x4s to the table top.

Here's an idea for you varmint & target shooters who occasionally have an opportunity to shoot over the hood of your truck. Check with the laws in your state, as it may be illegal to do so where you live. Anyway, to prevent scratches in your paint, or perhaps even burns from muzzle blast, pick up a soft backed throw rug. Ideally, one about 3 feet by 4 feet, with soft rubber backing like you'd find on a bathroom or kitchen rug. Regular carpet can have a rather rough backing that can scratch paint. With a knife or box cutter, make two cuts along three of the edges. Next, locate some bungee chords, preferable with plastic hooks. Cut the bungee chords to the appropriate length, pass the cut ends through the cuts, and knot. Chords on the short sides hook the rug to the wheel wells, and the long side chords secure the front edge to your grille. In a pinch, you can also toss it on the ground to use as a prone shooting mat.