Follow up shots : loading

[Vic Price]

Do many of you carry possibles ( or other ) bags with the reloading components or do you use "speed loaders" or something similar ? Was thinking about this while I was walking about during the recent muzzleloader hunt here in WI.

Regards, Vic

 

[roundball]

I don't actually plan for quick follow-up shots for the following reasons: a deer is either down in sight and a fast second shot is not required, or he’s sprinted past some brush/trees and a fast second shot is not possible, and I like to completely clean the bore & lock after every shot / before reloading.

I don’t happen to hunt from a bag, using some form of pocket reloader(s) as they’re small enough to slip into a hunting shirt pocket...here are some I use:

FOR RIFLE LOADS

FOR SHOT LOADS

 

[jethro224]

All you really need is the load in your rifle and one or two speedloaders for backup, but I like to carry my bag and horn anyway.

 

[Trench]

I think a speedloader setup is great if you don't want to carry a horn or flask. I don't necessarily think it's realistic to think you're going to miss, reload, and then shoot at the same deer. So, speed isn't really all that important to me. I just figure if I miss, the deer won. Heck, the deer win just about every time with me. :wink:

 

[Vic Price]

I reckon I was thinking about a second shot when the deer is either wounded and needs a follow up shot or a miss with an opportunity to possibly get a second shot.

A week ago while hunting in the big timber up north, a hunting buddy shot three times in about three or four minutes ( or it seemed like that ). He killed two deer, a nice doe and her fawn. The reason he dispatched the fawn is it wouldn't leave the doe and he figured one of us might as well tag and eat it or the wolves will have her.

The third shot was a follow up to a missed second shot on the fawn.

All three of us use speed loaders of one sort or another. I carry four. In the past I have taken deer between 40 - 125 yards in the woods using my iron sighted GPR. I use 430 gr T/C Maxiballs (54 cal).

Regards, Vic

 

[Idaho Ron]

I carry speed loaders. I used to be fast with them. Not so much any more but I don't practice as much with the speed loaders as I did at one time.
One time I was hunting mule deer and I took a neck shot at a buck that was just a little over 100 yards away. The first and last time I did that!!@# Anyway, the buck got up and ran right at me. I loaded and as he was running by me I shot at 15 yards. The buck Saw me at the same time and jumped My shot went under the buck. I loaded again and the buck ran down a gully and back up the other side. He stopped and looked back. The third one got him. Stuff happens when you are hunting. The buck scored 193" gross. The biggest deer I have ever killed. Ron

 

[rabjr]

I generally carry two or three speedloaders because we are armed with 3 tags here.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

Powder tubes. Got tired of those darn speedloaders popping open in my pocket.

 

[playfarmers]

I carry speed loaders for a faster fallow up shot if the deer needs a finisher. Twenty years ago I hit a nice buck in the spine just behind the front shoulder and it bawled like a baby. I couldn't finish it fast enough. Ever since then I carry speed loaders.

 

[tg]

I just carry loose balls and patches in the bottom of the pouch, after a shot it does not take long to pull the antler measure out on its thong or lay a ball in the hand and cover it then spit on a patch and load it with thumb pressure and s single swipe of the rammer,an over powder card is often put in to seperate the wet patch from the powder, theseare in the biottom of the bag as well, it works quite well and rather quickly.I carry a smaller ball for second shots and do not give chase to a hit animal, I give themsome time to do their dying in private,after about a half hour or so I follow with a loaded gun,which will be unloaded at the end of that day. I just like to try as much as possible to get a taste of the same experience that the folks with the originals had, it makes the sport more interesting to me.

 

[hawk]

like tg i load from my bag.

I use the time to load as "let it expire" time...nothing worse than pushin'an already done deer.

don't like to rush too much at anything ...that's the way I make mistakes

 

[John Wasmuth]

Same here, load from the bag.

 

[rabjr]

like tg i load from my bag.

I use the time to load as "let it expire" time...nothing worse than pushin'an already done deer.

don't like to rush too much at anything ...that's the way I make mistakes

Never do but armed with 3 tags and if another animal is there, I load quick and try to fill another. If there aren't anymore I tend to have a bad habit of not reloading. The first usually did it's job and I'm in no hurry from that point on.

 

[Vaino]

I always sit w/ 2 loaded rifles...the second is my "speed loader". Of course if a third shot is req'd, I've got a big bore pistol. :wink: ...Fred

 

[Headhunter]

I do carry speedloaders in my Hunting Possibles bag for deer. For squirrels and such, I load from the bag.

HH

 

[rabjr]

I always sit w/ 2 loaded rifles...the second is my "speed loader". Of course if a third shot is req'd, I've got a big bore pistol. :wink: ...Fred

Sometimes I wish I could do that but the State frowns on more than one gun. And no pistols allowed at all for any hunting.

 

[pchwcf50110]

I always sit w/ 2 loaded rifles...the second is my "speed loader". Of course if a third shot is req'd, I've got a big bore pistol. :wink: ...Fred

i do the same thing. i think they call it the "new york city reload".

 

[Idaho Ron]

:rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[Vic Price]

Two rifles huh ? That's a bit more weight than I want to carry around, although I am considering building a 54 cal plains pistol to go along with my rifle.

The comments back on this are interesting and I want to thank all of you for sharing your preferences and experiences.

Regards, Vic

 

[buttonbuck]

After this last hunt I will use pre measured powder loaders but separate my prb in a loading block or separate tube. I do not know If I used too much patch lube, or the loader being inside my coat kept it too warm caused the patch lube to run or what. One of my plastic loaders when I simply dumped the powder into a brass powder measure and was 30 grains short on a 70 grain charge. The rest was stuck to the sides of the speed loader and to the bottom of the patch I assume the powder was saturated and useless at this point. I checked my other 2 and they were Fine. So I am going to scrub out the speed loaders and just use them for powder and make a laoding block.