Fired first shots with new gun

[DLCTEX]

I got my new reloading dies in the mail yesterday afternoon. Purchased on Ebay for $26 with freight. They were listed as used but had never been used (RCBS). My new 257 wby. mag. brass has not arrived yet and I was wanting to fire this baby, so I hunted up some 7mm mag. brass I had scrounged and ran them through. The necks came out a little short, but still had about 1/4 inch of 100gr. sierra condom bullet in the neck. The first round was loaded with 63 gr. of 4831(start load), it didn't even remove a lube dent in the shoulder. It did hit the gopher mound I shot at 75 yds. I loaded the next one with 69gr.7828ssc, this one was minute of crow at 150 yds. Pretty impressive bore sighting. The next (71gr.) hit a small clump of weeds at 274 yds. (according to range finder). Recoil and muzzle blast was much less than I expected, but the gun and scope weigh 10 lbs. Max is 73 gr. so I will leave it at 71 and do some bench shooting to find where I end up with these bullets. I haven't decided whether to try cast in this one as it has a large appetite for powder. If this beautiful weather (sunny, 54, wind calm) would hold I would get it done quick, but that is too much to ask for Texas panhandle this time of year. Dale

[DLCTEX]

I hadn't looked at the loads for cast and was surprised that max loads are 16 gr. Unique or 23 gr. 2400 with the 105 gr. Lyman 257418. I assume it would require filler(pufflon, etc.) over such a light charge in a large case. It has me looking for a mold. Anyone tried cast in 257 wby. DALE

[26Charlie]

Dale - I would not use a filler in the .257 WM case. It is enough of a bottle-neck that it will keep pressures up OK without one, not to mention the difficulty of stuffing one in that small of a neck.

There's lots of controversy about fillers, as you will see if you do a search on it here. I for one used to use one load with a filler but quit using it after hearing about ringed chambers; a different powder selection worked fine anyway.

[lovedogs]

I guess it's like they say..."each to his own...". To me it seems like the guy who buys a Corvette and then pulls half of the spark plug wires off. It'll still run but why did he buy a 'Vette?

[DLCTEX]

My thinking is that by firing cast boolits I will extend the life of this noted barrel burner, and will familiarize myself with the gun scope and therefore better my chances when the opportunity presents. I believe that shooting year round with my other guns at pdogs, coyotes jackrabbits, armadillos, etc. makes me a much more sucessful shooter in deer season and will pay benefits when the opportunity comes for other big game. Dale

[Stevejet]

If a person reloads cast or jacketed boolits, or even shotgun shells, why ask why?