Reloading manual differences

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shooter177

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I have a Lyman book and a hornady book and the difference between the too are extreame, I am looking to load 60g v-max in 223 with varget powder, the hornady book says max is 24.4 and the Lyman book says starting load is 24.4 and max is 27.2 can anyone who has a different book tell me what it says?? I understan a bit of difference would be ok, but this is not even close!
 
Were they both using the same bullet? Sometimes a bullet with a longer bearing surface creates more friction thus higher pressures. One could be using a different barrel/ testing equipment etc. Have you looked on the Hodgdon site since they are the manufacturer of the powder?

I just looked at the Hodgdon site and they list 25 to 27 gr. Looks like the Hornady is being very conservative. I would go with the Hodgdon loads and work up in small increments.
 
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Manuals

Just checked the Nosler and they say 24.9 for their 60gr bullet with Varget, 26.7 in the Sierra manual for their 60gr bullet. I'd start at 24gr and work up in .3 increments if it were me to 26gr. FS
 
Different rifles, with different chamber dimensions, along with different lot numbers of components, and the result is the variation that you see. Start on the conservative side, and work up. Just be aware, that if you develop loads in low winter temperatures, you need to be careful when it warms up in the spring.
 
You want to see a real difference, check out the loads from say 1985 compared to the same load from 2011. Same bullet, same case, same primer, same barrel----same powder=======except the difference in max charge weights is dramatic. Liability i guess.
 
You want to see a real difference, check out the loads from say 1985 compared to the same load from 2011. Same bullet, same case, same primer, same barrel----same powder=======except the difference in max charge weights is dramatic. Liability i guess.
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That is not always the case, my new Nosler and Sierra manuals show some loads using heavier powder charges than are used in my much older Nosler and Sierra manuals.
 
Same powders? Same everything? I have seen some velocity gains with new powder types is all. I was thinking more along the lines of what the powder manufacturer ( Hodgdon, winchester, Alliant, IMR etc.) is suggestting.
 
Same powders? Same everything?
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In all cases the same powder and bullet, in many cases the same brass, and barrel length. Powder formulations change over time, as do bullet specifications, but the difference in chamber and barrel dimensions and in lot numbers of components is enough to explain the differences.
 
redryder said:
You want to see a real difference, check out the loads from say 1985 compared to the same load from 2011. Same bullet, same case, same primer, same barrel----same powder=======except the difference in max charge weights is dramatic. Liability i guess.
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Less to do with liability and more to do with reloading companies buying pressure testing equipment ;)
 
Gatehouse said:
Less to do with liability and more to do with reloading companies buying pressure testing equipment ;)
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Ya, maybe better pressure testing equipment and more of it. Maybe difference in different batches of powder from year to year also. I checked back on some other loads and now find that just like stubblejumper says, some now have increased max loads. Seems it was just the ones that I was interested in were decreased loads, so I noticed them right away. Always good to check a couple different sources and watch for all the signs when working up to max loads.
Cheers.
 
I use reloading books as one source of info but ultimately every manufacturer has the latest and greatest loads on there website. As soon as a manual is printed it is virtually out of date.

Love it when a flame war gets going on the site on which reloading manual is better. When you can lay out 5 different manuals and have 5 different answers which one is the best?

As stated before start low and work up looking for pressure signs etc.
 
Due to these differences here is what I do to ensure my own safety.

I use my reloading manuals as well as Winchester/Hogdon/IMR on-line data.

I use the lowest starting load listing in all material, and I'll tell ya this, I have no uncertainty when I squeeze that trigger the first time.I also chronograph everything so I can see what is going on.

After all that I record my data on an Excel sheet for future reference.

I pretty much ignore stated velocities in manuals.
 
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