Still waiting for Ruger to get my No. 1 back to me (the cracked stock has been replaced and it’s awaiting test-firing now), so I’m picking up other bits-and-pieces in the meantime.
Today’s delivery: ammo and dies. I ordered one box of Hornady’s very expensive ammunition just to use as a reference in developing handloads. At $80/box, I doubt I’ll ever buy another. While the proof will be in the shooting, quality looks excellent. In a nice nod to tradition, Hornady leaves the brass unpolished after annealing; that’s why you see the color of the brass change just below the base of the shoulder. It’s sitting next to a 9mm so you get a sense of scale.
Big cartridges need big reloading dies, and these are almost comically huge. They’re also NOT easy to find; Hornady doesn’t even list this die set on their website. I finally them tracked down at Graf & Sons, who only have one more set in stock as of today. If you need ‘em, grab ‘em NOW. The only other alternative is RCBS at over four times the price.
Damn, this is gonna be FUN!
There’s also CH4D, but those are made to order. Are they still 7/8-14? I know that alot of the former NE cartridge reloading dies are in larger size dies – 577-450 for instance, is usually 1.25″-12. As for RCBS’s prices.. Well anything exotic from them is a fortune – Marti-henry dies are like 400 bucks..
Yep, standard 7/8-14 dies. The rim diameter is within a few thou of the .348 Winchester, close enough that you can use the same shellholder, so there’s no need for the bigger dies.
What are your plans for for bullets? One type for practice and hunting, or different models to save on cash?
Bullets are a whole ‘nother story, stay tuned
Luckily, it’s a .410 bore, so you could actually use 41 magnum pistol bullets for “cheap” plinking with reduced loads. Another option is 405 bullets. Finally, I might suggest to TD to get a mold, and a set of Lee bulletsizer dies(used in a regular reloading press) but only if A)he’s already got a pot, and B) is comfortable with the idea of 650F liquid metal.
HTRN – great minds think alike
No, it’s “Sick minds think alike”.
Cast bullets are more fun when they are very, very large (.43 Spanish, here). And in the long run, relatively cheap.
As a thanks for the gracious out earlier this year, I have something you might like for casting purposes……..
I’m not going to get set up for casting; I just don’t have the space or facilities for it. I have found a couple promising sources for cast bullets, though. Have you guys done any business with Cast Performance, by any chance?
Ah, sorry. I have some surplus lead, so if you ever do, let me know. Can’t say I’ve worked with anybody for cast bullets, I’ve usually bought molds from Lee for my stuff. Still, you can buy a lot of bullets for recreational/practice shooting going that way.
TD, forget cast performance – they’re a bit on the pricey side. If you want a cheap reduced load 41 magnum plinker bullet,
Montana Bullets has .405 bullets in 300 grain weights starting at just over 20 bucks a hundred.
Meister has a .410 400grn bullet for 240 bucks/1000. Unfortunately, they’res a 500 ct minimum order.
I’m thinking I might try these Oregon Trail bullets; I’m a big fan of the LBT designs.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=885283