I remember Perry well. Helluva pistol shot. He was retiring as I was coming on board. I saw him last at Camp Perry in '74. He had gone to work for the Border Patrol and was working out of Nogales at the time. He told some hair raising storys about that area.Was Gaspar Defino there at that time? Great pistol shooter
In the reading that I did yesterday, I came across a nugget that I was not aware of:
I previously knew that 5.56 and .233 are (while normally compatable) not identical. I THOUGHT .308 Winchester and 7.62 surplus was the same...it isn't. Max case pressures for 7.62 are lower, which explains why my surplus ammo was impacting 2 inches lower when the bullet was 10% lighter.
I am not sure how that impacts reloading, since there was not a warning against putting a .308 powder charge into surplus brass. Something to keep in mind when bringing loads out to the range though. The complexity of this stuff feels like drinking from a fire hose at first, but I am starting to pick up the vocabulary.
Even though I don't reload (yet) I still collect brass. Especially for calibers I shoot a good bit of like 5.56, 7.62, .45 and calibers I'd like to shoot more of like 6.6 SPC. I'll get around to it sooner or later. I'll probably start with 6.8 as that's the most expensive thing I shoot.
Boomhower,
Get a copy of the ABC's of Reloading (8th Ed is the current one) by Chevalier. Read it cover to cover. It's a great intro to all things reloading, and I learned a hell of a lot from it. One of these days I'll get to buying the equipment, but it's a fantastic quick reference to just about anything shy of an actual reloading manual. Even then, it also does a great job of explaining all the data in the various manufacturer's manuals. Most Barnes and Nobles will carry it in the sporting section, or you can order it.
The information on this forum has been really useful - thanks guys!
OBTW, Black Hills 168gr moly coated match ammo sucks donkey balls. I have an extra box that I will either sell or give away. My old ass military surplus ammo outshot the Black Hills match stuff.
I go out of my way to sight in a rifle with a cold barrel. Reasoning is your first shot will always be "cold". When sighting in a hunting rifle, I shoot, wait, shoot just to make sure I'm shooting out of a cold barrel.
Just out of curosity were you shooting Black Hills blue or red box? I'm not sure that it matters but I think the red box is new and the blue box is loaded using previously fired brass. I've never shot much of either.
Red box, and it had the "moly" coating on the rounds. Whatever that stuff does, my rifle hates it.