I'm still new...but I have noticed that in some manuals bullet brand and primer brand are listed for loads...is it hard and fast I have to use the brands listed for that load?
Load recipes
- Thread starter Shemp
- Start date
There are slight varients between bullet companies .....one 115 grain round nose might be .375 long ....another company might be .382 long ....they are both 115 grain bullets but seating the longer bullet to the same COAL as the shorter one is going to put more bullet in the case and could increase pressure.
Is it a steadfast rule to use the exact, no but back down a bit and work up ......when in doubt back off and work up.
Is it a steadfast rule to use the exact, no but back down a bit and work up ......when in doubt back off and work up.
Interesting. Seems like there would be a standard bullet size for a given caliber and grain when it comes to round nose....
Not really, take the 75 grain Amax in .224 diameter. It is longer than a 75 grain bthp, longer to the point that you cannot load them to mag length for an AR .... but you can the 75 grain bthp.
The little plastic tips can add length without adding much weight depending on how the bullet is configured. The bullet ogive coupled with your o.a.l. or seating depth with determine how far the bullet is from the rifling.
Its best to follow that recipe. I use different manuals/charts and the one I use the most is the powder manufacturer. Hodgdon has a lot of different powders and a lot of formulas.
Doesn't hurt to check your components too, I bought some 55gr fmj 223 that was consistently 53 grains from a major supplier in the area.
Id avoid lead bullets even though they usually take less powder as they tend to be smoky.
Doesn't hurt to check your components too, I bought some 55gr fmj 223 that was consistently 53 grains from a major supplier in the area.
Id avoid lead bullets even though they usually take less powder as they tend to be smoky.
It's amazing. It's like a reloading manual except you can change all the variables
I use quickload for lots of different tasks in reloading. I load and shoot several wildcats and quickload has been of great value in substituting components for testing. I still drop back and work up, but it certainly takes a lot of the guess work out of it.
Changing ANY component can make a drastic change.
I have a pistol load that is below max at XX.8 grains of powder and a Rem Large Pistol primer. Book shows SAME LOAD as MAX at XX.2 grains when using a CCI Large Pistol Mag primer. I get pressure signs XX.0 grains.
Same thing happens when changing brass also. I always separate brass by manufacturer.
Manuals are guides, not hard and fast rules, but when changing ANYTHING, reduce your load and work up.
I have a pistol load that is below max at XX.8 grains of powder and a Rem Large Pistol primer. Book shows SAME LOAD as MAX at XX.2 grains when using a CCI Large Pistol Mag primer. I get pressure signs XX.0 grains.
Same thing happens when changing brass also. I always separate brass by manufacturer.
Manuals are guides, not hard and fast rules, but when changing ANYTHING, reduce your load and work up.
Had a great time shooting at Strong Point Shooting Complex in Waverly Hall today. My favorite non Garand 30-06 load of a 165 Hornady SPBT and 50 grains of IMR 4064 once again produced great results out to 400! Of course work up slowly in your own firearm, and never take data from a internet expert. hodgdon.com is a great free source.
As far as bullet and primer brands, I've used multiple primer brands and never seen it make a difference. Long distance competition shooters will say otherwise. Different bullet brands may have different lengths, so adjusting your OAL is sometimes a chore, but it has never affected the powder charge assuming you follow that part of the recipe.
There is a lot more volume in a rifle case and a grain difference in a large case doesn't have nearly as much effect as in a small case like a pistol case. Most of the rifle loads I use are not near max and I can adjust bullet seating depth without much fear of jacking pressures there. Pistol cases are a different issue. I used to load quite a bit of AA #5 in pistol ammo but it is so much more sensitive to volumetric changes that I have pretty much gotten away from it due to pressure spikes from bullet setback if a bullet gets pushed a little deeper in the case from multiple re-chambering it in an auto loader. 9mm and 40 are the worst examples of that in my experience. Using a Lee factory crimp die reduces that problem but doesn't totally eliminate it.