One caliber, different loads

[larryschwartz]

I read a post over on Kifaruforums.Net the other day about how Patrick Smith for a long time now has been making handloads tailored to various situations (e.g., small game, big game, dangerous game) so that he can do everything he needs with one gun when he is out and about in the backcountry. He used different weight bullets and powder loads, but all in the same caliber, so they all work in the same rifle.

Patrick wrote one of his essays on it. You can find it here if you are interested: http://www.kifaru.net/handload.htm

It sounds pretty clever, is you ask me, but I was wondering if anyone else does this too and how it works for you.

Larry Schwartz

 

[5MilesBack]

I don't really hunt much with the rifle anymore, but I do have all kinds of different loads for my rifles. I keep my big game rifles standard with whatever I use it for, but for my AR's I have several loads.

 

[larryschwartz]

How do you visually differentiate them when you are out in the woods so you don't put the wrong one in? Bullet size, color of brass, a bit of paint?

 

[aron]

And than needing multiple dope sheets to keep the ballistics of each load.

 

[Brodie]

This violates the k.i.s.s. rule

 

[jherald]

I have one rifle I use two different loads with but I only take one type of ammo out with me at a time for whatever I'm doing. I've got my hunting ammo and my range ammo. Only the two types and I know the dope for each one.

 

[spdcrazy]

I have been thinking of this as well. My thoughts are with Jherald. range ammo and hunting ammo... MAYBE if i was planning a hunt and wanted to take say, my .375 out on deer or such (overkill i know), i'd load a lighter variation. but at that point i'd prob just take the 300.

 

[Sam Millard]

This violates the k.i.s.s. rule

This...

A grouse or rabbit or whatever won't care that you shot it with the same load you use for an elk

 

[mtswampfox]

Will stick with my tc encore. Can carry reciever and two rifle barrels with scopes plus a shotgun barrel in a small hoppes case. This gives me a coyote 223 round a 7-08 deer a 12ga turkey .it all fits behind the couch in camper at deer camp

 

[KMD]

I didn't read the article, but... sure, I can seen the merits of developing up a few different working loads for the same rifle.
For example, I'll sometimes chamber a 70grTSX 'deer load' when predator calling with my .22-243, so as not to blow a $prime$ fox or bobcat to smithereens at close range with my normal 75grAmax 'coyote & plinking load'.
If you do some testing, you can find loads with different bullets that POI remains close enough, at reasonable shot distances, to get lost in the white noise. IN the case of my .22-243, the TSX doesn't fly quite as efficiently as an Amax past 300yds, but it will hit within an inch @ 200yds & pencil thru a tiny furry critter without making an ungodly mess, like the Amax might. That rifle has kilt whitetails with the TSX out to a reasonable 240yds without moving the scope's turret from its Amax 'zero'. Something I already knew, from testing & proving both loads.
It would be nice to employ k.i.s.s. by using a "perfect" bullet that performs ideally on every type & size of critter, expanding perfectly at any speed & distance. But I haven't found that "perfect" bullet yet, so rollin' up some different loads in hopes of tailoring specific bullet for a specific task makes sense to me. Specially if you've got one rifle you like to use for different critters...

 

[5MilesBack]

A grouse or rabbit or whatever won't care that you shot it with the same load you use for an elk

Ya, that's why my big game setups don't change. But I shoot 55-77gr loads out of my .223, and have several options for the 6.8 from 85gr up to 140gr.

 

[6mm Remington]

I find a good bullet or two in a weight that I feel optimizes the rifles potential and use and work up the most accurate load and use that bullet for everything in that rifle. I don't change loads and have different bullets and loads worked up. I just don't feel it's very practical and you likely would have a really hard time trying to keep track of where this or that load hits and what you need to do or how to adjust to make it work. Just doesn't make sense to me.

This is what I load for my rifles.

6mm Reminton: 90-100 gr. bullet is a good one for anything I want to hunt with this rifle - 90 gr. Accubond, 90 gr. E-tip, 95 gr Partition, 100 gr. Partition is what I would try and find a load with. Yes I'm a Nosler fan. (In my 6mm it's the 100 gr. Partition and in my son's one 6mm it's the same bullet, and his other 6mm uses the 90 gr. E-tip.)

25-06 Remington: 100-120 grs. - 100 gr. Partition, 100 gr. E-tip, 110 gr. Accubond, 115 gr. Partition, 120 gr. Partition (In my wife's rifle it's the 120 gr. Partition.)

280 Remington: 140-160 grs. (In my 280 I used the 140 gr. Nosler Partition. Find a good bullet that shoots extremely accurately in your rifle in that weight range and you would be good.)

30-06 Springfield: 165-180 Seems like a great weight range for this cartridge. I use the 165 gr. Partition or Accubond in my personal rifle. Both shoot tiny little groups and work well on everything I have hunted with this rifle.

All of my personal rifles are also sighted in the same. I have them hit 2.5 - 2.75" high at 100 yards. They essentially have very close downrange drop and wind-drift figures which also helps. Again it just takes out the variables and it works for me.

 

[larryschwartz]

This violates the k.i.s.s. rule

Actually, the concept embodies the K.I.S.S. rule since it simplifies things for you. Instead of having to carry a .270 and ammo for big game hunting AND a .22 or .410 for small game hunting or birding (that .270 wouldn't leave much meat on a squirrel or rabbit or grouse) you can carry ONE rifle and two different loads with you.

It may not be KISS to everyone, but that's OK. This isn't something that will suit everyone, but there are many who like the idea and they are the ones that I was reaching out to with this post.

 

[hodgeman]

I've been doing this for a while.

In my .300WSM I shoot 180 Accubonds at 2950 for any big game animal.

I shoot 150gr Speers at 1400 using Trailboss powder for small game while hunting and for fur called in during the winter.

I have a load with 150gr ABs at 3300 for smaller big game but I gave up since I never used it...just shoot 180s at everything.

 

[Brodie]

I have different loads for each of my rifles target vs. hunting
I only ever carry one load when hunting, I figured large game or small the accubond isn't going to care. Just have to have proper shot placement IMO, but whatever works for a person is great!
It would only be survival situation where I would be using the rifle for small game. I do a 4 day canoe/camping trip every year for grouse and some fishing just the shotgun and rod come along. I do however carry slugs on me in case of bear trouble.