New rifle

[Mr Drysdale]

I have not shot the Creed but am sure it is very capable. I do however own five 260 Rems. Three in Model Seven Remington, one in Savage 16 and one in an A-Bolt. I realize that the cartridge offerings have dwindled but plenty of good ammo still available. I have three grandsons and one granddaughter, so each has their own in the same caliber. I also hunt with one. Bad medicine on Whitetails. Knowing what I know now I would buy a T3x Super Lite in the 6.5 Creedmore. I will add that it would not be my choice for Elk although a well placed shot at under 500 yards with a 140 grain bullet should do the trick. I also own and hunt with a 308 A-Bolt and 7RM Tikka T3 Super Lite. Leupolds on most of them.

 

[howl]

If you're gonna shoot much with accurate ammo you're gonna want to reload. Reloading means you can use any cartridge you like, as you can load it light or hot or heavy and all points in between.

You'll also probably appreciate a little meat in the barrel and a light recoiling cartridge. 120gr 6.5mm is a sweet spot for deer. I would look at a Tikka CTR in .260.

 

[JWP58]

If you're gonna shoot much with accurate ammo you're gonna want to reload. Reloading means you can use any cartridge you like, as you can load it light or hot or heavy and all points in between.

You'll also probably appreciate a little meat in the barrel and a light recoiling cartridge. 120gr 6.5mm is a sweet spot for deer. I would look at a Tikka CTR in .260.

Reloading is over rated in 2017.

 

[stevevan]

Reloading over rated? I don't think so. For many of us it's the enjoyment of rolling our own. How can anything a person enjoys be over rated?

 

[mtmuley]

Yeah. Why is handloading over rated in 2017? mtmuley

 

[JWP58]

Reloading over rated? I don't think so. For many of us it's the enjoyment of rolling our own. How can anything a person enjoys be over rated?

He referenced "shooting much with accurate ammo". Didn't say anything about enjoyment, you did...and I'll address that now. If you enjoy reloading, do it. But in 2017 if you can't find a factory load that is accurate, I doubt it's the ammo.

Again for hunting purposes reloading is over rated, it's not 1960 anymore.

 

[Boreal]

He referenced "shooting much with accurate ammo". Didn't say anything about enjoyment, you did...and I'll address that now. If you enjoy reloading, do it. But in 2017 if you can't find a factory load that is accurate, I doubt it's the ammo.

Again for hunting purposes reloading is over rated, it's not 1960 anymore.

Maybe true if you subscribe to "good enough is good enough", or your hunting is limited to shorter distances and predictable shots. But to get the most out of your equipment and learn some things along the way, being able to control the process from start to finish is invaluable.




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[hodgeman]

Maybe true if you subscribe to "good enough is good enough", or your hunting is limited to shorter distances and predictable shots. But to get the most out of your equipment and learn some things along the way, being able to control the process from start to finish is invaluable.
k

I don't know about that...I've got several rifles that shoot sub-MOA with factory ammo loaded with hunting bullets. I mean how much better can I make a 1/2" rifle shoot with hand loads?

I get that reloading is an cool hobby and I've enjoyed it myself, but in the modern era few hand loaders can match factory ammo for accuracy or field performance when shooting premium loads.

 

[Boreal]

I don't know about that...I've got several rifles that shoot sub-MOA with factory ammo loaded with hunting bullets. I mean how much better can I make a 1/2" rifle shoot with hand loads?

I get that reloading is an cool hobby and I've enjoyed it myself, but in the modern era few hand loaders can match factory ammo for accuracy or field performance when shooting premium loads.

That's great, and you're lucky. Now imagine the harmonics of your barrel were a little different. That 1/2 MOA factory ammo might now be 2 MOA. Again, if it works for you (in your case it seems to), then great. But you can't deny that understanding the difference that seating depth, or whatever other metric you choose, can have on accuracy is a bad thing.

It's the same as modifying a truck, the factory exhaust and air intake is "good enough" for me. But some choose to get the last few hp out of theirs with custom exhaust and cold air intakes. I get it. I don't need it, so I don't do it.


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[JWP58]

That's great, and you're lucky. Now imagine the harmonics of your barrel were a little different. That 1/2 MOA factory ammo might now be 2 MOA. Again, if it works for you (in your case it seems to), then great. But you can't deny that understanding the difference that seating depth, or whatever other metric you choose, can have on accuracy is a bad thing.

It's the same as modifying a truck, the factory exhaust and air intake is "good enough" for me. But some choose to get the last few hp out of theirs with custom exhaust and cold air intakes. I get it. I don't need it, so I don't do it.


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Nobody is saying it's a bad thing. It's just not what some reloaders make it out to be anymore.

 

[16Bore]

Anyone that handloads has to handload....

 

[dotman]

Your post made me think....how many times have people not been able to find ammo. I jave been hunting for goimg on 30 years and i have never once, or heard of anyone not having ammo. The same advice has been going around for 30 years or more, don't buy X caliber because if you loose your ammo, forget your ammo, or your ammo gets lost you can go to any sporting good store and get a good old box of (insert tried and true caliber)...

If you are planning a hunt, are prepared and organized, forgetting ammo should be on the same level as forgetting your rifle. If you are flying somewhere, and your luggage is lost...that same logic could apply to any essential hunt item.

To me the availability of ammo rational is old advice that has out lived it's purpose.

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Funny story, I brought my buddies rifle out to CO this last year and he traveled there directly from where he was working. His wife brought his gun over in a huge double hard case. I just grabbed his gun and put it in a soft case and hit the road, completely forgot to grab his ammo. Thankfully he was able to find the exact factory ammo on the drive out. So it can happen in a situation you just aren't expecting.

 

[luke moffat]

Reloading is over rated in 2017.

For the most part this is true. Really the only reason for me is to use the projectiles I want in the weights I want. And that's only cause I want to not cause I have to. Hard to find 180 accubond or sciroccos loaded in a 308 for example so I make them myself just cause that's what I want to use no what I need to use

 

[JWP58]

For the most part this is true. Really the only reason for me is to use the projectiles I want in the weights I want. And that's only cause I want to not cause I have to. Hard to find 180 accubond or sciroccos loaded in a 308 for example so I make them myself just cause that's what I want to use no what I need to use

Exactly. I wasn't intending to write something controversial. But unless you shoot a cartridge that is hard to find factory loadings for (like maybe a 6.5x47 lapua) or is insanely expensive (insert which ever weatherby mag you'd like), or you just want a custom load, reloading is over rated for hunting purposes.

Not saying it shouldn't be done, its bad, or evil. Just saying it is not a necessity that some make it out to be in able to have an accurate shooting rifle.

 

[stevevan]

OK, I'll put a 180 degree twist on the original statement and say that factory premium ammo is over rated and certainly over priced. Pick-up any of the Premium loads at your local Cabelas or Sportmens Warehouse and you're in for sticker shock. Furthermore, I am certain I can reload and have a cost savings with a load developed specifically for the rifle of choice which translates that I can shoot an accurate rifle + making me a more accurate shooter.

 

[idig4au]

Reloading is over rated in 2017.

Nonsense! Not all rifles are treated the same. Standardized SAAMI spec'd ammo may or may not perform as well as developed hand loaded ammunition for a rifle's sweet spot in terms of accuracy. I can also typically reload cheaper then buying factory, assuming I can find factory ammunition that achieves the results I desire.

 

[High Wild Free]

Reloading is over rated in 2017.

Factory ammo and rifles are better than ever now, but 2009 I couldn't find 165gr 30-06 Hornady ammo anywhere. That's what got me started in reloading. Now I can make my own custom ammo, cheaper than most factory ammo. Can't buy 300 H&H with 168gr TTSX @ 3150 fps.

Essential? No. Overrated? Hardly.

 

[Hall256]

Not saying it shouldn't be done, its bad, or evil. Just saying it is not a necessity that some make it out to be in able to have an accurate shooting rifle.

This is the point that I think is getting lost. Reloading is a great hobby, it might be cheaper in the long run if you shoot a lot, but that is not what your talking about. The way I read your posts is that reloading is not needed to have an accurate rifle. How accurate is accurate is another debate.

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[Hall256]

OK, I'll put a 180 degree twist on the original statement and say that factory premium ammo is over rated and certainly over priced. Pick-up any of the Premium loads at your local Cabelas or Sportmens Warehouse and you're in for sticker shock. Furthermore, I am certain I can reload and have a cost savings with a load developed specifically for the rifle of choice which translates that I can shoot an accurate rifle + making me a more accurate shooter.

What is the cost per round when factoring all the equipment you must first buy to reload? I'm not knocking reloading, I will probably pick it up as a hobby at some point, and I will use the same logic/argument on my wife that "per round it is cheaper to reload then buy factory"...and I hope she will gloss over the hundreds of dollars I will spend on the equipment set up.

Ps...i know you can buy real cheap set up...but come on, most guys on this site don't buy the base model anything...i know I don't

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[ckleeves]

Everybody has different needs when it comes reloading vs factory ammo.

If you shoot 20-100 rounds a year out of your favorite hunting rifle at ranges under 400 yards and your happy with 1 moa accuracy then reloading is probably a waste of time and by the time you buy everything you need/want, your probably way ahead with factory Ammo.

Now if you shoots hundreds or thousands of centerfire rounds a year, shoot past 400 yards consistently, or do any sort of high volume varmint hunting then reloading absolutely makes sense.

Different strokes for different folks.


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