Winter reloading?

Rocky Raab · #1 12-27-2006, 02:25 PM

Just curious; how many of you do the bulk of your reloading over the winter months?

I use the dark and dismal time to get all my Springtime prairie dog ammo loaded up, get a head start on test loads for range work and fill all the plinking rounds that I use while barrels cool at the range.

Just filled a bunch of .41 Specials, .45 Colts and some more .38s. Time to make a shopping list of the primers, powders and bullets I'll need for the .221 and .223 PD loads, and also spend some time on the press handle making new test rounds for a long-overdue shooting article.

How about you folks?

Adam Helmer · #2 12-27-2006, 03:13 PM

Rocky,

I do most of my reloading on Winter days far too cold to sit at the backyard bench. I cast lots of bullets in the early Autumn on Indian Summer days and then load when the snow and sleet are tapping my reloading room windows.

I like Winter days because I just fire up the woodstove and then putter about my reloading room all day long. I have many 12 gauge Winchester AA hulls to reload for trap and sporting clays. There are lots of boxes of empty .38, .357 and .45 hulls that will be reloaded with good cast bullets.

I also like to spend Winter days in pure research on test loads for various arms. I dash outside at mid-day and fire the test loads and then obtain the data to load a 50 or 100-round lot of the accuracy load for Summer chucks.

Adam

Classicvette63 · #3 12-28-2006, 12:49 AM

Yep, winter is a great time to crank out some rounds. Just got my new reloading room squared away so I can really get back in the swing of things.

My g/f's son watched me load a few rounds the other day before we went shooting and had a definate interest in it. Hmm, I think I found someone to clean primer pockets and deburr flash holes on about a thousand .45 cases.

buckhunter · #4 12-28-2006, 01:08 PM

I try to do as much as I can during the winter months. April comes and its time to go fishing, plus all the repair and lawn work around the house. I've go some tinkering to do on a new bow so that will keep me busy for a while. Luck I have a building that I can shoot in(18 yards).

I try to keep busy when its cold.

rainydays · #5 12-28-2006, 01:27 PM

I generally utilize the winter months to do most of my case prep.
Usually do most of the reloading on a as needed basis. Also enjoy getting out in the winter on a nice sunny 25 degree day and popping some prairie dogs. No heat waves or snakes to deal with, just alot of fun.--tr

moneychanger · #6 12-28-2006, 03:38 PM

winter months if i get some decent i like to give my muzzleloaders a try if not for more than matching actual hunting conditions
.
on bad days like to reload pistol rounds. and this year one of my resolutions will be to re organize my room.

lastly iit may take me till next year to figure how to get the nut loose on my remington 742 so i can really give it a good cleaning.

that nut is all that stands between me and cleaning and reassembling thta darn gun.

good shootin,dan

tooldummy · #7 12-28-2006, 05:50 PM

I coyote hunt pretty hard in the winter, but still do quite a bit of reloading. I wish I ever had a prairie dog shoot lined up to plan for, but that's not likely either. I shoot a lot of paper it seems, and seems like I reload quite a bit whatever the season. I don't have a lot of spare time, and use reloading as sort of a reward to myself. Sort of something to look forward to doing.

270man · #8 12-29-2006, 05:37 PM

Rocky,

Out here in the Arizona desert, we don't have cold & gloomy days very much. I reload all year round but try to avoid the hot summer months as much as possible.

Speaking of reloading, I have some questions especially for Rocky but also for others. Forgive me for not starting a new post.

I recently dropped my old reliable Ohaus scale (over 30-years-old) and don't trust it anymore. I could save bucks and buy a similar type with the balance beam and magnetic damping. However, I've also been thinking about one of the new electronic scales. Friend of mine has one of the new electronic "powder throwing systems" that throws accurate charges at the push of a button. I could get one of those or just buy the scale alone.

There are lots of combinations and choices of equipment. My RCBS powder thrower is very accurate with ball powders and not too bad with small log powders either. Howver, I've heard that the Quick-Measure throws very accurate charges and doesn't cut powder logs.

With an acceptably accurate powder thrower, I could tolerate using a low cost mechanical scale since I wouldn't be measuring every single load.

Any thoughts or recommendations on all this?

270man

shooterjon · #9 12-29-2006, 08:53 PM

I try as much as possible to catch up on my reloading in the winter as there is more down time than the rest of the year.Only problem is load development.I am currently working up loads for 3 separate rifles and the wind,rain,snow or just plain cold weather is holding me back ,Just waiting for better weather to get to the range and all will be on target again!

bigkevmorgan · #10 12-30-2006, 06:43 PM

i do 85% of my reloading during the winter mnts ,7-30topps the list along with 35 rem then my 375jdj soon to be ported! then 7mmtcu 44mag.. the bad thing is i have to drive about 55mls to get supplies,found a shop that bought another bigger reloading
shop he has alllooott of the dis stuff and he's a small time guy so i try to buy from him!!good luck guys in the new yr.and when you get a chance take a young one shooting they're our future!!!

Dan Morris · #11 12-30-2006, 08:12 PM

Most of mine is done in the winter....I'm through with changing
loads, just stick to established pistol/rifle n shotgun stuff.
Dan

Dom · #12 12-31-2006, 02:14 AM

Count me in for winter reloading as that's when I do the bulk of it, though it is an off and on job throughout the year as I get time, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

Adam Helmer · #13 12-31-2006, 05:01 PM

Dom,

Gutes Neues Jahr, mein Fruend. Ich wunche alles is ganz gut bei dir.

Adam

skb2706 · #14 01-04-2007, 04:07 PM

Considering that the front range of CO has recieved several feet of snow in the last couple of weeks......very limited on ability to travel. I got caught up on loading that will take me well into the summer...not much else to do but shovel snow. I have several trips planned to go out and shoot pds at my sisters place so the loading is done for at least two long weekends probably more.

I had vacation time so the last few weeks have been scheduled like this - shovel, watch football, shovel, load ammo, drink beer, make trips to the store to provide the neighborhood with provisions (mostly beer), shovel some more, watch football, load ammo and wake up the next day and do it again.

its supposed to snow here again tomorrow.......oh goody

Martini25-308 · #15 01-05-2007, 07:22 PM

Jeeze, it has been a while since I have been reading the Bench thread. I guess it was right after big game hunting season. I have been reloading, however. Lots of pistol loads, .38, .357, & .40. I do have some 9mm brass ready to go, but have 400-500 already loaded. I know I could buy 9mm cheap, but I like the practice.

I don't have a ton of brass laying around so I do reload year round, especially before b/g season. Not only do I get in a bunch of shooting before season, I have worked up some very accurate loads for Winny pre-64 30.06 and played with several brands of 100gr for the 25-308. I am really starting to love that caliber. Another plus is that the property I shoot paper also has a ton of prairie dogs so the 22-250 and .17 get warmed up at the same time. Let's see, I think it was 4 weeks ago now that a half dozen p/ds we laid to rest.

I must be close to skb2706 because I have been bending snow shovels over the last couple weeks also. Another 4-6 inches off the driveway again today.