here you go
not impossible at all
actually it is very easy to throw consistent weights
it is also easy to adapt a scoop to get inbetween should there not already be a scoop combo to get what you want
scoops can be modified with card discs inserted into the bottom.
very satisfying to work up a load, know that a corresponding scoop is exactly what you need, no faffing ,no weighing, just charge and load
here you go
You Cannot Reason People Out of Something They Were Not Reasoned Into
"Politicians like to panic, they need activity. It is their substitute for achievement" Sir Humphry Appleby
Remember one thing.......If you *Muck up, it's very easy to destroy a perfectly good gun & possibly seriously injure yourself.
Why do I say this????? Well, this year alone, I've seen TWO rifles damaged/destroyed by bad handloads! Luckily only minor injuries to one guy & Red face to the other!
Pistol & Rifle Shooting in the Highlands with Strathpeffer Rifle & Pistol Club. <StrathRPC at yahoo.com> or google it.
No longer Pumpin Oil but still Passin Gas!
too true
but more often down to basic mistake like wrong powder, wrong data. pistol powder in a rifle, wrong bullet weight for charge....
match your powder, bullet and case combo and it should be impossible to overcharge enough to blow up a rifle
slow the powder choice down so your best option is a 85-95% case fill
doesn't matter whether you scoop or trickle then!
I shoot CSR and historic.
Typically we burn through 100 plus a match/practice of 556 or 303.
GGG comes in at circa £42 per 100, even using Sierra matchkings and IMR/CCI primers I can hand load ammo with half the group size for 39p a pop (around 34p a pop with muron primers and wildboar...same group size).
Use cheap PPU bullets and the price drops further for practice out to say 300yds
303...70p a pop factory, home loads 50p or less. This is the biggest saving.
Decent 308 again down to about 60p a pop.
You can adjust depending on your source of brass.
You also have to factor in the likely better performance.
So yes, to me, reloading is a no brainer in all calibres I use. I don't buy the "If you are only using 20 rounds a year" hunting comment.
Many hunters I know practice as well
I'm a maggot in another life you know
Hmmmm a few disagreements about how to go about things. I guess I'll see how it goes without all the expensive stuff. Bottom line is, If it works and is cheaper then it was worth it.
Like someone mentioned, I can always buy extras as I go along.
Cheers chaps
Daystate Air Ranger FAC - Kral Bullpup & NP03 - CZ 452 .22lr - Lithgow 17hmr - Remington 783 .223 - Franchi 612vs 12G - Renato Gamba 12G O/U - Hatsan Escort 12G
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.....
I agree that it is possible to develop a consistent technique with scoops, but with no scales you have no way to know if you are achieving consistency. Never tried it myself but I would expect that to get +- 0.1 gn would take quite a bit of care.
And, yes, factory ammo is charged using a volumetric dispenser - which is one of the reasons why a home loader can achieve better consistency than factory ammo.
And yes, scoops can be modified to dispense intermediate charges, and this probably works OK once you have found the sweet load, but load development would be a massive faff if you have to add a disc to reduce the scoop volume by some indeterminate amount try it, add another disc to try another indeterminate load et ever so very cetera. Exactly what thickness of disc is needed to reduce the charge by say 0.2 gn, and even if you knew that, where would you get such a thing from? So much easier with scales.
The OP has all he needs to make ammo which goes bang, [and a superfluous mallet]. Scales will assist greatly in load development, and probably pay for themselves by allowing him to zero in on the sweet load much more quickly (less wasted trial loads) - if he is so inclined that is - I knew shooters who were entirely happy with scooped loads and not much bothered with ultimate accuracy.....nothing wrong with that.
True freedom includes the freedom to make mistakes or do foolish things and bear the consequences.
TANSTAAFL
True freedom includes the freedom to make mistakes or do foolish things and bear the consequences.
TANSTAAFL
You Cannot Reason People Out of Something They Were Not Reasoned Into
"Politicians like to panic, they need activity. It is their substitute for achievement" Sir Humphry Appleby
Kenny, help me to understand:
I have already stated that the OP has what he needs to make functional ammo, and can proceed on that basis.
It is claimed by others that scoops can deliver loads consistent within 0.1 gn. I asked how he could verify that his scoop technique was that good without scales. You now advise that he should shoot some and see how they group. We all know that it would be a miracle if his first efforts produced good groups. Let's say that they will most likely group less well than the best possible homeload. What do you now recommend he does? Go back and use a different scoop technique in the hope that he has accidentally found consistency, make some, shoot them, see how they group? This is groping in the dark (bear in mind that there are other variables which can also affect group size) and unlikely to home in on a good homeload in any reasonable time.
To reinforce - HE HAS WHAT HE NEEDS TO START MAKING FUNCTIONAL AMMO. HE DOES NOT HAVE WHAT HE NEEDS TO FIND THE MOST ACCURATE LOAD FOR HIS RIFLE - but that might be fine with him.....
True freedom includes the freedom to make mistakes or do foolish things and bear the consequences.
TANSTAAFL
go back to the original post, the initial impetus towards home loading was to reduce the cost of ammunition,not to make bench rest quality ammo, if you really want to make the OP squirm ,then suggest he invest in a chrono as that will tell you more than a set of scales will as to verifying, I think you will find Bewsh has done that with scales to satisfy himself, the OP doesn't have to do that, he has to make ammo that is cheaper than factory that shoots satisfactory for HIM, and the Lee loader has a history of doing just that. which brings us back to my point, shoot the damn stuff and see
You Cannot Reason People Out of Something They Were Not Reasoned Into
"Politicians like to panic, they need activity. It is their substitute for achievement" Sir Humphry Appleby
Boys boys boys
Some people seem to get acceptable results using a scoop. As stated, this isn't benchrest target shooting it's stalking. A previous poster suggested I am willing to put up with less accurate ammo as it is only for stalking (I am paraphrasing but that's the suggestion).
I am not daft. I have been shooting S1 for a long time and would never take a shot I am not confident of a humane kill but let's face it, a kill zone on a fox/deer is several inches in diameter. I don't want this to go off onto another tangent but if I am not happy I can hit this I won't take the shot.
I will use the scoop method to start with firing at targets. If I am happy I will crack on with live quarry. If not, I will invest in scales and look at how I am making the stuff to see how it can be improved.
No need for arguments, it's all good stuff and we all have our own ways of doing things.
Daystate Air Ranger FAC - Kral Bullpup & NP03 - CZ 452 .22lr - Lithgow 17hmr - Remington 783 .223 - Franchi 612vs 12G - Renato Gamba 12G O/U - Hatsan Escort 12G
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.....