Unknown Munitions Developed Loads Thread

[UM GM]

In this thread I will post the good loads I have found when developing customer's rifles. The usual disclaimer. These loads were safe in the rifles I worked them up in. If you try one of these loads in your rifle, start low and work up, stopping and backing down at the first sign of pressure.

In general, I run a powder charge ladder then a seating depth ladder. I will tune around our known loads if I have one. Unless there is a magazine limitation, my initial seating depth is:

- 22 Cal and 6mm: .010 jump
- 6.5 to 30 Cal: .015 jump
- Above 30 Cal: .020 jump

I expect those jumps to be a little less than what the final tune will be. If I can get it to tune, a deeper jump is almost always better than a closer jump. Generally, the deeper the jump the less effect throat erosion has and the longer the load stays in tune. And yes, I try to tune my 1000 yd BR rifles with a bullet jump as well.

Please note that sometimes I use COL (cartridge overall length), sometimes I use BTO (base to ogive).

EDITED, to add: I am using Sinclair inserts for BTO measurements, and they give a different measurement than the Hornady tools. However, the amount of jump will be very similar.

 

[UM GM]

 

[UM GM]

 

[UM GM]

 

[alpinebuck]

Nice Groups!!

 

[alpinebuck]

What powder are you running?

 

[UM GM]

The powders and seating depths are listed on the targets. If you can't make it out: N570 for the 300 Norma, H4350 for the 22 Creed, IMR 8208 for the Valkyrie. I have some more loads to post after I finish putting the customer's folder together.

 

[MidGAHunter]

Please note that sometimes I use COL (cartridge overall length), sometimes I use BTO (base to ogive).

Just out of curiosity, in what scenario would you think it better to use COAL vs CBTO for seating depth? Given that the ogive is what contacts the rifling it makes more sense to me to use that measurement since the difference between ogive and bullet tip can vary quite a bit even in the same lot of bullets, thus making the jump from ogive to rifling vary more.

As an aside, I enjoy threads like these as it gives me more "practice" in identifying nodes. Thanks for posting.

 

[UM GM]

When the magazine limits the length of the cartridge, then COAL is what determines the max seating depth. I then find a BTO that allows for variations in bullet tip lengths so that the longest bullet still has clearance in the magazine. The data I provide the ammo loaders shows both COAL and BTO.

To complicate matters more, the target I am using lists COL and I don't always remember to mark through that and write BTO, like with the Valkyrie. The clue is where I show the jump (-.010).

I should also mention that the seating depths I show are using Sinclair inserts, and the give a different BTO than the Hornady tools, though the jump should be very close.

 

[MidGAHunter]

When the magazine limits the length of the cartridge, then COAL is what determines the max seating depth. I then find a BTO that allows for variations in bullet tip lengths so that the longest bullet still has clearance in the magazine. The data I provide the ammo loaders shows both COAL and BTO.

I assumed this to be the reason but was curious if there was more to it. It's always nice to not have to worry about mag length but shooting heavy long bullets especially tends to bring max mag length into play.

 

[BigRutt]

Just wanted to say my buddy got some ammo from you and it has been shooting lights out! I plan on going off your card that comes in the box. It is a 6.5creedmoor shooting your 143eld-x load. I will be using lapua lrp brass, fed 210m, h4350 and the 143 eld-x. I don't know if you want to give this information up. But how many grains do you have in the peterson to get it flying 2875? I plan on working up to the max that hornady gives. I know a lot of 6.5cm guys are saying 41.5 grains is the sweet spot. I have also heard guys say they are going over with no signs of pressure. Anyways thought I would try and pick your brain since it seems like you have it dialed. You can PM if you want or have time. Thank you

 

[UM GM]

Just wanted to say my buddy got some ammo from you and it has been shooting lights out! I plan on going off your card that comes in the box. It is a 6.5creedmoor shooting your 143eld-x load. I will be using lapua lrp brass, fed 210m, h4350 and the 143 eld-x. I don't know if you want to give this information up. But how many grains do you have in the peterson to get it flying 2875? I plan on working up to the max that hornady gives. I know a lot of 6.5cm guys are saying 41.5 grains is the sweet spot. I have also heard guys say they are going over with no signs of pressure. Anyways thought I would try and pick your brain since it seems like you have it dialed. You can PM if you want or have time. Thank you

Sorry for the late reply. I just saw this. I thought I was watching this thread.

The production load achieved 2875 FPS out of a 26" barrel using ADG brass, 42 grains of H4350, and the Hornady 143 ELD-X.

With Peterson brass in a 24" barrel, I got a load to tune with 140 Beger Elite Hunters at 2730 using H4350/42.0.

With the 140-143 grain bullets, most likely the sweet spot will be between 41-42 grains, but each barrel is different. And of course, always start low and work up slowly, stopping at the first signs of pressure.

 

[UM GM]

 

[UM GM]

 

[BigRutt]

Sorry for the late reply. I just saw this. I thought I was watching this thread.

The production load achieved 2875 FPS out of a 26" barrel using ADG brass, 42 grains of H4350, and the Hornady 143 ELD-X.

With Peterson brass in a 24" barrel, I got a load to tune with 140 Beger Elite Hunters at 2730 using H4350/42.0.

With the 140-143 grain bullets, most likely the sweet spot will be between 41-42 grains, but each barrel is different. And of course, always start low and work up slowly, stopping at the first signs of pressure.

Awesome thank you so much. I loaded 39.0 up to 41.5. With lapua LRP, fed 210, h4350 and 143eldx. I am shooting a 20" tikka ctr suppressed. 41.2 seemed really accurate and 41.5 wasn't bad either. So I loaded up more 41.2, 41.3 ,41.4, 41.5, 41.6, 41.7. Going to see what groups the best and will back off at first signs of pressure.

 

[menhaden_man]

Great thread, nice to see other’s targets with the good, bad, and ugly.

@UM Development do you have any good pics of spent brass across a range of charges/pressure signs? I’ve always chickened out early on my bigger rifles.

 

[UM GM]

Great thread, nice to see other’s targets with the good, bad, and ugly.

@UM Development do you have any good pics of spent brass across a range of charges/pressure signs? I’ve always chickened out early on my bigger rifles.

I am not showing good, bad, and ugly; I am showing a normal load development process that has resulted in good loads. Every barrel out there will shoot bigger and smaller based on powder charge, seating depth, type of powder, type of bullet, type of brass, type of primer, and so on.

We are looking for a "node" where groups are small. When we get lucky, like the with the 300 Win Mag above, that node holds across two or three powder charges. With other rifles the node is much tighter.

I don't shoot hot loads so I don't have any pics of joe loaded cases--though you can find them. I stop at the first signs of pressure, which is often an ejector mark, a primer starting to flatten, or an unexpectedly high velocity.

Today at the range I shot a 30 Nosler with Barnes 200 LRX and RL-26. Since I could find no data I used Quick Load and found the max load. Since Quick Load is only a rough approximation when starting with a rifle you haven't shot before, my starting load was five grains lower than the QL max. That was a good thing because that minimum load produced the maximum velocity and mild ejector marks. So I stopped shooting and took apart the higher charges.

 

[BigRutt]

Im just glad there is someone out there like you helping out!! I tell all my buddies to buy from you and it helps you are in the same state. Hands down you have your shit together and your loads are unreal! I didn't know about your company till this year and so glad I came across it. My buddy has been buying tons of ammo from you and it is perfect. 6.5cm and .308....all shooting lights out. Can't say enough. Thanks for all you are doing for the community, it means a lot. Especially where I'm just getting into reloading. I really look at your work and try to work off of it. Thank you! Sorry to spam the thread but really excited

 

[menhaden_man]

I am not showing good, bad, and ugly; I am showing a normal load development process that has resulted in good loads. Every barrel out there will shoot bigger and smaller based on powder charge, seating depth, type of powder, type of bullet, type of brass, type of primer, and so on.

We are looking for a "node" where groups are small. When we get lucky, like the with the 300 Win Mag above, that node holds across two or three powder charges. With other rifles the node is much tighter.

I don't shoot hot loads so I don't have any pics of joe loaded cases--though you can find them. I stop at the first signs of pressure, which is often an ejector mark, a primer starting to flatten, or an unexpectedly high velocity.

Today at the range I shot a 30 Nosler with Barnes 200 LRX and RL-26. Since I could find no data I used Quick Load and found the max load. Since Quick Load is only a rough approximation when starting with a rifle you haven't shot before, my starting load was five grains lower than the QL max. That was a good thing because that minimum load produced the maximum velocity and mild ejector marks. So I stopped shooting and took apart the higher charges.

Yep, what I meant was normally folks will just post awesome rather than the entire story. Thanks for sharing, examples are great to see.

 

[4and1]

It's good to see a post on most any forum which speaks of tuning a load. To so many, it's unheard of since box ammo is good enough. And those that do reload, just load what a manual prints.

I have shot competition benchrest for 25+ years, and tuning is the name of the game. You can have a custom rifle built with the best of the best, but if it's out of tune, it can shoot as poor;y as a production rifle. But learn what it likes, and it makes your day!