Book max or powder manufacture max?

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84fuegoturbo

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So just playing around with some 500S&W reloads, Hornady book says for the 500gr soft point max load is 34.6 but the Hodgdon site says max 33gr of H1100.
I loaded some at 33.5 just below max in book but now a bit concerned since website says max 33.

Hmmm
 
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Even if one has a lot of experience, and is careful, surprises wait in hiding for you.

I will relate a personal experience. Over the years, I have had quite a number of
rifles chambered in one of my favorites, the 308 Norma Magnum.
Whenever I got a different rifle so chambered, I always started with a load of
Norma MRP that was well below a max listed load.

Some time ago, I acquired a [new to me] custom rifle in 308 Norma. I dropped my
starting load in a few cases and seated my 180 grain bullet. then moved up in ½
grain increments to what is usually a normal working load.

Imagine my surprise to find the starting load decidedly "sticky" to extract, and
velocities already faster than the normal working load.
Dropping back an additional 1½ grains got me to where I would normally stop, and
eliminated the sticky bolt lift.

Lesson....start low and work up carefully. Firearms vary considerably. Dave.
 
dero338 said:
ALWAYS START AT MINIMUM LOAD. anyone not smart enough to understand this should NEVER attempt reloading
Click to expand...

Horse$hit! What if I don't want a minimum load and the charge window in very large?

Anyone who talks in absolutes should NEVER attempt reloading, lol.
 
84fuegoturbo said:
So just playing around with some 500S&W reloads, Hornady book says for the 500gr soft point max load is 34.6 but the Hodgdon site says max 33gr of H1100.
I loaded some at 33.5 just below max in book but now a bit concerned since website says max 33.

Hmmm
Click to expand...

Probably should have gone hmmmm a bit longer before you loaded it. Lol
 
I usually start at the mid point too. I try to get load data from 3-4 sources. I recently purchased a Lyman check weight set. The accuracy of your our scale should be confirmed.
 
You probably can't measure pressure in your gun. But you can measure velocity, which is a surrogate for pressure (assuming a reasonable powder choice.)

The book max relates to THEIR gun. You have to find the max for YOUR gun, yourself.

Start below the max. With a new gun I start at the book START load and load one or two rounds in 0.5 gr increments all the way up to over max, and shoot this initial survey over a chrony. I watch for pressure signs (hard extraction) and note the velocity.

The book Max velocity is my speed limit. It will take more or less powder to reach that velocity, but whatever powder charge does it - that is the MAX for my gun.

If you don't chrony your loads you are missing the easy and important information about your pressure.

The book max could be way over max for your gun, or it could be a moderate load. Each gun is different, and some are remarkably different.

Shoot some of those loads you made. Check the velocity. Fire the first one and check for extraction. If it is tight, bring all the ammo home.
 
He just got confused maybe, he thought it said start at max and work down. :)

OP is asking a question that has no definite answer. The answer is maybe. It "might" be perfectly OK, even "probably" OK. But there is some chance it might not be OK. The surest way is to start low and work up in steps.

Or go ahead and take a chance - but don't look for someone else to take the responsibility off of you. That's your business to look after yourself. If you have doubts then you're doing it wrong.

What I would do now if I were you - it's not too late to load up a few lighter loads and try them BEFORE you shoot the max loads you already have. Ganderite's method is simple and easy, follow that and you'll know if the loads you have now are OK. Or go ahead and close your eyes and pull the trigger. I use the Poplar Tree method when I'm test firing a new antique but your range probably wouldn't allow it.

It's your call mate, if you reload then you're responsible for making the decisions that affect you.
 
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A Chronograph is a great tool to understand what works for your gun. They are not very expansive and would really open your eyes to velocity etc.

Start low and measure velocity to get an idea on how your gun handles the specific load. Book / Online / Friends are all information resources, and they are based on their experience with a particular gun.
You can create the same for your gun by experimenting, but starting with a minimum load and measuring. You would have so much fun doing this and really getting in depth of reloading.


Best,
 
I had a new to me 270 winchester a number of years ago. I started with a mid range load of 4831 and blew the primer out of the case on the first shot! I then switched to 4350 and started at a minimum book load, by the time I got midway to a max load of powder the pressure was going though the roof again. After much deliberation, switching bullets and playing with seating depth, I abandoned 4350 and loaded 7828 at book minimum and started again, with that powder I was able to go all the way to book max load with no signs of pressure. Velocity, accuracy and pressure were all good.
Once you start to think you have reloading all figured out then it's time to quit and find a safer hobby!
 
Thanks for the answers i do not own a chrono yet ( on my wish list) only loaded 5 of these so will pull them apart. Will start at a lower load.

Again thank you.
 
Just start at the lowest start load. I have some 7.62X39 I will probably have to pull cause I only looked at one manual. Loading 123gr SST's over H335, I open the Lyman 50th and see 30.5 to 34.5gr listed. Great, make a few of each from min to max in .5gr increments. Seems like a wide spread for this cartridge and they get really compressed on the higher end. Get them all seated and crimped, decide to go on Hodgdons and look up H322 since Lyman doesn't list loads. In that process I looked at their data for H335 as well. To my surprise they list 30.0 to 31.5. Granted they used a 125 gr bullet but 2 grains is not significant. What is significant is Hodgdons data shows velocities a couple hundred fps faster. So now I need to go make some more loads up from 30.0 to 31.5 in smaller increments and will probably have to pull some of the hotter loads. Ain't standardized specs great?
 
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