Thread: How hard do you typically push your loads?

How hard do you typically push your loads ?

Do you stick with the start load, opt for something in the middle of the range, or are you almost always trying to add another .3 of a grain to get another few FPS?

Myself, I learned to reload at a time while I was pretty exhausted mentally.

So I learned to make sure that the cartridge was in spec and not liable to cause any problems to me or the firearm.

I also recorded every load I ever did in a book for each caliber so I had a record of what I had done, and could go back and check my loads if necessary.

I developed the habit of sticking at or pretty close to the starting load. The day will come when I buy a chrony, ladder load a bunch of rounds and head out to the range to try and find a best combo for each rifle. What I have works well enough for now though.

I have met one or two people at the other end of the spectrum, and learned to stay a discreet distance from them when they discharge their firearms. One guy in particular comes to mind.

He bought some Barnaul 308,140 gn SP, pulled the original projie's out, and seated some long blunt nose ones that looked to be about 180 gn in their place. No reduction in powder.

His method of seating the new projie.........unique. Hold the case and projie horizontally in a vice, and crank it shut gently, with an original Barnaul 140 SP alongside as a sort of rough OAL guide.

He took some of these frankenstein shells out the back of a farm, ran them through a Chinese M14 clone, and came back in one piece afterwards. The thing that caught his attention was that the 5 shot mag had a lot of primers in the bottom.

The baffling thing about this guy is that he's very bright. Not a mental slowcoach at all. Just has no objections to living dangerously.

As fast as I can get it staying under an inch with a 3 shot group. That's without getting loose primer pockets and case damage and just before stiff bolt lift in summer temperatures.

Flat out until I shag the brass then back her off a bit. I'm a self confessed velocity hound

My main criteria is accuracy and I find a node that gives the best result. I don't chase single hole loads with my budget sporting rifles. I could probably get them better but I know there is little point for real world shooting conditions where wind, terrain, shooting rest will not be the same as at the range.

Originally Posted by gadgetman

My main criteria is accuracy and I find a node that gives the best result. I don't chase single hole loads with my budget sporting rifles. I could probably get them better but I know there is little point for real world shooting conditions where wind, terrain, shooting rest will not be the same as at the range.

We must be twins !

I tend to ladder test up around recommended max, (starting at below max of course ) when i find a good accurate load around there I stay with it for that powder / projectile combo. I wouldnt exactly call it hot loading, but its usually not on the slow side either.
I like to think i am still getting good brass / barrel life, with the addition of good bullet behaviour.

I will revisit that specific load from time to time to evaluate that all is still well

if the manuals say 3100fps for a certain bullet i run them about 3000- 3050fps with the most accurate load . . . . if i shot at longer ranges i might think differently

I start about the middle and work up until I find a load with the lowest SD with safe pressure, then adjust seating depth to get good accuracy. Job done.
Generally this ends up 0.5 to 1 grain under max. Depending on powder bullet combination.

Generally stay at top end of load rates so long as they shoot ok and are safe, I like to get close to around the 3000 fps mark for several of my rifles as it seems to give a good balance of power /accuracy and trajectory.

I started at 60g then worked up in 30g increments until the dam thing did a back flip. Which happened at 90g....
muzzle flash was fairly accurately judged to be about the size of a mini.
That sent 60 wheel nuts on a trajectory to quickly convert a car bonnet into a large cheese grater.

Originally Posted by 40mm

muzzle flash was fairly accurately judged to be about the size of a mini.

......You've got a 105 mm Pack howitzer or something?

For hunting I dont see any point in taking the time and energy and money in developing a load that is slower than factory ammunition unless deliberately making a subsonic or very low recoil round for whatever reason.
If you really want a shit ballistic round just trade down chambering.
For competition accuracy rules so whatever speed it shoots well at I guess.

Load until pressure signs, (well one sign will do) then find a low es and good group under the pressure signs. Testing done in the summer, so I don't get pressure signs from a winter load in the heat of the summer.

Originally Posted by Max Headroom

......You've got a 105 mm Pack howitzer or something?

i wish! just a hydraulic ram/cannon..... fires coke cans filled with concrete pretty far! cost me $60 to build!

Originally Posted by Mathias

Flat out until I shag the brass then back her off a bit. I'm a self confessed velocity hound

This ^^^^

for my 6.5TCU realistically I get 2-3 reloads out of a case before the primer falls out. My brass is all formed from once fired .223 pickups.
Some brass lasts longer but I also don't bother trying to eeeek the last reload out of it. Its real cheap to replace.
My Saum much the same, my WSM just idle's along cause it not much fun to shoot for fun if you wind it up too much

Never had a total case failure yet, I guess there will be one some day.
I never shoot without my eye protection though