I have a fun Little dilemma for new reloaders

FrancF

To mull over.

I have always loaded my .22-250 with Hodgdon H380. I have shot up all my old stuff and want to try Hodgdon "Varget" since it's not as temp sensitive as H380.

So I pull out all my load books and here are my components and rifle
Rem 40X 26" BBL
Lapua Brass
CCI-BR2 primers
55gr Nostler BT
Varget Powder

Now lets look at the powder charges for Varget with a 55gr. bullet. by book.

Hornady
Start 30.8gr Max 34.6gr

Nosler
Start 31.0 Max 35.0

Speer
Start 32.0 Max 36.0

Sierra
Start 32.1 Max 36.1

Lee
Start 34.0 Max 36.0

Lyman
Start 34.0 Max 37.0



Myself, I have my load ladder picked out. I am starting @ 33.0 and working to 34.8 and if all goes well, I will try a little hotter and see how accuracy goes.[:)]

jonk

Different powder lots, different test equipment, different primers, different ambient temperature, different fudge factors on the max end... all could be correct for what the researcher did that day with his components.

FrancF

quote:Originally posted by jonk
Different powder lots, different test equipment, different primers, different ambient temperature, different fudge factors on the max end... all could be correct for what the researcher did that day with his components.


Ya hit the nail on the head Jonk.[^] I wanted to post this as an example as why one load book is not enough to find a safe starting average.

papernicker

Is that 55gr a little light? A heavier bullet might be a little slower and save the barrel, if you have the twist.

nononsense

papernicker,

The 40x rifles I've used have had a 1:14" twist rate so stabilizing heavier bullets will be a problem.

"A heavier bullet might be a little slower and save the barrel..."

Barrels are perishable, plain and simple. Every shot you fire wears a barrel no matter what conditions you change. Single base powders are usually less abusive to barrels and double base powders are can be more damaging. Long strings of fire, improper cleaning, the list goes on for the thing NOT to do to a barrel.

The only way to prevent barrel wear is to not shoot the rifle.

Best.

Alan Rushing

Great post! [:0] [:)] [^]

bambambam

quote:Originally posted by Alan Rushing

Great post! [:0] [:)] [^]


+1

I was looking at the same sort of data when I started loading 7mm Rem Mag.

Rocky Raab

One thing jonk overlooked in his otherwise excellent post: different bullets.

This illustrates why bullet weight is NOT the only consideration. Different bullets have different jacket construction, different friction coefficients, different ductility, and different bearing lengths - not to mention different diameters.

Try pushing a 50-pound block of lead across a concrete floor and then a 50-pound block of ice or nylon. Weight is only part of the issue.

ALWAYS use the bullet maker's load data as your primary guide. Crosscheck it with the powder maker's data in case of typos or other errors. If there is a discrepancy, check a third source. I recommend Lyman as being neither a bullet nor a powder maker.

Navybat

Great post. I do the same thing when I'm creating loads--I check them high/low with three sources (I usually use Lee, Lyman, and Hornady, but sometimes Hodgdon).

I start at the lower end of an average of the three, and work up. As soon as I start to see signs of overpressure I back off.

Rocky Raab

Lee has some great info in their book, but they do NO load testing. ALL their data is copied from other sources. So while it may be conveniently arranged, it is not valid as a cross-check.

Alan Rushing

quote:Originally posted by Rocky Raab
One thing jonk overlooked in his otherwise excellent post: different bullets.

This illustrates why bullet weight is NOT the only consideration. Different bullets have different jacket construction, different friction coefficients, different ductility, and different bearing lengths - not to mention different diameters.

Try pushing a 50-pound block of lead across a concrete floor and then a 50-pound block of ice or nylon. Weight is only part of the issue.

ALWAYS use the bullet maker's load data as your primary guide. Crosscheck it with the powder maker's data in case of typos or other errors. If there is a discrepancy, check a third source. I recommend Lyman as being neither a bullet nor a powder maker.

Very, very true for sure. This ought to get any newbies (or used-to- loaders) thinking , reading and inquiring for certain. Good going! [:)] [;)] [^]

oneoldsap

There is no reason to average a starting load when you have the bullet makers data right in front of you . It's really the only data that applies to the bullet you are loading . I always cross reference to make sure I'm in the ballpark , and there's no typo in the data I'm using . Max loads are a suggestion , starting loads are a fact ! Your average is 32.3 , yet you are going to start at 33 ? Your starting load is only 2 grains lower than the bullet makers suggested Max ! Which puts you smack in the middle , not at the beginning . I guess I just don't understand the need to blow off the manufacturers data , and try to operate in such a narrow window , trying to develop loads ! Lyman is my first reference of choice .

Rocky Raab

Every one of those manuals are reporting the actual maximum load they achieved using those exact components, in their test equipment, on that day, by their in-house rules.

Change ANY of those things, and the data is no longer valid. It's that simple.

Oh, and it's the MAXIMUM load that is the fact, and the starting load the suggestion. Some labs simply take the maximum and subtract 10% to get their suggested START. Others actually work down to a set pressure level and/or the onset of erratic performance.

FrancF

Now If you use Hodgdon's powder data on the bottle-
.22-250 Charge 36.5 gr Bullet 55 gr Spr. SP-- Max Load reduce by 10%

Do that- The Start comes out 32.85.

Edit: This is one of the fun parts I find with reloading. Yes I can ask people here if they have used it, I have found results on the net. Do I trust it? No.

I am only posing this as a "Were do I start?" and "Whats safe for me" for new reloaders.

noylj

MY reloading manuals say to start with the lowest starting load. Since they reference "lowest," I take that to mean to check a couple of sources and actually start with the lowest starting load.
I have done that for over 40 years and never had a problem.
Max load is too dependent on the specific chamber and must be determined cautiously. Since I have never needed to take any of my rifles up to "the max," I haven't worried about it.
You do what you want...

pip5255

I always load for my guns to find the best it will do requires lots of different loads,powders,bullets,primers,cases and a lot of work to find the best round but when done that's all that gun shoots period.
like I said lots of work getting there, reading, writing, & arithmatic to come up with the loads, start low and work em up was always my way.