Load recipes

GA Firing Line

Shemp

Boomerwaffen Fuddmander
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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?
 

becausefu

Woodsman
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Mar 25, 2015
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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.
 
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Shemp

Boomerwaffen Fuddmander
Kalash Klub
Lifetime Supporter
Mar 24, 2015
13,835
59,922
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Tesseract
Zip code
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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.

Interesting. Seems like there would be a standard bullet size for a given caliber and grain when it comes to round nose....
 

Liberty

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They are reloading guides, not holy books. There are large deviations from once source to another in printed as well as electronic sources.
 
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becausefu

Woodsman
Trusted Trader
Mar 25, 2015
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my house
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.
 

Liberty

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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.
 

Woodstock

Tracker
Jun 29, 2015
529
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Zip code
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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.
 

blitzfike

Hunter
May 29, 2016
12
2
8
Tuttle, OK
Zip code
73089
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.
 
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turkeyrun

Hunter
May 28, 2016
10
4
8
Oklahoma
Zip code
73572
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.
 
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turkeyrun

Hunter
May 28, 2016
10
4
8
Oklahoma
Zip code
73572
Start at lower listed powder charge and work up.


They are GUIDES!

Only in shotshell do I use the exact recipe. Rifle and pistol components vary, reduce powder charge and work up, see what your gun likes.
 

Liberty

nitrocellulose dispenser
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I generally work my loads up this time of the year, because if they are not overpressure in August, they certainly won't be in January.
 

Liberty

nitrocellulose dispenser
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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.
 

Grandpa1466

Scout
Aug 26, 2012
6
0
1
North Central Texas
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.
 

blitzfike

Hunter
May 29, 2016
12
2
8
Tuttle, OK
Zip code
73089
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.