Boom stick questions. Point me in the right direction.

Since we're showing pictures, I got strippers today!

Ok so maybe just stripper clips for my Mauser. 

Cool thing about the M1916 is they made it easier for stripper clips.

In reply to Apexcarver :

I get it good and square but the past few times we went we spent most of the day burning through a case of shells. I cut the stock down because of my T-Rex build and don't have a good pad on it anymore either. I should probably put some time into straightening it out. 

Wally is your old Remington an 870?

I stuck a Magpul SGA stock on our, "bump in the night 870," it's got a lot of adjustment for length of pull, and a very genrous recoil pad on it.

I've got it on its shortest setting so SWMBO can handle it.  She shot a few boxes of Fiocchi low recoil 00 buckshot through it with this stock, and wanted to keep going.

She's 5' 1-1/4" maybe 115 lbs.  I had to make her stop, it was getting too expensive.

Barefoot, consider that an AR10 in .308 is pushing a couple pins out and swapping a few things with no tools, away from being your second caliber choice as well.  There are calibers for the AR 15 that may do what you want too

If I was getting one gun, in .308 it might be a SOCOM 16 with a 2-10x scope, maybe a BM59

And I love having a lever gun and Ruger Blackhawk both in .38/.357

Brett_Murphy (Forum Patrón) said:

"There is a TON of opinion presented as fact, paid positive reviews, elitism, operator syndrome, sniper delusions and a bunch of other ways to be misled in the world of shooting sports. There are a bunch of people who don't realize a good shooter with basic equipment will do better than a terrible shooter with the best equipment and spend 5000 on a rifle that they don't need. "

I'm glad you said that, reminds me to watch how I word things

Antihero (Forum Supporter) said:

Gun forums suck, they suck a lot. I'm on thehighroad.org but it's not a great forum really. All gun forums are filled with people with too much opinion and not enough facts so......kinda pick one really.

I would change that to “forums” instead of adding “gun” !!!

This one is better, by far, but even here, a few have pushed “you need xxx, cause that’s what I have” instead of making a suggestion with reasons. I’m mostly impressed, though, and some amazing answers!

Remember, the truth is not what you find on forums, or the internet in general. If thousands on opinions age the same, and one guys is different, the one is just as likely to be correct. As you said you have to learn a good filter. All info is good, when you can filter it. 

Im a lurker on other forums. Read enough and you can see the trends. I would prolly not join any of em. 

Handgun rounds are a hoot to fire out of a 16” or longer rifle/carbine. A M1 Carbine is as well. And WILL (unlike the rumors) take deer. But in Utah, a lager caliber would be better for hunting. 

In reply to bigdaddylee82 :

It is an 870, I'm going to order one of them for it.  I never thought to look for one. 

In reply to ultraclyde (Forum Supporter) :

I’ve been trying to convince SHMBO that she would enjoy reloading, but I have no equipment, and not enough knowledge to no what to be. I also am a short day trip from ya, here in L. A. (Dothan) and am very interested. 

03Panther said:

In reply to ultraclyde (Forum Supporter) :

I’ve been trying to convince SHMBO that she would enjoy reloading, but I have no equipment, and not enough knowledge to no what to be. I also am a short day trip from ya, here in L. A. (Dothan) and am very interested. 

A lot of people think the point of handloading is hotrodding, which is a little like hugging your bell housing and block while trying increasingly heavy shots of NOS.  I think the people on this board are likely smarter than that.

The really cool thing about handloading is you can make softer, more pleasant loads.  I have a .35 Whelen Ackley Improved.  I can load full house to 3800 ft-lbs with 280 to 310 grain bullets (don't get eaten by the bear) or down to .380 ACP level with 90 grain bullets (eat the rabbit).  You can pleasantly plink with an otherwise powerful rifle. Buying full house loads is easy, but if you want extra light loads, you have to roll your own.  Extra light loads are all kinds of fun and a great way to work on skills with your "regular" rifle.

I would be happy to help you pick some starting gear, if you need or want help.

Yea, I know a couple of the hotter is bettter guys! My wife’s family was well known in Homestead FL... in the late 70’s she was at a range with her revolver, shooting next to an off duty officer (she didn’t actually know) using her dads ammo. And flinching a bit. He asked if she minded if he looked at her weapon; took out the reloads she had just put in, and swapped them with his... said “ tell Roland more ain’t always better!”

thanks for the offer of advice... I love the guys on this forum! But with my low income these days, I’d have to wait for the kindness of someone like ultracycle for an inexpensive deal!

When he said Utah a couple posts up I was reminded of how different the terrain is between there and Alabama. 

In reply to 03Panther :

Gun forums are just much more bad than most. Want some fun? Mention "What caliber for bear?" on a gun forum and watch the stupidity fly

In reply to 03Panther :

Helping another GRMer get rid of unneeded stuff and equipping yourself is the way to go.  FYI, I just checked Midway and Amazon and pieced together press, dies, powder measure, scale, primer tool, funnel, and calipers for about $135 plus tax and shipping, replicating what I use.  Slow, but as accurate as you want to take the time for, and all fits in a shoebox.

In reply to matthewmcl (Forum Supporter) :

If you wouldn't mind either posting the list here or sending me the links that'd be awesome!

matthewmcl (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to 03Panther :

Helping another GRMer get rid of unneeded stuff and equipping yourself is the way to go.  FYI, I just checked Midway and Amazon and pieced together press, dies, powder measure, scale, primer tool, funnel, and calipers for about $135 plus tax and shipping, replicating what I use.  Slow, but as accurate as you want to take the time for, and all fits in a shoebox.

Wow. That’s cool! Fits in a shoebox, on a shoestring budget! 

Slow an steady is the best way to learn stuff!

Lee Hand Press, Breech Lock $54 (breech lock is very worth it) https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1013017131?pid=650614

I use mostly Lee dies, but all brands are good enough to start and Lee are "low end" (still better than me) https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101774921

Digital Calipers (Amazon, Hammer store, etc.) $10

Digital Scale (Amazon) $10 https://smile.amazon.com/joyliveCY-Digital-Precision-Backlight-Function/dp/B07ZKR9582/ref=sr_1_52?dchild=1&keywords=digital+scale+100g&qid=1596593212&s=industrial&sr=1-52

I use Lee powder dippers $12, but Lee dies come with one and one is enough if you want to save the $12.  You can also make your own from empty cases and stiff wire  https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101284828?pid=943305

Primer Tool $8 https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101293803?pid=564408

Powder Pan $6  https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012901924?pid=187991

Extra breech lock bushings are wonderful, but you can live without them at the start, still only $10 a pair https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012849384?pid=971565

Most of my time is in measuring.  I get close, then hand trickle tapping the powder dipper.  I watch the scale change and stop on the increase (say 40.1 up to 40.2).  I do the final up one powder particle at a time, and check the measurement three times.  All three must match.  You do not have to be as careful with more expensive scales, but...  I can get semi-auto brass to group 12-18 inches at 15 yards.  That's brass, not bullets.

You can find other sellers, I just pulled a couple of go to's to be fast. Midway has treated me well, but so have Widener's, Huntington, and several other places with sales. Used stuff does not really wear out, so save money where you can.  I buy used Lee dies for under $10 when I see things I want.

Not opinion, fact:

The thing about ballistics is it's simple physics. A thing that has a mass of "M" and is traveling at a velocity of "V" is going to have a given energy. If it has a ballistic coefficient of "Y", it'll behave a certain way in flight. 

(observation)
Lots of people in the shooting world get really irritated when presented with facts like that. 

(opinion)
The numbers that the .308 supplies to the variables up there are why the .308 is popular.  It's a pretty good all around performer, and it isn't that expensive for a center fire cartridge. 

Wally (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to bigdaddylee82 :

It is an 870, I'm going to order one of them for it.  I never thought to look for one. 

Cheapest I could find it, if you find something else there you want for $0.05 or more you can get free shipping too.
https://www.joeboboutfitters.com/MAGPUL-Remington-870-SGA-Stock-p/mag-460.htm

I've bought AR parts from Joe Bob, while they're not my go-to place and their brand is a little trailerparky, they're legit.

In reply to 03Panther :

As much as I like helping a brother out, this is by no means a turn key operation kit. It's a lot of random parts and bits that my uncle collected without really making a reloading setup. I thought about doing some reloading but a year ago the stuff I'd still have to buy made it a break even as little as I shoot. 
 

but you know, I was just checking .40 s&w prices. I may have to re-evaluate that decision and use Matthews list myself...

In reply to ultraclyde (Forum Supporter) :

Add your bits and such to his starter suggestions, and you may be on to something!

In reply to Antihero (Forum Supporter) :

45 acp 

JK

The boom stick thread on the car forum is better than most threads on boom stick forums

All this reloading talk reminds me that I have an MTM portable digital scale and rcbs powder trickler 2 that I've been meaning to sell. leftover from when I upgraded from a powder drop and balance beam scale to the hornady auto powder measure. 

I agree with matthewmcl's list above, although if loading for precision i'd recommend a balance beam scale and powder trickler to get the resolution that digital scales don't usually match.  (is that 42.3 grains or 42.25 or 42.34?)

Just in case anyone missed it, I started a separate reloading thread