1st post: Question about wildly different load data for .22-250 Rem.

[AstroVic]

This is my first post on this forum. I'm a brand new reloader. I'm about to load my very first rounds.

I have a Horizon Villain .22-250 Rem with a 1:8 twist. I'm planning to load 60 rounds of Hornady V-Max 55gr bullets with four different 15-round loads to see if one of them works best in my rifle. I'll be using Varget powder, once fired Hornady brass (from the same rifle), and CCI large rifle primers.

I checked my Hornady reloading book, and it shows the starting charge to be 30.8gr of powder and the max charge to be 34.6gr.

The Hodgdon loading data shows a starting charge of 34.0gr and the max of 36.5gr.

Why are these so wildly different? The Hodgdon starting charge is pretty close to Hornday's max charge. This concerns me. Which one do I trust? My inclination is to go the safe route and use the Hornady recommended loads.

 

[E.Shell]

Welcome aboard.

The reason for the differences is that the components and test equipment differ between manufacturers/publishers. Their result will also vary from yours, because you are using yet another set of variables.

As always, start low and work up. I usually load one round each beginning with the starting load and add 1/2 grain increments until I find pressure signs. Some people call this "scanning". I'll then test the upper loads in depth for precision and consistency.

Do yourself a favor and look up "OCW" and look at testing loads from that perspective.

 

[AstroVic]

Thank you for the explanation. I greatly appreciate it.

 

[Castle Rock]

The first lot of data is ridiculously low.
Start at 34, you will probably have better results at 35
Beg, borrow or steal a chronograph, without one you are working blind.
Aim for about 3500 fps or just a bit more if the accuracy is decent.

 

[Castle Rock]

Do yourself a favor and look up "OCW" and look at testing loads from that perspective.

That’s the last thing I would recommend to anyone starting out reloading.
The 22/250 is very popular and the components he plans to use are proven, it’s harder to find something that won’t shoot than something great.
The only thing to watch when loading 22/250 is not to over size the brass, otherwise it won’t last long.
This is THE round where it pays to use a Lee collet neck die until the brass becomes tight.

 

[AstroVic]

Thanks y'all. I just ordered the Athlon Rangecraft chronograph earlier this morning, so I will have it in a couple of days.

Also, this might make some of you cringe, but I only neck sized the brass using an old Lee Classic Loader kit (you know, the one where you have to use a mallet to pound the brass into the hand-held die). I haven't actually loaded anything yet, so if that's a complete bozo move, let me know and I'll get one of the Lee collet neck dies to use instead.

 

[Castle Rock]

No, you will be fine using that brass and die for now but do yourself a favor and buy a press and dies.
I would recommend a single lee collet neck die, a set of standard RCBS dies, ie FLS and seating die, and a RCBS Rockchucker press.

 

[AstroVic]

No, you will be fine using that brass and die for now but do yourself a favor and buy a press and dies.
I would recommend a single lee collet neck die, a set of standard RCBS dies, ie FLS and seating die, and a RCBS Rockchucker press.

Roger that! I just received a new RCBS Rockchucker press in the mail. I'm waiting on the Inline Fab QC mounting plate to get here so I can set it up. And I already have a Hornady LNL Classic press and a Lee Challenger Breech Lock press. I also bought Hornady Custom Grade New Dimension FL sizing and seating dies for all of the calibers I intend to load. The other main items I got, but haven't used yet are an RCBS MatchMaster (Henderson Precision) case trimmer, and an RCBS MatchMaster Link digital powder scale & dispenser.

I'm pretty much at the point where I'm ready to get going. I've already cleaned, deprimed, and inspected all of my brass (.223, .22-250, .243, & .308) I'd been saving up over the past six months or so. It's all once-fired factory ammo, shot in my own rifles.

But I'll be honest, it's just a little bit daunting to take those last steps of dropping powder and seating bullets. It's easy to get paralysis by analysis when it comes to reloading. The rabbit trails on YouTube are endless!

At this point, I'm just trying to make safe and (hopefully) accurate ammo. I'm a hunter, first and foremost, not a competition shooter, although I do shoot a lot more often than the average hunter.