This is a question I have on hunting with reloads

[rwsmith]

All a guide needs...

I shoot 99% handloads for everything (SD included). The only recommendation I've heard of for using factory ammo is for dangerous game on safari. Some guides will only allow factory ammo...

All a big game guide needs is a client who finds out that he forgot to plunk test his .458 Lott when the buffalo is charging.

Famous last words:

"Oh ****!"

 

[Skeet 028]

Famous last words:

"Oh ****!"

That is actually funny unless it happens to you. I was speaking with a fellow who survived a grizzly attack. The fellows dog started barking at the bear (it was over a little hill so he didn't know what was happening). When the bear started to chase the dog...ol fido ran back to "dad" for help. He told me those were his exact words... The bear literally ripped his face off...peeeled him like an orange. You can surely tell but he is still alive! He now carries a Ruger Redhawk 44 mag revolver while irrigating and said if that darn dog starts running to him in the future,,, he's shooting the dog! At least he still has a sense of humor

 

[Leonard]

I shoot 99% handloads for everything (SD included). The only recommendation I've heard of for using factory ammo is for dangerous game on safari. Some guides will only allow factory ammo...

In all my years of hunting Africa I have never heard of a PH asking you to use factory ammo in fact many of them encourage you to bring or leave hand loaded ammo for their personal guns. On the other hand it was not unusual for a client to show up with a gun not sighted in or even previously fired.

In fact one well respected PH comes to mind that always asked for hot loaded 458's due to factory loads inadequate velocity i.e. poor penetration, an unfix-able problem

 

[old tanker]

Sometimes I shoot factory ammo...gotta get the brass from somewhere.

 

[scattershot]

Nothing but reloads for me. In fact, the only factory ammo I own is self defense handgun stuff.

 

[Nemo288]

In fact one well respected PH comes to mind that always asked for hot loaded 458's due to factory loads inadequate velocity i.e. poor penetration, an unfix-able problem

Thanks for your actual from the field knowledge.
Isn't this exactly why the 458 Lott came into being?
I am still trying to find a copy of his book "Big Bore Rifles".
Some Jack Lott lore I didn't know until I searched today:
Jack Lott's Brno Rifle
I have his original article describing the 458 "super" in the 10th Handloaders Digest and have been a fan of his somewhat rare writings ever since.
Rifle May 1991 "458 Lott" by G. Sitton

 

[Steve_in_PA]

I've been reloading for handgun and rifle for going on 25 years now. Except for .22 and shotgun ammo, all my hunting ammo is handloaded/reloaded.

 

[BigBill]

At first I didn't trust my reloads. I tested them all in wet sand first. I found them all to be very explosive in wet sand. I hunted since 1975 using my reloads, 30-06, 444, 357, 44mag. In 1994 I purchased a 338wm. Using Winchester super X she can put two bullets through the same hole at 100yds. Why reload.

 

[fredj338]

I shoot 99% handloads for everything (SD included). The only recommendation I've heard of for using factory ammo is for dangerous game on safari. Some guides will only allow factory ammo...

Never heard of this & I have hunted Africa 3x, 3 diff countries & guides. My African rig is a 404jeffery. Yes some factory ammo is available, but @ like $20/rd, kinda puts a dent in practice. Most PHs are not gun guys & as long as your rig works & you can shoot, good to go. Fact, most handloaders are more serious about their shooting so if anything, the PH will have higher expectations from the guy with a custom rifle & ammo.

 

[Leonard]

Thanks for your actual from the field knowledge.
Isn't this exactly why the 458 Lott came into being?
I am still trying to find a copy of his book "Big Bore Rifles".
Some Jack Lott lore I didn't know until I searched today:
Jack Lott's Brno Rifle
I have his original article describing the 458 "super" in Gun Digest and have been a fan of his somewhat rare writings ever since.
Rifle May 1991 "458 Lott" by G. Sitton

Yes Jack Lott was one of, perhaps the first writer with real field experience to criticize the 458 Winchester. Had Winchester developed the cartridge off of a longer version of the 375 case, which chambered in the pre 64 actions they would have had a great cartridge. The real velocity of a 500 grain bullet in the 458 was not adequate for deep penetration on raking or angular shots on animals like buffalo. A side on shot under perfect conditions is not a problem but if you have a wounded buff running away you need adequate penetration to reach the vitals. Once an animal like a buffalo is wounded and gets out of site more often than not it will take a stand and your next opportunity is head on.

Ideal velocity for a 500 grain bullet is between 2,150 fps and 2,300 fps. As bullets get heavier they will penetrate at lower velocities due to increased momentum.

On elephant the preferred shot is a head or brain shot thru the ear or head on. Head on is a tricky shot due to height of animal and typically you are very close aiming a great deal lower than between the eyes so the bullet enters the brain rather than above or over the brain, again adequate penetration is required. The side brain shot, in a perfect side on scenario is easy but if its head is turned slightly you are again dealing with angles and deep penetration. An elephants skull has a lot of bony chambers and the brain is not directly behind the eyes but between its ears.

Hippo also require a big bullet at adequate velocities, while the cats lion and leopard are much easier to penetrate, and all of the above require a properly constructed bullet.

Jack Lott was an experienced hunter some writers blame poor shot placement and him unfairly blaming the 458, but over the years poor field performance has proven he was correct.

PS I have the Big Bore Rifles book its published by Guns and Ammo Peterson's hunting 1983?, great book and no advertisements.

 

[federali]

It Depends

I generally hunted with hand loads for my .06 and my 7mm-08.
My Ruger .44 carbine loves Winchester 240 grain jacketed hollow points so I don't argue with success. However, I also used a Marlin .336 in .35 Remington and that rifle would occasionally fail to fire. Lots of internet research disclosed that these Marlins could be sensitive to hard primers, of which I mostly used CCI, known for hardness.

Long story short, my Marlin gets fed Federal or Hornady factory loads for hunting.

 

[hdwhit]

You mean you can buy ammo already assembled??? What will they think of next.

Love it!

Until I bought a 9mm Pistol that has proven somewhat finicky at digesting my reloads, I had bought a total of 230 rounds of factory ammunition (not counting rimfire) in .25 ACP, .38 Special, .45 ACP, .30 Carbine and .223 Remington. Most of it went to help calibrate my reloading dies and I still have 135 rounds of it left.

 

[Eddie Southgate]

100% reloads. I can load for my guns better than any factory will. If you don't want to reload at all use factory ammo if you do reload why pay extra to hunt with factory stuff ?

Eddie

 

[AveragEd]

That's a good point but I do my handgun loading on a Dillon 650 progressive loader and rather that readjust it to load ammunition of which I might fire a half-dozen rounds a year when hunting, it's just easier to buy factory loads. Many years ago, I bought two 20-round boxes of 240-grain Hornady XTP ammo for our son and me to use when hunting and we're still on the first box.

I do load all my own rifle cartridges on an RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme because they are more accurate than factory ammunition but in a handgun with iron sights, I an unable to see much accuracy improvement over factory shells.

Ed

 

[dave1918a2]

I handload all hunting and target ammo including shotgun. The only factory I shoot is 22LR.

 

[catadjuster]

All handloads unless I am traveling overseas for a hunt. Then I go through the process of sighting in with factory ammo and pack the factory ammo in the luggage etc. Airline regulations usually include language that states that your ammo must be in the factory packaging - my handloads generally go into after market plastic boxes which are clearly not factory packaging.

Rather than try to educate a harried gate agent, I just go factory.