Well I've been thinking about reloading and I want to start as soon as possible

Now I'm at a delema, my main reason to reload is to make a reliable load for anything I go after with my FN49. And the FN49 has additional requirements such as using sutable primers for slam fires and the powders for the proper port and chamber pressures.

Now what I've come up with what I'd need for it is IMR 4064 or 3031 and CCI Millitary Primers.

To reload 150 rounds (since I dont got 8mm ammo I'd need to buy brass anyways):

IMR 4064 1lb can (with it about 150 rounds) = $26.99
Nosler Accubound (3 pks of 50) = $83.97
Remington Bluk Brass (3 pks of 50) = $62.97
CCI Mil Large Primers (roughly) = $15.00

At these prices its a total of roughly $217 with taxes thats $1.45 per round.

Now I'm assuming they will over charge for the primers (I'm almost willing to bet on it, "special ordering" means they jack up the price ALOT here or they want you to order a whole case of something for a ton more! ).

Accubonds arnt a factory load for the 8mm (Winchester doesnt load them anyways).

One thing I got to mention apparently the FN49 rips cases to pieces using the heavyer bullet weights from my reading about reloading so maybe I can get another reloading after the original loading per case if I'm lucky. Military's dont care about brass who knew

Tell me you think this is a "ok" price for the bullets ??

Nether Remington or Winchester offer a loading that is full power like these will be for the 8mm Mauser and ether offer a premium bullet. So reasoning for me wanting to reload makes sense I think.

I guess I wont be "Saving money" or "shooting more" but I guess its worth it since I dont want to wreak my rifle or shoot under powered 30-30 rounds.

So does this make anysense what I said ?? And if not please tell I need to make sure I'm gonna do this right.



PS Bushmaster sorry about the comment about the 30-30 but if I'm gonna lug around a 10lb rifle without a scope all day, I'll want something bigger then a 30-30 between me and the animal

Dimitri

Dimitri,
I reload for the 8mm Mauser and shoot an FN49. You could reduce reloading costs by making 8mm brass from once-fired .30-06 cases. I pick up Federal, Remington and Winchester brass at the range for free. At home, I run .30-06 cases through an 8mm Mauser trim dies and cut off the excess, resize it and trim it. It can then be reloaded. Just the idle thoughts of an idle fellow. All the best...
Gil

Howdy. I reload for pure sastisfaction I enjoy the process and the rewards from doing it myself be it a 1 hole group or the taking of a animal. If you are reloading for hunting then the accubond is a good choice if your reloading just for the range I would use a less expensive bullet. For target work the Balistic Tip is hard to beat. Thats the beauty of reloading you can taylor your ammo for the task at hand. Your prices might be higher there but through cabelas 8mm 200gr accubonds are $19.49 a box (50) . Reloading is a great hobby and easly addictive.
Joe

Gil,

Thanks for the tip! I've got to say though atleast till when I first start loading I'm going to be buying new brass. Not for cost since cost wise me reloading and buying is almost the same but for the fact I'm new to it and dont want to do something wrong and hurt myself Safety first (I want a 30-06 rifle so 30-06 headstamped ammo might be a problem).

But I can get 500 rounds of once fired cases of 30-06 in 20 round cardboard boxes for $69.95 so I might do it. Hummm What to do what to do.

Joe,

My prices are in Canadian dollars. Cabela's is a neat place but at $8.75 for surface shipping (over 7 days) I dont think its worth getting it shipped from there.

I'm probrobly gonna just reload to make a load just for my rifle. Spending 140$ per 100 of ammo isnt too bad I dont think and I'm sure I'll enjoy handloading.

Dimitri

Besides with 30-06 brass you can just use large rifle primers instead of military primers.

1895,

I got a FN49, its a semi-automatic that has a history of slam fires with commercial primers/ammo from what I've read thats why I'm even going the handloading route. Well that and I dont want to be burning powders with bad pressures for it.

Dimitri

Dimitri wrote:

1895, I got a FN49, its a semi-automatic that has a history of slam fires with commercial primers/ammo from what I've read thats why I'm even going the handloading route. Well that and I dont want to be burning powders with bad pressures for it. Dimitri

Oh right, well I would suggest you sell it and buy a Marlin 1895ss in 45-70 and your problems will be solved.......... Easy to reload, pleasure to shoot, etc, etc,:-D

NEVER! Its my first rifle. I "got" it before I was old/strong enough to pull back the bolt!

Anyways I'm gonna start reloading as soon as finances allow and I'll report back!

If anyone has any ideas for me I'd like to know. Oh and I'm gonna get a Rock Chucker kit

Dimitri

You can save a few bucks on Nosler bullets with their "seconds".
here is the site.
www.noslershop.com/2ndsheader.html

buy surplus 8mm ammo for your once shot reloads, i just bought 80 rounds for 15 dollars, they are steel core and corrosive but once shot they will fit your chamber and are very reloadable.

a mistake alot of new reloaders make is thinking they need to buy the premium components for every round when the truth is just for shooting the cheaper components are very cost effective and make your premium rounds just for where there needed {ive only been reloading 7 months so i fell into this trap myself}

for my enfield i load premium rounds for hunting at about 4 dollars a box of 20 while for just shooting i use cheaper components and load a boxs of 20 for about 2 dollars and 30 cents.

you really dont need 2 dollar a round shells for shooting paper.

Spacedone,

Thats true but I've always read/been told that once you find the right load you should stick to it hense my reasoning to go with Accubounds to be able to go for pretty much anything.

Dimitri

ill put it as plainly as i can with no insult intended to anyone.

i started reloadintg 7 months ago and a friend started reloading the same week. we both shoot enfields with scopes from a rest.

he only buys the most expensive newest components he can custom order while i shoot 180 gr sierra sptizers or 150 grain hornady interlocks both run about 18 dollars a hundered and are designed for 300+ yard shots.

we get together and shoot fairly often. he averages half inch groups at 150 yards and i average 1 inch groups. neither one of us shoot paper compitition.

i reload 20 for 4 dollars or less.

he reloads 20 for 25 dollars or more.

i use winchester brass at 14 dollars a hundred while he buys custom high dollar brass at 4 dollars a brass.

we both neck size and i average 10-15 reloads per brass round at minimum starting loads and he averages 4 reloads per brass.

both of us hit paper and both of us kill game at any range our rifles are able to shoot. in otherwords we both accomplish the same goal, i just do it alot cheaper for really the same effect.

now if your shooting compitition i could see spending more but just to hunt and shoot paper to me it seems silly to load every round at the very expensive level when for less than half the cost i can shoot twice as much.

i do buy expensive bullets for hunting but a box of 20 will last me several years if only used for hunting.

Spacedone,

I understand 100% what you are saying dont get me wrong ether.

I might go to a cheaper bullet if I can get them in 200gr for the 8mm. Problem is most companies make a few lighter offerings and nothing that big. Sierra does but its a MatchKing so I wont be able to use the same load to shoot paper to pratice for hunting as my hunting load

Case life for me will be really small so I'm gonna assume that I'll only get 2 shots per case.

Space know any good hunting tips that would give good hits on paper I can check out if they make them in 8mm that weight 200grs ??

Dimitri

what i did was develop 2 powders charges so i get the same POI for both 180 gr and 150 grain bullets for paper shooting ie i get one speed from my 180 grain and another speed from my 150 grain but they hit paper at the same spot.

for hunting deer i use 150 grain hornady interlocks and accurate 2520 powder giving me 2760 fps {kills deer dead} at a medium starting load.

thats the nice thing about reloading, you can pretty much get whatever FPS you want by tweeking powder charges/brands. different brands will give you different speeds and with a little work you can make any grainage of bullet hit anyplace you want at the range you want.

i like min starting loads so what i did was try powders until i found starting loads for 2 different bullet weights which at 100 yards gives me the same POI.

for 180 grain i use IMR 3031 and for 150 grain i use accurate 2520.

by experimenting i have found i can make my .312 303 round with accurate powder at medium starting loads shoot with .308 fps's ie 2700+fps and at max loads i can get 2980 fps from a 303 round with acceptable pressures while with the imr 3031 i can easily slow down my bullets to 30 30 speeds with very little recoil but great accuracy.

my best advice is to get a chronometer starting with min starting loads and work up until your gun starts shooting its best. mine shoots best at a medium load.

my k98 bringback 8mm loves the 180 grain bullets best so thats what i shoot. 8mm with 180 grain bullets will kill anything on the planet at ranges beyond my skill to shoot.

i believe there are alot of hunters shooting large game with to small a caliber but i personally dont see a need for any of the magnum calibers. they are expensive to shoot and kick like a bull when a smaller nonmag caliber will do the same job at the same ranges at alot less cost and a whole lot less recoil if you do your part.

more deer are killed with 30 30s and 20 ga shotguns than any other calibers. at close range ie 2-300 yards my 60 year old 303 will easily kill any game including rhino and elephants or monster bears if you do your part in shot placement.

there is to small for the game but most people shoot weigh to much power for there intended game. you can shoot squirrels with a 06 when a 22 is whats needed but isnt it kinda silly. the other hand you can kill a deer with a 22 but the 06 is a better round.

i look at intended game with acceptable caliber versus intended game with way to much power. like i said i do not shoot compition so im very satisfied to shoot one inch groups at 150 yards at deer sized game as cheaply as i can.

Spacedone,

Thanks for the reply

And what do you all think of speer Spitzer's or Hornady SP's ?? They any good for all around hunting with reasonable accuracy ??

Dimitri