brand of componants vs brand of reloading manual
- Thread starter Rick65Cat
- Start date
Rod B
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I think you will be fine as long as you stay with the recommended powder charge for the various bullet weights. That said the charge weight varies with the different manuals. Many of us have several manuals in order to choose a charge.
It depends. For the same type of bullet construction (cup and core, for instance) and weight, I would not hesitate to mix brands. Of course, like all reloaders who want to keep all their body parts and guns intact, I start at (or near) the bottom of the chart and work my way up. For a monometal bullet, I would use data developed for that type of bullet.
I use the most accurate loads and most accurate powder for various loads with the same weight of bullet.
The load for the 60 grain Nosler in 22-250 was swapped for the 60 grain Sierra hollow point.
Start at a safe point and good to go.
Nosler and Sierra publish this information in their manuals.
The load for the 60 grain Nosler in 22-250 was swapped for the 60 grain Sierra hollow point.
Start at a safe point and good to go.
Nosler and Sierra publish this information in their manuals.
You will either not have enough reading material or enough reloading components
so choose wisely.In a pinch the data from one source (book) might suffice, but with the advent of the internet you can find that data.
Rob
When developing your "own" load you should shoot over a Chrono and pay attention to pressure signs, keeping in mind that reading brass is a black art and you can be over safe pressures without showing anything on the brass.
That's where Chrono comes in....IF your exceeding "book" velocities your likely at max load or very close to it.
That's where Chrono comes in....IF your exceeding "book" velocities your likely at max load or very close to it.
paintearthmike
Member
- Location
- Central Alberta
When modifying bullets in a given load, you must pay attention not only to bullet weight and construction; but also to bullet shape, in particular the style of ogive.
This can have a significant effect on the distance of contact of the bullet to the lands. And this in turn, of course, can have a dramatic effect on pressures generated!
In your query, you mention using Hornady bullets instead of Speers. Hornady's typically have secant ogives, which places contact distance to the lands further back than the tangent ogives that Speer bullets typically exhibit.
(In this case, your pressures should be lower) But if you are going from a secant ogive to a tangent ogive, you could experience an unwelcome pressure spike! Depending upon the bullet seating depth and the chamber of your rifle, you could even be jamming the bullet into the lands.
So, the advice to start off low, and work your way up carefully definitely holds, but I would add that you also check your bullet's distance off the lands.
john-brennan
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Vancouver Island B.C.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This is great advise.
Just get a LYMAN manual and start loading. Lyman manuals give loads that will work safely with bullets of general weights and shapes.
As has been cautioned long and often, start light and work your load up to a point your combination likes.
As has been cautioned long and often, start light and work your load up to a point your combination likes.
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Had a 6.5x55, manufactured in IIRC 1914. Metallurgy came a long way from early Swedish mausers till the end of their production. Somewhat balanced by not taking shortcuts, to speed production for wartime.
Been said, start low and work up.
Very good advice above by bearhunter, just remember also that the manuals tell you anytime you change a component to reduce the load by 10% and work up again.
Reduced loads are more forgiving because your chamber pressures are much lower and you have a larger safety margin.
Yes. The book is not a recipe book. It is a report of what someone else did with a rifle different than yours.
Use a Start load for the same weight bullet and work up from there, looking for the load that is accurate and has no extraction problems or other pressure signs.
The Max load that was safe in Their rifle might be way over Max in Your rifle.
Use a Start load for the same weight bullet and work up from there, looking for the load that is accurate and has no extraction problems or other pressure signs.
The Max load that was safe in Their rifle might be way over Max in Your rifle.
When I load for my 96's, I'm more concerned with avoiding head separation. The actions are plenty strong, but do not handle gas escape well. The 6.5x55 runs at moderate pressure compared to more modern cartridges, and with chambers that are on the generous side, I fire form and neck size. Primer pockets are usually worn out before I have any chambering issues...you can get a lot of neck sizing loads out of the brass.
Also beware that if you are looking at data published in the 60's or maybe even the 70's, the powder has changed over the years, and I load for 2 different 6.5x55 rifles and have been researching powders for this for a while, some of the old data is downright scary as a start and max load. It may have been called 4350 or 4831 in the old books, but today's powder is different.
Cheers
Cheers
