Nothing wrong with those bullets. I do measure a few and weight all of them if I acquire a box of open projectiles just to make sure what the box says is what’s in it. By the way, Sierra moved to Missouri in the late 80’s or early 90’s.
Thanks for the retro episode. I'm one of those guys that still has bullet reloading supplies from back in the '80s and yes I still have price tags that say $9 for 100 bullets. Powder was also $9 a pound and primers were $10 for 1,000. However, I was making a fair wage back then at $12 an hour. A nice house was $100,000 and a nice car was $20,000. The more things change... Can't really however say, "stay the same".
i am a big Sierra fan, Hornady also. I could always get a little better group out of Sierras, and have been taking deer for over 35 years with those cup and core lead nose bullets out of those green boxes. Have taken over 1200 groundhogs, as well, over 100 coyotes here in KY.
Old long past KY boy here to confirm your comments. I always thought the Sierras gave the best target groups, but their bullet design having tougher jackets and slightly longer spine to head shoulder wasn't liked by some of my guns. Had some 30 cal 180 gr spire points with basically a tiny lead tip that shot the lights out of anything every put in 300 Win Mag -- they didn't like to open up, even at top Mag velocities, but they made a postage stamp group at 300 yards. Hornady and Nosler became my more so go to's after the Sieeras!
My buddy's dad was a pro at reloading, he passed in 2020 and we found some 6mm Remington loads he did in 1968 (105 grain SP hunting rounds) fired em out of his R700 that does easy .5 MOA with 95grain Hornady SST Superformance and surprisingly we got a .3 " group with 2 going in the same hole (get your minds outta the gutter I'm talking about the buulots 😂)
brotha adam , just be safe out there in all that you do n keep those damn ticks off you bro , keep that lead hot down range , thanks again my friend > tom !
1. use decapper for primer 2. clean brass in steel pin tumbler (also cleans primer hole) 3. Resize brass 4. Trim brass 5. seat primer 6. follow books for powder charges 7. Seat bullet to standard ( no more than max OAL0. 8. record all data (primer, brass, oal, powder, bullet, fps, total oal and trim length etc) 9. Fire one shot to check for pressure and fps. if all OK reload rest. 🙂
The metal corner reinforcement was a 60s and 70s thing. I still have a few of the boxes from the 70s, the bullets have been sent down range. Hornady had the metal corner braces as well.
Another thing I thought of for safety, after putting powder in the cases, use a small flashlight to look down into each case to ensure there is powder in them.
I’m 68 yrs old grew up with dad collecting weapons,hunting,target shooting and reloading. Dad had a shack for target shooting and reloading. We lived 20 miles from town and nearest neighbor was 1 mile behind our desert property. Dad started his reloading in the early 60s. He would buy on sale bullets from Gibsons. Dad would reload hand me the round and my job was to remove the sizing lube off them. I moved to the east coast and my brother inherited the property. The shooting shack is still stocked with early 60s 70s 80s bullets. Sierra and Spear were his favorites. I’d say seat the bullets then use Never Dull or use a soft green Scotch Brite pad using a twisting motion to remove the tarnish. The bullets were made to shoot……go for it and enjoy yourself! Awesome video! Love that Tac Driver you were using! Find a load that rifle likes and stick with it! Happy shooting!
One thing to do while reloading, when you perform an operation on a case, turn it upside down when replacing it back in the tray, or put it in a different tray so you don't miss an operation on a case. ESPECIALLY when adding powder.
You got me rethinking my one and only 708. It shoots a few factory ammo really well but I decided to try a few handloads. I have a set of 308 bushing dies so I just use that sizing die with a smaller bushing. I loaded some 140 Nosler btips with good success. In the short cased cartridges I lean towards light for cal bullets but have been watching some NZ hunting videos and a popular rifle is a Tikka stainless in 708. They were using 162 Hornady ELDMs and ELDX bullets and they were extremely accurate, like your first group did with those 175s. I might load a little heavier just to see
A very good friend of mine God rest his soul. He used to give me a bunch of 22 caliber bullets for my 22-250. They all were the old boxes like that. They all shot good. I kept the boxes for the shelf. I miss havung him around he is the reason i really got in to reloading. He has been gone for 3 years now.
1. Corn or a walnut media in a vibratory tumbler wont damage the lead on those spitzers. 2. A 9mm case full of lemi-shine in that Rotary Tumbler works the same as the brass stuff, and its much cheaper. 3. Loading your own ammo is a good way to ensure quality. Once you find the node for your load youll enjoy shooting any caliber. Happy Fathers Day.
They would be fine straight from the box.... Sierra are good bullets.... A little bit of advice... Keep your powders right away from the bench and only have ONE can on the bench at once. Otherwise it's easy to end up loading the wrong one. Always empty your powder throwers after a load session to avoid similar mistakes. Getting it wrong can be 'interesting'... 🙂
I have used a Lyman vibratory tumbler with corncob tumbling media, it seems to be more gentle on the brass or whatever you are cleaning... you probably wouldn't get as much denting or deformation as it does not use the steel rods. It is a relatively cheap and easy process, does an excellent job of cleaning and polishing your reloading components.
Interesting on the choice to use the tumbler. Awesome group and the best thing about these groups less powder more loaded boo-lots per pound. Keep up the good work
I 100% agree. A short pencil and a notebook are better than long term memory every time. I have a three-ring binder with my load data. I created a standard form. I fill in the blanks. Once refined and good or just never works out, update the data and print a copy, put it in the book. Yes, I keep track of loads that were stinkers so I do not go down that path in the future. Also, once you make a load and think it is good, test it in both cold and hot weather. Use the chrono. Pay attention to your impact point. Not all powders do the same in hot and cold extremes.
Citric acid from the canning section. I table spoon per 16 ounces of warm water stir until dissolved and drop the m in and slush it around about 30 seconds. Rinse well and dry with hair dryer. Will look brand new.
i have been loading for decades and have used the very same bullets you have there. i still load them from time to time. i have always had great results with them in many different calibers and weights. i am old enough to remember paying about the same price as what is on the box you have. you could also get 1000 primers for about $10 as well. gotta miss the good old days.
I still use these when I find them. They don't shoot any different than the newer ones. I've never cleaned them. Yes! Always use them. You'll like them.
I shine them up in corn cob media and they just like new. No worries unless they heavily corroded which is very rare. Got box o 7 mag that cost 7.49 from local shop long since closed. These were loaded. Look like new yet.
All of us old long time handloaders have a few fifty, sixty, or older year old components here and there. It works just fine if it’s been stored reasonably protected from the elements. I’ve got some of my pop’s powder and primers and bullets from the 1960s that he never used up completely and I’ve loaded some to test and it still works just fine.
Those are good bullets. I used that bullet design in 130s for my 270 winchester. They were deer catching loads and very accurate.too. I would get a depriming die and get your primers out of the case first then throw them all in your case cleaner before sizing them. It gets the primer pockets really clean. I'd use a vibrating cleaner with walnut media and do away with the water. Thanks for the video😊
Back in the 80's, I shot IHMSA Silhouette matches using those same bullets. Sierra was one of the most accurate projectiles I ever used. I loaded them in 7mm IHMSA caliber, I forgot what powder . I wouldn't tumble them though, I would just hit them with a scotchbrite pad. You don't want to mess up the ogive of the bullet. Get a bullet seating depth tool for the chamber and eliminate one more variable. I used to seat .050" off the lands...
Should be no problem with the Sierra bullets at all for reloading as is. Also, just a quick heads up WTW... after you resize and deprimed your Rem 7-08 brass. You should put each resized brass casing in your rifle your reloading for to make sure the casings fit properly in the chamber before moving on reloading each case. That will ensure your shoulder bump resizing is good to go. Thanks for another great vid. Thanks for sharing. Happy Father's Day too.
Adam , I look back on prices of some of my old bullets and see what they are priced now. I shake my head. I usually find some of the older components at estate sales . Deals can be found. The Deer will see those shiny boolots l😊
I started reloading 3 years ago and finally able sit down figure out some 44 mag loading. 225gr ftx with 13.6 #9 powder sweet got 1300 ft per second and nice groups out cva scout.
You switch the powder exactly like I thought you should have. 4831 is a very magnum powder will take many years just to learn burn rates and their numbers with different powder manufactures and to gain an eye for case shape association with their burn rates. Yes to varget. I also like using 4064 if I can’t get varget for many caliber of similar shape. Reloader 15 is also very effective for calibers like that. It’s fun watching You get excited in the process as we all have
I've loaded thousands of "new old stock" bullets like that in various calibers and never had a problem of any kind---gotten some incredible deals on them, too.
Quick clean everything and toss anything with case dents. Universal decapp die all cases. Remove any ridge at primer pocket of the case base and inspect primer flash hole. Dry tumble with corn or walnut shell media and a cap full of case cleaner. Inspect overall length of cases and separate by length. Trim cases to uniform length. (I also separate by case weight/volume) Lightly lube case, resize, remove any case lube. Trim cases to a uniform length. Deburr inside and outside of case neck. Prime one case and inspect for depth. Once satisfied with condition, prime the remainder You can use overall seating depth, however, you need a ogive gage and use that measurement, as you need uniformity of bullet to rifling. OAL won't give that number. Powder load should be based on BOOK data at first. Pick a middle of the road velocity and load using that weight, then a couple of rounds -.5 grains and a couple of rounds +.5 grains. Shoot for accuracy. The fastest round, 99% of the time won't be the most accurate. RCBS makes a set of dies called "X" dies which restrict case elongation when forming. Redding makes carbide dies which don't require lubricants.
I started loading in the early late 80's to early 90's and had my first son in 93. Because of his mother I stopped reloading, fast forward a few years and had my RCBS 5 stage progressive reloader stolen out of my garage. That thing ran great and really with I still had it. Well, fast forward to recently and purchased a new progressive 7 stage and started reloading. I still had a box of CCI large pistol primers with a price tag that read $1.49 some old range brass and partially empty box of 500 copper plated .45 caliber 220gr round nose bullets marked at $9.99 and two one pound bottles of Winchester 231 marked at $11.99 When my press stolen it had my 9mm dies and shell plate, luckily I still had my .45 dies and plates so I ran up a 100 cartridges using these old supplies. The powder was sealed and unopened in a metal bottle, primers were dry and looked like they were new. Next step is try them out. You think they will run?
Great video. Glad you are getting into loading, I have been loading for 45 years and really enjoy it. My only question is, after you resized the brass, did you check the case lengths to make sure all the brass was not too long? I check my rifle brass every time I resize it. I trim it to the proper length if needed.
I’ve made many vintage projectile purchases at auctions for cheap. I just check the weights to make sure they didn’t get mixed over the years. But the old stuff still shoots great.
My dad used to reload but he doesn't anymore. He gave me a huge box of different caliber and style bullets some as far back as early 1970s. Also gave me a steel foot locker full of powder. I use some IMR 4831 from the early '70s that had been previously opened but still smelled good. I loaded some 300 win mag hunting rounds and was getting single digit SDs. Older stuff is still good as long as it is properly stored.
The first rifle cartridge I reloaded was .303 British. At the time, I was using an old particle board computer desk as my reloading stand. I forgot to lubricate one case, and ripped the press off the desk trying to extract it after sizing.
If you're velocity is acceptable, I would call it done. Love it when that happens, saves a lot of components. What really sucks is when you do it with older components only to find out there not made anymore and you love the load 😢. Never had that happen with Sierra bullets, personally I have had good luck with Sierra going back to the late 60's and early 70's stock being virtually identical with new stock, same product number . Powder and primers are a different story but also can last a very long time, just make sure you get your advice from a knowledgeable and trusted source. Not u tube for the most part. Good luck with your journey learning another discipline and stay safe. ❤❤
Sierra knows what they are doing for sure. I'm about to start loading for my 7mm08 hopefully I can find some sierra bullets. Those were some great groups
Last fall I took a nice 8pt Buck with some 270 ammo I hand-loaded back in 1986. They shot great. I still have a full box of 130 BULLOTS to reload some more
Thank you for the reloading and range session review. The Ruger Gen II liked the 35gr & 35.3gr loads with the old Sierras. I was bestowed four boxes (50 per box) of reloads from 1983 for my 280 Remington. They came from a trusted source. The 120gr and 150gr Partitions shoot lights out on top of IMR4350. Thanks again.
Looks like 35 grains them boolots and whatever primers and shells your using is an awesome combination!! Why step up to 35.3 save the powder over time you'll get more boolots!! Excellent content brother!!! Yeah it's hot enough to boil water in the sun down here in San Antonio too!!!
I use 175 gr sierras in a 7x57 Mauser 98 my grandpa built me for my first whitetail rifle. Douglas xx barrel and timney trigger. Shoots amazing! I wanna see you get a 257 Roberts. I load 117 gr Hornadys. But it's a pretty sweet cartridge that often gets over looked. Love the videos brother.
I collect old reloading equipment some of the old bullet molds are worth some money old powder cans are really cool hang on to the old stuff it's good Surplus
Bullets were fine but have serious concerns wet tumbling with steel media?? Walnut shells, corn cob works and dry abrasive can be added but would never wet tumble any component.
I learned the real variable is velocity. As long as you are avoiding overpressure, watching the signs as you ladder. For my rem 700 Sendero, it really likes the heavier 168 grain BT at lower velocities, and the groups converge at 2200 FPS. Slower impulse powder like RL-25 tends to make a bigger bang, but smoother shots.
Next time just put them in and use a vibratory tumbler with a 50/50 mix of corn cob and walnut media. If you want, you can add two capfuls of Dillon brass polish. And when you use the tumbler you did, just use Dawn Dish soap ( 1 tablespoon) and add 1-9mm case full (primer in of course) of Lemi-Dry.
Super load for Whitetail & B. Bear....perhaps Elk. Not what you shoot, but how you shoot what you got. My first Buck...4x4 Whitetail, 2 yards, Model 15A Savage Stevens single shot......60 years ago this November...Worst tasting Venison I ever ate,....as his neck was swollen from the Rut. But choked thru it.
Congratulations on your first loading I have a progressive press buy Dillon I haven't set it up yet because I tore my left shoulder in 4 places waiting for it too heal before I start reloading. But like you I started buying components to reload I also have several manuals on reloading I recommend that highly.
Looks like a great load for your 7mm-08. Hopefully you can get the Sierra in the same SKU and they perform the same. Should have used dry media tumbler and you wouldn't have affected the lead tip. Great video.
Gotta use some lemishine dish detergent in your tumbler with a squirt of dish soap.. your brass will come out shiny as gold and it's very cheap compared to the brass cleaner packs..
Hard to go wrong with the Sierra bullets old or new . My dad ran those 175's in his 7mag back in the 80's. In the same boxes . 👍👍. Keep your powder labeled in your dispenser or keep the can out next to it so you don't blow your face off😅 😅
I used those same weight, brand, model and similar vintage bullets once on a caribou hunt with a 7mm rem mag. The bullets shed their jackets just under the skin and the core did not penetrate well. I had to get some spear grand slam loaded ammo from a pocket and finish off the caribou with those. Maybe they would work better at your 7-08 velocity. But I can say that they were very accurate on paper.
I believe the chronograph should be your next step before loading the rest. The velocity at the starting load may not be enough to expand those extra heavy for caliber bullet on impact at distance.
I’ve polished older bullets in my media tumbler with corn cob media and a little Dillon rapid polish. It’s probably a little easier on the bullet tips than a wet tumbler with steel pins. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy old bullets. I would check their weight and diameter if I had any questions before loading.
They're fine just measure them if you're not sure and weigh them if you're loading for accuracy, I inherited a bucket of of a few hundred Nosler Partitions from the 50's that I've been picking out of for years and they all put down animals the same way a bullets made 5 months ago do. If you're gonna use those for hunting I wouldn't use them on anything bigger than whitetail amd stay under 250 yards because they fragment like they're made of glass, those Sierra's are paper target rounds that they renamed to "Game Kings" to pass them off as hunting rounds like most 6.5 bullets.
Really love the idea of the heavy for the 08 and can't wait for the ballistics test your going to do mmm? :) Be well Oh enjoy having the family life I was never so happy in mine. Kids, life in the house, meals all of it you are truly blessed and as always wishing you and yours all the best T
Lyman 50th edition has that data for Speer 175 grand slams. Depending on volume and powder used you may have some compressed powder loads specially in that short cartridge. The 7x57 mauser is it's ballistic twin and became legendary with 175s according to Lyman. If I were on the hunt for larger game than deer with that rifle that would be the boolots l would want and keep my range down 200 yd or less to be sure.
A friend of my great grandfather made himself a custom revolver with 5 rounds in the cylinder, chambered in 8x50 Mannlicher, it still works and has original ammo from 1896.
I have used a lot of bullets like that. Used large rifle primers with a 1.98 price tag on them. They are heavier bullets in 7mm. They make 195 gr even a 197 gr I think. I have a new Browning Xbolt 280AI. I bought some Hornady ELD X 175 gr. And 180 gr M. But the heavier bullets like ELD bullets call for a faster twist barrel. My new rifle has a 1@8 twist barrel. So it will handle them. I just got a new electric powder dispenser. And a Frankfort Arsenal bullet seater.
I truly suggest that you try those out on something like a cave bear or a mammoth out of a 7-08. It just doesn't have enough to get them up to high enough velocity to get good expansion. I owned several 7-08 rifles from wildcat to factory. You would get ok expansion from a .280 Acley on very large game. It would be like using the 220-250 grain load made for the .300 magnums in a .308. just doesn't work great.
I hesitated to think 175s would suit 708's case capacity. But what makes the rifle shine is a suitable twist rate for them. My old mil 7x57s are 1:8.66" and that's all I shoot in them. btw, I've never work up a load (charge) beyond a point of groups that belie my marksmanship. Usually by half way up in the recipe I hit a sweet spot. In 9.3 x57 and .338-06 I started ~midway and that was it.
Load the Bullets , and keep the Box. But… I’d save those for my 7mm Mags. And I’d load either 154gr. SST or any other 160gr. Projectile for my 7/08. That’s the 2 Best weights I’ve found that works the best for me in a 7/08. Great video WTW.
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Those are perfectly fine to use. Loaded and shot many older ammunition components. Sierra makes some of the best projectiles for the money.
Especially with my 25 caliber and 270 stuff I love finding older Sahara boxes like that.
The box is just projectiles. Theoretically stored dry, they should be good indefinitely.
Copper will be good, even with some discoloration.
Nothing wrong with those bullets. I do measure a few and weight all of them if I acquire a box of open projectiles just to make sure what the box says is what’s in it.
By the way, Sierra moved to Missouri in the late 80’s or early 90’s.
I think dry tumbling would have been the better choice to avoid deformation of the lead tips from the steel pins.
I would have used rice cheers Yogi ✌️🤙
Thinking corn cob/polish and used dry as in a vibe would work for this in a tumbler too.
Sure didn’t seem to hurt the groups any!
Thanks for the retro episode. I'm one of those guys that still has bullet reloading supplies from back in the '80s and yes I still have price tags that say $9 for 100 bullets. Powder was also $9 a pound and primers were $10 for 1,000. However, I was making a fair wage back then at $12 an hour. A nice house was $100,000 and a nice car was $20,000. The more things change... Can't really however say, "stay the same".
i am a big Sierra fan, Hornady also. I could always get a little better group out of Sierras, and have been taking deer for over 35 years with those cup and core lead nose bullets out of those green boxes. Have taken over 1200 groundhogs, as well, over 100 coyotes here in KY.
Old long past KY boy here to confirm your comments. I always thought the Sierras gave the best target groups, but their bullet design having tougher jackets and slightly longer spine to head shoulder wasn't liked by some of my guns. Had some 30 cal 180 gr spire points with basically a tiny lead tip that shot the lights out of anything every put in 300 Win Mag -- they didn't like to open up, even at top Mag velocities, but they made a postage stamp group at 300 yards. Hornady and Nosler became my more so go to's after the Sieeras!
My buddy's dad was a pro at reloading, he passed in 2020 and we found some 6mm Remington loads he did in 1968 (105 grain SP hunting rounds) fired em out of his R700 that does easy .5 MOA with 95grain Hornady SST Superformance and surprisingly we got a .3 " group with 2 going in the same hole (get your minds outta the gutter I'm talking about the buulots 😂)
brotha adam , just be safe out there in all that you do n keep those damn ticks off you bro , keep that lead hot down range , thanks again my friend > tom !
Man I still load some machined Nosler Partitions from the 60s. they shoot good and are awesome on game.
The oldest ammo (303) I've ever fired was from 1909 only issue I had was some ended up being duds otherwise no problem....
I have some 45acp ammo from WWI, over 100 years old. I'm so tempted to try one to see if they still work.
You'd break some cartridge collectors heart.
That ammo will be corrosive, so have Windex on hand, or some other cleaner that will remove the salts.
If you get a "dud", check the bore is clear before firing the next shot. You don't want to fire a second bullet into the back of a stuck one.
Dude…the Manscaping was absolutely hilarious!!!
You are the Man!
👊👊
The powder calibration function on that dropper helps a bunch makes it throw em way faster 😊
1. use decapper for primer
2. clean brass in steel pin tumbler (also cleans primer hole)
3. Resize brass
4. Trim brass
5. seat primer
6. follow books for powder charges
7. Seat bullet to standard ( no more than max OAL0.
8. record all data (primer, brass, oal, powder, bullet, fps, total oal and trim length etc)
9. Fire one shot to check for pressure and fps. if all OK reload rest.
🙂
Yep. I do the same. John
The metal corner reinforcement was a 60s and 70s thing. I still have a few of the boxes from the 70s, the bullets have been sent down range. Hornady had the metal corner braces as well.
I have two boxes of 270 caliber 130 grain Hornady in paper boxes with metal corners
Another thing I thought of for safety, after putting powder in the cases, use a small flashlight to look down into each case to ensure there is powder in them.
I’m 68 yrs old grew up with dad collecting weapons,hunting,target shooting and reloading. Dad had a shack for target shooting and reloading. We lived 20 miles from town and nearest neighbor was 1 mile behind our desert property. Dad started his reloading in the early 60s. He would buy on sale bullets from Gibsons. Dad would reload hand me the round and my job was to remove the sizing lube off them. I moved to the east coast and my brother inherited the property. The shooting shack is still stocked with early 60s 70s 80s bullets. Sierra and Spear were his favorites. I’d say seat the bullets then use Never Dull or use a soft green Scotch Brite pad using a twisting motion to remove the tarnish. The bullets were made to shoot……go for it and enjoy yourself! Awesome video! Love that Tac Driver you were using! Find a load that rifle likes and stick with it! Happy shooting!
The old boxes of projectiles always had little load data sheets for you to keep track, best if technology fails, great job reloading.
One thing to do while reloading, when you perform an operation on a case, turn it upside down when replacing it back in the tray, or put it in a different tray so you don't miss an operation on a case. ESPECIALLY when adding powder.
175 grain are the only thing that got shot through my 7mm Rem Mag. I used to load CoreLokt for the range and Partitions for hunting.
You got me rethinking my one and only 708. It shoots a few factory ammo really well but I decided to try a few handloads. I have a set of 308 bushing dies so I just use that sizing die with a smaller bushing. I loaded some 140 Nosler btips with good success. In the short cased cartridges I lean towards light for cal bullets but have been watching some NZ hunting videos and a popular rifle is a Tikka stainless in 708. They were using 162 Hornady ELDMs and ELDX bullets and they were extremely accurate, like your first group did with those 175s. I might load a little heavier just to see
3 great groups. Good old bullet. Good stuff.
A very good friend of mine God rest his soul. He used to give me a bunch of 22 caliber bullets for my 22-250. They all were the old boxes like that. They all shot good. I kept the boxes for the shelf. I miss havung him around he is the reason i really got in to reloading. He has been gone for 3 years now.
1. Corn or a walnut media in a vibratory tumbler wont damage the lead on those spitzers.
2. A 9mm case full of lemi-shine in that Rotary Tumbler works the same as the brass stuff, and its much cheaper.
3. Loading your own ammo is a good way to ensure quality. Once you find the node for your load youll enjoy shooting any caliber.
Happy Fathers Day.
Nosler ABLR 7mm bullets are available in 175gr. They can be hard to find now but were plentiful when 28 Nosler was new.
Dry tumble with nut shells the bullets so as to not damage the lead tips. 175 is heavy for 7-08, 140 is the sweet spot for Texas whitetail hunting.
They would be fine straight from the box.... Sierra are good bullets....
A little bit of advice... Keep your powders right away from the bench and only have ONE can on the bench at once. Otherwise it's easy to end up loading the wrong one. Always empty your powder throwers after a load session to avoid similar mistakes. Getting it wrong can be 'interesting'... 🙂
Twist the Bullet Tips in some Fine Grain Sandpaper (between a thumb and two fingers) would clean them up and make them more Aerodynamic!
I have used a Lyman vibratory tumbler with corncob tumbling media, it seems to be more gentle on the brass or whatever you are cleaning... you probably wouldn't get as much denting or deformation as it does not use the steel rods. It is a relatively cheap and easy process, does an excellent job of cleaning and polishing your reloading components.
Interesting on the choice to use the tumbler. Awesome group and the best thing about these groups less powder more loaded boo-lots per pound.
Keep up the good work
That 35gr load is a belter Adam good video,please show more of these 👍👍
Did you run them past the Chronograph? Write the Load Data in a Book, Phones Break and All Load Data disappears. Learn from my mistakes. ;)
I 100% agree. A short pencil and a notebook are better than long term memory every time. I have a three-ring binder with my load data. I created a standard form. I fill in the blanks. Once refined and good or just never works out, update the data and print a copy, put it in the book. Yes, I keep track of loads that were stinkers so I do not go down that path in the future. Also, once you make a load and think it is good, test it in both cold and hot weather. Use the chrono. Pay attention to your impact point. Not all powders do the same in hot and cold extremes.
Citric acid from the canning section. I table spoon per 16 ounces of warm water stir until dissolved and drop the m in and slush it around about 30 seconds. Rinse well and dry with hair dryer. Will look brand new.
i have been loading for decades and have used the very same bullets you have there. i still load them from time to time. i have always had great results with them in many different calibers and weights. i am old enough to remember paying about the same price as what is on the box you have. you could also get 1000 primers for about $10 as well. gotta miss the good old days.
I still use these when I find them. They don't shoot any different than the newer ones. I've never cleaned them.
Yes! Always use them. You'll like them.
I shine them up in corn cob media and they just like new. No worries unless they heavily corroded which is very rare. Got box o 7 mag that cost 7.49 from local shop long since closed. These were loaded. Look like new yet.
All of us old long time handloaders have a few fifty, sixty, or older year old components here and there.
It works just fine if it’s been stored reasonably protected from the elements. I’ve got some of my pop’s powder and primers and bullets from the 1960s that he never used up completely and I’ve loaded some to test and it still works just fine.
The vibrating media cleaners works good with the lead tip. Keep the Box, load and shoot the bullets 😎👍.
LOAD EM UP !! I wont hesitate to load projectiles ive had since the early 80s on a regular basis.. 👍 WTW
Love finding the old stuff, usually good prices and still shoot just fine.
Those are good bullets. I used that bullet design in 130s for my 270 winchester. They were deer catching loads and very accurate.too. I would get a depriming die and get your primers out of the case first then throw them all in your case cleaner before sizing them. It gets the primer pockets really clean. I'd use a vibrating cleaner with walnut media and do away with the water. Thanks for the video😊
Back in the 80's, I shot IHMSA Silhouette matches using those same bullets. Sierra was one of the most accurate projectiles I ever used. I loaded them in 7mm IHMSA caliber, I forgot what powder . I wouldn't tumble them though, I would just hit them with a scotchbrite pad. You don't want to mess up the ogive of the bullet. Get a bullet seating depth tool for the chamber and eliminate one more variable. I used to seat .050" off the lands...
Should be no problem with the Sierra bullets at all for reloading as is. Also, just a quick heads up WTW... after you resize and deprimed your Rem 7-08 brass. You should put each resized brass casing in your rifle your reloading for to make sure the casings fit properly in the chamber before moving on reloading each case. That will ensure your shoulder bump resizing is good to go.
Thanks for another great vid. Thanks for sharing. Happy Father's Day too.
Adam , I look back on prices of some of my old bullets and see what they are priced now. I shake my head. I usually find some of the older components at estate sales . Deals can be found. The Deer will see those shiny boolots l😊
I recently acquired a Redfield peep sight for my Remington Model 14. The original box was stamped $10.50. I wish!
Truth be told, I've gotten some Hornady lead tip bullets for about $13 lately.. old school tech, but the deer don't know that!
I started reloading 3 years ago and finally able sit down figure out some 44 mag loading. 225gr ftx with 13.6 #9 powder sweet got 1300 ft per second and nice groups out cva scout.
Sierra bullets are the best for accuracy. I usually find the best groups with the low end charges too. Thanks for a great video brother!
You switch the powder exactly like I thought you should have. 4831 is a very magnum powder will take many years just to learn burn rates and their numbers with different powder manufactures and to gain an eye for case shape association with their burn rates. Yes to varget. I also like using 4064 if I can’t get varget for many caliber of similar shape. Reloader 15 is also very effective for calibers like that.
It’s fun watching You get excited in the process as we all have
Nice episode. You need to put up some kind of shade at your shooting bench, a beach umbrella or something else light weight and portable.
I've loaded thousands of "new old stock" bullets like that in various calibers and never had a problem of any kind---gotten some incredible deals on them, too.
Quick clean everything and toss anything with case dents.
Universal decapp die all cases.
Remove any ridge at primer pocket of the case base and inspect primer flash hole.
Dry tumble with corn or walnut shell media and a cap full of case cleaner.
Inspect overall length of cases and separate by length. Trim cases to uniform length. (I also separate by case weight/volume)
Lightly lube case, resize, remove any case lube.
Trim cases to a uniform length. Deburr inside and outside of case neck.
Prime one case and inspect for depth. Once satisfied with condition, prime the remainder
You can use overall seating depth, however, you need a ogive gage and use that measurement, as you need uniformity of bullet to rifling. OAL won't give that number.
Powder load should be based on BOOK data at first. Pick a middle of the road velocity and load using that weight, then a couple of rounds -.5 grains and a couple of rounds +.5 grains.
Shoot for accuracy.
The fastest round, 99% of the time won't be the most accurate.
RCBS makes a set of dies called "X" dies which restrict case elongation when forming. Redding makes carbide dies which don't require lubricants.
I started loading in the early late 80's to early 90's and had my first son in 93. Because of his mother I stopped reloading, fast forward a few years and had my RCBS 5 stage progressive reloader stolen out of my garage. That thing ran great and really with I still had it. Well, fast forward to recently and purchased a new progressive 7 stage and started reloading. I still had a box of CCI large pistol primers with a price tag that read $1.49 some old range brass and partially empty box of 500 copper plated .45 caliber 220gr round nose bullets marked at $9.99 and two one pound bottles of Winchester 231 marked at $11.99 When my press stolen it had my 9mm dies and shell plate, luckily I still had my .45 dies and plates so I ran up a 100 cartridges using these old supplies. The powder was sealed and unopened in a metal bottle, primers were dry and looked like they were new. Next step is try them out. You think they will run?
Great video. Glad you are getting into loading, I have been loading for 45 years and really enjoy it. My only question is, after you resized the brass, did you check the case lengths to make sure all the brass was not too long? I check my rifle brass every time I resize it. I trim it to the proper length if needed.
The nice thing about old bullies is that they don't degrade. BTW I had many of those "antique" boollots from back in the late 1960's.
I have still and used the Sierra BT and have been excellent in the 7Rem mag and corrosion is neither here nor there.
I’ve made many vintage projectile purchases at auctions for cheap. I just check the weights to make sure they didn’t get mixed over the years. But the old stuff still shoots great.
My dad used to reload but he doesn't anymore. He gave me a huge box of different caliber and style bullets some as far back as early 1970s. Also gave me a steel foot locker full of powder. I use some IMR 4831 from the early '70s that had been previously opened but still smelled good. I loaded some 300 win mag hunting rounds and was getting single digit SDs. Older stuff is still good as long as it is properly stored.
The first rifle cartridge I reloaded was .303 British. At the time, I was using an old particle board computer desk as my reloading stand. I forgot to lubricate one case, and ripped the press off the desk trying to extract it after sizing.
If you're velocity is acceptable, I would call it done. Love it when that happens, saves a lot of components. What really sucks is when you do it with older components only to find out there not made anymore and you love the load 😢. Never had that happen with Sierra bullets, personally I have had good luck with Sierra going back to the late 60's and early 70's stock being virtually identical with new stock, same product number . Powder and primers are a different story but also can last a very long time, just make sure you get your advice from a knowledgeable and trusted source. Not u tube for the most part. Good luck with your journey learning another discipline and stay safe. ❤❤
I use One Shot case lube when deprime and resizing. Makes it Way smoother with less effort.
Sierra knows what they are doing for sure. I'm about to start loading for my 7mm08 hopefully I can find some sierra bullets. Those were some great groups
Love those old boxes, I have many from over the years
Last fall I took a nice 8pt Buck with some 270 ammo I hand-loaded back in 1986. They shot great. I still have a full box of 130 BULLOTS to reload some more
I love the idea of heavier bullets in the 7-08 rem 🎉 and it looks like the ruger gen II twist rate is spot on 😊
Thank you for the reloading and range session review. The Ruger Gen II liked the 35gr & 35.3gr loads with the old Sierras. I was bestowed four boxes (50 per box) of reloads from 1983 for my 280 Remington. They came from a trusted source. The 120gr and 150gr Partitions shoot lights out on top of IMR4350. Thanks again.
Looks like 35 grains them boolots and whatever primers and shells your using is an awesome combination!! Why step up to 35.3 save the powder over time you'll get more boolots!! Excellent content brother!!! Yeah it's hot enough to boil water in the sun down here in San Antonio too!!!
I use 175 gr sierras in a 7x57 Mauser 98 my grandpa built me for my first whitetail rifle. Douglas xx barrel and timney trigger. Shoots amazing! I wanna see you get a 257 Roberts. I load 117 gr Hornadys. But it's a pretty sweet cartridge that often gets over looked. Love the videos brother.
Good to know WTW , If I ever come across any old ammo that will fit my 12 gauge or 30-96 I will definitely take it to consideration . Cheers 🇨🇦🇨🇦.
I collect old reloading equipment some of the old bullet molds are worth some money old powder cans are really cool hang on to the old stuff it's good Surplus
Bullets were fine but have serious concerns wet tumbling with steel media?? Walnut shells, corn cob works and dry abrasive can be added but would never wet tumble any component.
I learned the real variable is velocity. As long as you are avoiding overpressure, watching the signs as you ladder. For my rem 700 Sendero, it really likes the heavier 168 grain BT at lower velocities, and the groups converge at 2200 FPS. Slower impulse powder like RL-25 tends to make a bigger bang, but smoother shots.
I got two boxes just like those from my reloading mentor. I run them out of a 7mm Mag. I may try them out of my 7mmO8 now. Thanks Adam!
Next time just put them in and use a vibratory tumbler with a 50/50 mix of corn cob and walnut media. If you want, you can add two capfuls of Dillon brass polish.
And when you use the tumbler you did, just use Dawn Dish soap ( 1 tablespoon) and add 1-9mm case full (primer in of course) of Lemi-Dry.
Super load for Whitetail & B. Bear....perhaps Elk. Not what you shoot, but how you shoot what you got. My first Buck...4x4 Whitetail, 2 yards, Model 15A Savage Stevens single shot......60 years ago this November...Worst tasting Venison I ever ate,....as his neck was swollen from the Rut. But choked thru it.
Congratulations on your first loading I have a progressive press buy Dillon I haven't set it up yet because I tore my left shoulder in 4 places waiting for it too heal before I start reloading.
But like you I started buying components to reload I also have several manuals on reloading I recommend that highly.
Those are great hunting bullets and your rifle likes them. Now get a speed on the one you pick. Keep all your tests in a log book.
I have loaded Sierra bullets with boat tail since the 1970's, always have had excellent accuracy and good game killing ability.
Looks like a great load for your 7mm-08. Hopefully you can get the Sierra in the same SKU and they perform the same. Should have used dry media tumbler and you wouldn't have affected the lead tip. Great video.
Gotta use some lemishine dish detergent in your tumbler with a squirt of dish soap.. your brass will come out shiny as gold and it's very cheap compared to the brass cleaner packs..
Great show and thanks again for the info and your the best 👏🤠👍🤠👍🤠👍👏👏👏👏🙏
Awesome job Adam. You got lucky and found a good load first time around stick with it curious to see what the feet per second is.
Glad to see you’re getting brand deals man, been watching for years. Keep up the hard work
Appreciate you watching
I always like the reloading and shooting videos but the Road Warrior haircut was the best lol
Hard to go wrong with the Sierra bullets old or new . My dad ran those 175's in his 7mag back in the 80's. In the same boxes . 👍👍. Keep your powder labeled in your dispenser or keep the can out next to it so you don't blow your face off😅 😅
Love those older Sierra boolots. You could go for the next node higher...powders pretty expensive now too.
I used those same weight, brand, model and similar vintage bullets once on a caribou hunt with a 7mm rem mag. The bullets shed their jackets just under the skin and the core did not penetrate well. I had to get some spear grand slam loaded ammo from a pocket and finish off the caribou with those. Maybe they would work better at your 7-08 velocity. But I can say that they were very accurate on paper.
I believe the chronograph should be your next step before loading the rest. The velocity at the starting load may not be enough to expand those extra heavy for caliber bullet on impact at distance.
I’ve polished older bullets in my media tumbler with corn cob media and a little Dillon rapid polish. It’s probably a little easier on the bullet tips than a wet tumbler with steel pins. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy old bullets. I would check their weight and diameter if I had any questions before loading.
It is safe to load, the tumbler should be fine. Those bullets are probably better than what they got now🤣😂🤣😂
They're fine just measure them if you're not sure and weigh them if you're loading for accuracy, I inherited a bucket of of a few hundred Nosler Partitions from the 50's that I've been picking out of for years and they all put down animals the same way a bullets made 5 months ago do.
If you're gonna use those for hunting I wouldn't use them on anything bigger than whitetail amd stay under 250 yards because they fragment like they're made of glass, those Sierra's are paper target rounds that they renamed to "Game Kings" to pass them off as hunting rounds like most 6.5 bullets.
Really love the idea of the heavy for the 08 and can't wait for the ballistics test your going to do mmm? :) Be well Oh enjoy having the family life I was never so happy in mine. Kids, life in the house, meals all of it you are truly blessed and as always wishing you and yours all the best T
Love watching group testing but I’m really excited watching it with the same gun and caliber I picked up first of the year.. moe data lol
That will work ! And add another layer of busy... lol
Lyman 50th edition has that data for Speer 175 grand slams. Depending on volume and powder used you may have some compressed powder loads specially in that short cartridge. The 7x57 mauser is it's ballistic twin and became legendary with 175s according to Lyman. If I were on the hunt for larger game than deer with that rifle that would be the boolots l would want and keep my range down 200 yd or less to be sure.
Very cool loading results...btw, you can rock the Lex Luthor look a lot better than I can!
A friend of my great grandfather made himself a custom revolver with 5 rounds in the cylinder, chambered in 8x50 Mannlicher, it still works and has original ammo from 1896.
I have used a lot of bullets like that. Used large rifle primers with a 1.98 price tag on them. They are heavier bullets in 7mm. They make 195 gr even a 197 gr I think. I have a new Browning Xbolt 280AI. I bought some Hornady ELD X 175 gr. And 180 gr M. But the heavier bullets like ELD bullets call for a faster twist barrel. My new rifle has a 1@8 twist barrel. So it will handle them. I just got a new electric powder dispenser. And a Frankfort Arsenal bullet seater.
I truly suggest that you try those out on something like a cave bear or a mammoth out of a 7-08. It just doesn't have enough to get them up to high enough velocity to get good expansion. I owned several 7-08 rifles from wildcat to factory. You would get ok expansion from a .280 Acley on very large game. It would be like using the 220-250 grain load made for the .300 magnums in a .308. just doesn't work great.
I hesitated to think 175s would suit 708's case capacity. But what makes the rifle shine is a suitable twist rate for them. My old mil 7x57s are 1:8.66" and that's all I shoot in them. btw, I've never work up a load (charge) beyond a point of groups that belie my marksmanship. Usually by half way up in the recipe I hit a sweet spot. In 9.3 x57 and .338-06 I started ~midway and that was it.
Load the Bullets , and keep the Box. But… I’d save those for my 7mm Mags. And I’d load either 154gr. SST or any other 160gr. Projectile for my 7/08. That’s the 2 Best weights I’ve found that works the best for me in a 7/08. Great video WTW.