Three Things I Wish I Knew........

[Crumster]

wish there were more opportunities for us retired guys to help younger shooters learn handloading. And I wish I had someone to help me when I started off too!

For sure! It just seems like a shame that us old guys are going to take all this to the grave. I'm not saying we are God's answer to world peace, but I benefitted so much from an old timer myself, that I can really appreciate the difference it made for me. Now that I'm at a place in my life that he was then, I know that teaching me these things was not only not a burden or a chore for him, it made him feel special, valuable and truly appreciated.
Bless you John Fry. If there's a heaven, I know you are in it.

 

[Dimner]

I'm 46 and I learned reloading from the lyman manual and internet posts. Never did have a mentor. I struggled a bit, but it was fun learning on my own and having those "aha!" moments. Still learning though... hope it never ends.

 

[Crumster]

I'm 46 and I learned reloading from the lyman manual and internet posts. Never did have a mentor. I struggled a bit, but it was fun learning on my own and having those "aha!" moments. Still learning though... hope it never ends.

All this brings back memories. I remember one session with my mentor. We were in his basement and I had brought a rifle that I was trying to sort out, a Remington 700 .308. I had some fired and unfired brass and a sizing die. John pulled the firing pin out of the bolt and started sizing brass. Finally he slipped a case into the chamber and handed me the rifle. "Now close the bolt" he said. "feel that?". And from then on, I knew what a perfectly formed case should feel like when the bolt handle came down. You can't get that from a reloading manual, no matter how much you spend.

 

[Crumster]

My plan is my next rifle will be a .308. I had a .30-06 for deer and moose, but sold it ~8 years ago. Never got into handloading for it and can't imagine trying to shoot 20 shot groups with it either!

I have lots of experience with the .308 Winchester. It was called "The most Inherently Accurate" cartridge ever mass produced, at one time. I have seen a "no turn neck" version place very high in benchrest Hunter Rifle competition back in the day. And I have hunted Mule deer and Whitetail with one.
I wouldn't dare to put shade on it as a big game caliber, but I would caution careful bullet selection.