Handloading for SHTF situation

[brumbelowcr]

I got my first reloading kit for christmas when I was 14. Been hooked ever since. I took my whole set up to college with me when I was 18 and set it up in my dorm room. At some point in college the need to see how fast I could make bullets go left me and I began the chase for the smallest group. AS things go I have loaded ammo for many years, where the loaded rounds were tailored to one rifle. Seating depths neck sizing, indexing etc. etc.
Now at 37, I have been prepping to bug in for a while and it hits me. All those special rounds wont chamber in any rifle. So I go back through note books and so on and compile a list of proven loads that have shot well in many rifles.

I kind of have my mind made up to slack off on the tailoring and go tactically universal. Loading rounds that will shoot acceptably accurate in any given rifle that doesnt require a smiths attention.

Has anyone else thought of this? What are your results? Any hitches?

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Re: Handloading for SHTF situation

Like you I started when I was young(13) I am now 44, giving me 31 years of rolling my own. Yep when I was young and a deer hunter exclusively I chased speed. I always had an eye on accuracy but never actually practiced shooting distances I was known to shoot deer. I simply wanted my ammo to function and provide little 3 shot groups at 100yds at blinding speeds.
Over the years I matured and gained milage and wisdom. I let deer hunting fall by the wayside for more shooting oportunities that competitions would provide. I shot several disciplines of silhouette on and off for several years. Had a brief love/hate relationship with 1000yd BR and ended up back to silhouette in IHMSA competitions. Played around with High Power as well for a bit. I loaded ammo with every trick and voodoo magic that might help me win a match. Neck sizing was on the burner several times and ultimately left me wondering why anyone would ever mess with such a method. I have learned a lot but learn new stuff quite often.
I have come full circle and my results are as good if not better than ever. I have come around to the tactical mindset on my ammo and do not fuss over semantics of loading. I shoot my rifles and pistols. I still taylor loads to specific guns if I have one. If I have 2 or more I try to find a happy medium. I look for all loads that will deliver acceptable accuracy, this gives me flexibility. If I have two kinds of brass I develop a load that works in both, it can be done. When pulling down military rounds I save the powder and mark the average charge weight on the powder can. I may need that powder some time, if I do, it will do in a pinch if I have load data, I do.(more I do's than a wedding)
Get a handle on FL sizing everything with a proper die setup. That goes a long way toward good tactical ammo.
Learn to use different powders than normal. I am setting my 223 rifles and pistol up to shoot BLC2 as well as Varget. Varget is great top notch...as long as you can get it, how is that working out for folks right now?
Be flexible but keep your eye on acceptable accuracy. Functional ammo that is accurate enough trumps tempermental over engineered ammo every time.

 

[bigjohn451]

Re: Handloading for SHTF situation

I think it would all depend on the purpose of a given rifle. If your loading for the generic deer rifle aka, 30-30 or hunting grade 30-06 I would load so the ammo would work in any of that caliber.

My AR-15 ammo will chamber in any 5.56 AR.. My 7 Magnum ammo is tailored to my rifle for precision shots at extended range.

 

[brumbelowcr]

Re: Handloading for SHTF situation

I am thinking along the line of a situation when there will be more nato style firearms laying around and little ammo to use in them. If I load ammo tailored to one gun it is useless in another because it may not cycle. I just didnt know if many were thinking along this line and putting ammo up that will function in any arm of the same caliber.

I'm still making one gun ammo but also putting up the equivalent of federal gmm ammo for that "in case" situation.

 

[K2Ballistics]

Re: Handloading for SHTF situation

I backed off a bit on tailoring handloads a while back myself. First, I invested in some small base days and a couple of sets of headspace guages. I now return most of my handloads to "as new" dimensions. I may allow for a little longer headspace if all of my rifles chambered with like cartridge can accept it. For the most part, tho, I end up being back close to new.

You can still produce high quality ammo this way, you just may give up a bit in accuracy and case life. So far, I have experienced neither.

Being able to use handloads across several rifles makes life so much easier, IMO.

 

[rpk762]

Re: Handloading for SHTF situation

I have done the same thing for many years now. It can be a real pain in the butt to have 8 different loadings for 223. I have measurements on all my rifles and my semi-autos for the most part get resized the maximum to save brass as much as possible.

I used to go to the min but I stated losing lots of brass so I started to go to max and it helps.

All precision rifles will get special ammo just for it.

 

[milo 2.0]

Re: Handloading for SHTF situation

Redding makes body dies which "can" be used to size loaded ammo. They're not overly pricey, depends on how many cases you have. I like em, it's just as easy to resize a loaded round as pulling it.
Now if the case wont work because of trimming issues, it's no good.

 

[brumbelowcr]

Re: Handloading for SHTF situation

Are you seating bullets just deep enough to load in a magazine or are you tailoring them to a point where the preferred distance to lands requires single loading.

Yup been using the redding competition die sets for years. When used with the forster coax they are great in reducing runout.

 

[dtibbals]

Re: Handloading for SHTF situation

Well I guess I look at this way. Why are you reloading at the last minute for a SHTF day? I would suggest making a small investment in extra supplies and loading up several hundred or more rounds that will work well in your different rifles for that moment. Keep notes on the set up and then focus on your most accurate stuff. I figure if SHTF you have ammo for each gun and some gun specific I would shoot first. Then if you are forced to reload that ammo things have gotten really bad and you will be loading like your "rainy day" ammo anyway. No reason to suffer accuracy now, why not do both.

I personally keep 1k plus rounds for each defensive weapon and guns like my 45/70 I keep 100 rounds or so which is strictly hunting ammo. I keep 9mm, 40 and 5.56 factory ammo by the 5k plus numbers at all times and have enough supplies on hand to load that amount again. Better to be ahead of the power curve, I am sure in a SHTF moment you have better things to be doing then trying to load ammo!

 

[NoFail]

Re: Handloading for SHTF situation

I envisioned & built my LR-308 as my go to SHTF rifle for whenever such a time may arise. An AR15 probably makes a better choice in that scenario, though. But I like .30 cal pills. I have a Mega AR15 stripped lower and that's it. I'll build it when things get better in the market. So I don't have AR15 for now.

If I had to go on the run I I wonder if my .44 mag or .45 Colt lever actions are a good choice? I load stout charges in the .45 Colt with no problems.
But the little lever gun Winchester 1894 Trooper Carbines are very light and handy. Ammo is smaller so I could carry more.

Who knows? It is really quite a futile thing to try and know what direction the SHTF path will place you in. Where will you be? Will you be with your reloading equipment? I have not loaded up hundreds of rounds in anticipation for anything. I currently have approximately 1000 .30 pills for my .308 AR and everything required to load them. I know the powder & charges I will use for a 168 AMAX and a 178 AMAX. They are taylored to my rifle. They don't shoot as accurate in my bro in laws SR-25 but they cycle good its not like they are inaccurate. But his SR is freakin heavy so if he ends up carrying that around then good luck (he's okay he has a nice little AR15, and a 450 bushmaster).

Anyway I think my lever guns are definately in the big picture if I had to bug out or otherwise. They just so nice and light and RELIABLE!!

 

[George63]

Re: Handloading for SHTF situation

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dtibbals</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Well I guess I look at this way. Why are you reloading at the last minute for a SHTF day? I would suggest making a small investment in extra supplies and loading up several hundred or more rounds that will work well in your different rifles for that moment. ! </div></div>

good luck with the "small" investment -- 6 months ago this may have been realistic - now it is more like a small fortune

 

[NoFail]

Re: Handloading for SHTF situation

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: George63</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dtibbals</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Well I guess I look at this way. Why are you reloading at the last minute for a SHTF day? I would suggest making a small investment in extra supplies and loading up several hundred or more rounds that will work well in your different rifles for that moment. ! </div></div>

good luck with the "small" investment -- 6 months ago this may have been realistic - now it is more like a small fortune </div></div>

A small fortune if you can even find all your stuff. I can't find primers around here and my pills either. Some 178 AMAX came available someplace online and I purchased 200 of those bullets for under $65, no gouging there. Should have gotten more, they gone now.

I see lots of rookie reloaders posting on here now about the equipment they are getting. I figure they are tired of looking & paying for factory loaded ammo. When I read those posts now I wonder what the heck are they doing to find components? Are they in the same spot they were anyway? I dunno.....
Poor bastards I feel for them. I'm in conservation mode now, sucks....

 

[dtibbals]

Re: Handloading for SHTF situation

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: NoFail</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: George63</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: dtibbals</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Well I guess I look at this way. Why are you reloading at the last minute for a SHTF day? I would suggest making a small investment in extra supplies and loading up several hundred or more rounds that will work well in your different rifles for that moment. ! </div></div>

good luck with the "small" investment -- 6 months ago this may have been realistic - now it is more like a small fortune </div></div>

A small fortune if you can even find all your stuff. I can't find primers around here and my pills either. Some 178 AMAX came available someplace online and I purchased 200 of those bullets for under $65, no gouging there. Should have gotten more, they gone now.

I see lots of rookie reloaders posting on here now about the equipment they are getting. I figure they are tired of looking & paying for factory loaded ammo. When I read those posts now I wonder what the heck are they doing to find components? Are they in the same spot they were anyway? I dunno.....
Poor bastards I feel for them. I'm in conservation mode now, sucks.... </div></div>

Well true however this will pass as well. Doubt the world will end tomorrow but it should be something you start looking for supplies over the next year at non gauging prices. I have found many places have not upped their prices on reloading components and are getting stuff in each week. Much better than ammo. I guess I am lucky I have over 8k primers for each caliber and even more in some as well as lots of powder, bullets and brass. I'm a bit of an ammo and magazine hoarder but luckily don't have to deal with droughts and high prices. Moral of the story is start taking a different approach on purchasing supplies, buy in bulk and prepare for a rainy day.

 

[Guest]

Re: Handloading for SHTF situation

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: alduin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Has anyone else thought of this?</div></div>
I don't load or shoot anything that will not chamber and fire in any weapon of the same cal. It has to feed from a mag as well or it's flat ass worthless to me. Learned that lesson in the early 60's, and was retaught that again in the 70's My Grand Father taught me to reload in the 50's.

If you want play toys that is fine, but I prefer to be able to use anything I have, anywhere it needs to be used. Special rifles and loads may have a place with some, but not with me.

 

[NoFail]

Re: Handloading for SHTF situation

^^ Yes that is my plan now. I will stock up when the shelves fill up. I would go shoot more today if it was easy to replace components. I don't envision thousands of rounds for each caliber. I might not survive 1 clip in SHTF. Do want more Pmags though and that is a big problem right now. I only have 4 LR-20's.
However it might be a good deal to have more than enough ammo supply for you and your buddies, family.

If the economy collapses then that's it. The way the idiots are running (ruining) this place I see that as the most likely shove.

 

[brumbelowcr]

Re: Handloading for SHTF situation

No brass no bullets . Panic buyers piss me off.