Reloading time-tested and oddball cartridges

“I can’t find primers.” “I can’t get the powder that I need.” “There are no bullets for my gun.” Over the past three year, I have heard these statements – or something very similar – more than I can count. In some cases, reloading has been so difficult that many people I know have stopped. Reloaders are not happy with the fact that we’re still in a component shortage, even though the supply of factory ammunition seems to be more plentiful. Handloading is a great way to fuel firearms chambered for oddball cartridges or make high-volume shooting more affordable. These facts may have changed in the past two years, as the cost of reloading component has risen dramatically (if they can be found at all). Choosing a classic cartridge is a good choice for reloaders. Photo: Massaro Media Group. When the crunch of 2013, hit, oddball components were all that was left. I found 8mm bullets and.348 inch bullets but not.30 caliber. Even the oddballs are gone this time. It makes sense to keep a few classic cartridges in the safe, so you can shoot them or carry them while the ammo and other components are being restocked. It is also important to have a variety of powders available, even if the accuracy or velocity are not the best. Brass cases are plentiful in the.30-6, but I could make brass out of.270 Winchester or.280 Remington cases, or even.25 06 Remington cases in a pinch. The.30-06 is able to use powders of all speeds, from the fastest IMR 3031 to the middle powders like Varget, IMR 4064 or RL-15 to the slower powders like IMR 4350 and RL-19. This is only one way of thinking, and the.270 Winchester would be a good choice as well, but with less flexibility. The.308 Winchester can be used for both hunting and target shooting, and it is a versatile cartridge that can be loaded with a variety of powders. Photo: Massaro Media Group. In the handgun world it’s hard not to agree with the versatility of the.38 Special or.45 ACP. A handloader can cast projectiles in difficult times, and there are many powder options to keep your handguns working. If you have the primers, a pound of Bullseye and Unique can go a very long way. While I can appreciate the appeal of a double-stacked 10-mm Auto, a J frame Smith & Wesson snubbie, or a well worn 1911, still have the same effectiveness as they did a half century ago. With the global pandemic our powder supply was not only compromised by the demand, but also by the supply. We reloaders were unable to get Varget, Retumbo, and H4350 when Australia shut down. Photo: Massaro Media Group. Is bulk buying the answer? Photo: Massaro Media Group.Is Bulk Buying the Answer?Choosing a cartridge/caliber/bullet weight that’s probably slated to return to the market quickly is certainly a wise idea, but if you’re like me and appreciate those oddball cartridges, you’ll need to buy enough supplies to keep that rifle/handgun fed.Bulk purchasing, when possible, is smart for a couple of reasons. I’ve noticed that smokeless powders vary, even if they are subtle differences. These small variations are easily adjusted in a single-barreled hunting gun with a few clicks. In a double rifle however, the discrepancies quickly appear on the target board. The same is true for projectiles. When Hornady releases their A-Tip Match Bullets, they give the buyer the option to purchase up to 500 pieces. This tells me that consistency is important in reloading, and buying large quantities will help you achieve it. The Hornady 8x56R.330-inch diameter 205-grain InterLock point can replace the heavier projectiles used in the.318 Westley Richards. It’s also a good choice for deer or black bear. Photo: Massaro Media Group. On the flip side, buying in bulk keeps reloaders well-supplied, especially if they shoot one of the oddball calibers. I love my.318 Westley Richards for its performance in the field and its historical significance, but it gets little attention from manufacturers. Woodleigh Bullets, based in Australia, used to make the 250-grain Weldcore solid and softpoint. However, the Woodleigh manufacturing facility burned down last year. I have enough 250-grain Weldcores for my entire hunting career. But I can’t waste them until the factory is rebuilt.Hornady produces a.330 inch-diameter 205-grain InterLock spitzer that’s designed for the 8x56R. It works well on whitetail deer, and other similar game. I was able to get about 600 pieces of Hornady’s stuff. That will cover the gap for a while, but I don’t expect that a bullet of.330 caliber will be given the same attention as a bullet of.308 caliber. For the sake of my rifle’s survival, I must buy projectiles wherever and whenever I can. Cases can be made from plentiful .30-06 brass, and perhaps I could swage down .338-inch bullets to .330 inch, but I haven’t been that desperate.Yet.Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the April 2023 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.More On Reloading:NEXT STEP: Download Your Free Storm Tactical Printable Target Pack62 Printable MOA Targets with DOT Drills – Rifle Range in YARDSThis impressive target pack from our friends at Storm Tactical contains62 printable targetsfor rifle and handgun range use. The target grids and bullseyes are in MOA. Subscribe to the Gun Digest newsletter and we will send you your print-at home target pack immediately. Enter your email below.