Rifle Reloading Recipes

[Trinimon]

I figured it would be a good idea to share some recipes amongst the CGN reloaders. I know different firearms perform differently with similar loads but it'll give those who have never tried a particular combination some rough idea on what others are achieving.

Are you a reloader or getting into reloading and have some load testing data you'd care to share? Do you only shoot factory ammo? Post em here!

The rules are simple. Fill out the fields below and post a pic of your groupings with measurements, preferably 5 shots per grouping.

Firearm
Manufacturer & Model:
Caliber:
Barrel length:
Rate of twist:

Ammo Info
Powder Manufacturer & Name:
Powder Weight:
Case Manufacturer:
Primer:
Projectile Manufacturer & Model:
Bullet Weight:

or for factory ammo:

Manufacturer and model:
Bullet Weight:

Target Distance:
Best MOA grouping size:

Misc info (optional): (eg Crony info, COAL, OGIVE & headspace measurements, weather conditions etc etc)

Note: All load data provided here are to be used as a rough guide only and by no means a representation of what kind of performance is to be expected. The information here is NOT to be used as a substitute for safe load development, practices and reloading manuals. For safety reasons, please do NOT post any load data that exceeds manufacturer's maximum recommendations or unsafe.

 

[Trinimon]

I'll kick this one off:

Firearm
Manufacturer & Model: Remington 700 SPS AAC-SD
Caliber: .308 Winchester
Barrel length: 20"
Rate of twist: 1:10"

Ammo Info
Powder Manufacturer & Name: Hodgdon Varget
Powder Weight: 43.5gr
Case Manufacturer: Winchester
Primer: CCI 200 Large Rifle
Projectile Manufacturer & Model: Sierra Matchking HPBT
Bullet Weight: 168gr

Target Distance: 100meters
Best MOA grouping size: 0.858"

Misc info (optional): Forgot to set parallax correction on my first shot (top left grouping).

 

[Trinimon]

Firearm
Manufacturer & Model: Remington 700 SPS AAC-SD
Caliber: .308 Winchester
Barrel length: 20"
Rate of twist: 1:10"

Ammo Info
Powder Manufacturer & Name: Hodgdon H4895
Powder Weight: 41.5gr
Case Manufacturer: Remington
Primer: CCI 200 Large Rifle
Projectile Manufacturer & Model: Sierra Matchking HPBT
Bullet Weight: 168gr

Target Distance: 100yrds
Best MOA grouping size: 0.571"

Misc info (optional): Forgot to subtract my caliber size from OAL measurements in pic.

 

[mooger31]

This is a great idea


Manufacturer: tikka t3 tactical
Caliber: .308 Winchester
Barrel length: 24"
Twist rate: 1:11"




Powder manufacturer: alliant rl15
powder weight: 44.7 grains
Cartridge manufacturer: Winchester
Primer: cci 200
Bullet manufacturer: nosler silver ballistic tip
Bullet weight: 168 grain

Will post pics of groups later but best group is .56 moa

 

[9x19p]

This is a great idea

Or not so much!

The potential for this to turn into "monkey see monkey do" reloading, is too great.

I'll stick with published manuals thanks.

add:
Just as an example, I was loading 70gr Berger VLDs over 27gr Varget.
Read your manual to find a published max load. See what I mean?
Some dumb effer would read my load and try it.
Ka-boom...

If your manual doesn't show it, 24.9 is the highest max I can find.

 

[Alpheus]

Firearm
Custom Remington 700
Caliber: .308WIN
Barrel length: 24"
Rate of twist:1 in 10

Ammo Info
VV N140
43.2gr
Lapua brass
CCI BR2
168gr Berger Target Hybrid

Target Distance: 300yds
Best MOA grouping size: 0.22MOA (no photo, unfortunately)
Average group size: sub 0.5MOA

*Apologies for the crappy photo*

Firearm
Savage 12BVSS
Caliber: 6mmBR
Barrel length: 30"
Rate of twist:1 in 8

Ammo Info
VV N140
28.5gr
Lapua brass
CCI BR4
105gr Berger Target Hybrid

Target Distance: 300yds
Best MOA grouping size: 0.39
Average group size: sub 0.5MOA

*Apologies for the crappy photo*

 

[hometownhero]

Firearm
Manufacturer & Model: Winchester model 70 featherweight
Caliber: 30-06
Barrel length: 22"
Rate of twist: 1/10"

Ammo Info
Powder Manufacturer & Name: h4350
Powder Weight: 57gr
Case Manufacturer: Winchester
Primer: cci large rifle 200
Projectile Manufacturer & Model: Hornady sst, interbond, gmx
Bullet Weight: 165gr

Target Distance: 100
Best MOA grouping size: Best have shot is .348" 3 shot groups

Misc info (optional): (eg Crony info, COAL, OGIVE & headspace measurements, weather conditions etc etc)

2840fps, 2.661" length with a bullet comparator


Firearm
Manufacturer & Model: Winchester model 70 featherweight
Caliber: 30-06
Barrel length: 22"
Rate of twist: 1/10"

Ammo Info
Powder Manufacturer & Name: imr4350
Powder Weight: 56.5gr
Case Manufacturer: Winchester
Primer: cci large rifle 200
Projectile Manufacturer & Model: Hornady sst, interbond, gmx
Bullet Weight: 165gr

Target Distance: 100
Best MOA grouping size: Best have shot is .338" 3 shot groups

Misc info (optional): (eg Crony info, COAL, OGIVE & headspace measurements, weather conditions etc etc)

2835fps, 2.661" length with a bullet comparator

 

[hometownhero]

Or not so much!

The potential for this to turn into "monkey see monkey do" reloading, is too great.

I'll stick with published manuals thanks.

add:
Just as an example, I was loading 70gr Berger VLDs over 27gr Varget.
Read your manual to find a published max load. See what I mean?
Some dumb effer would read my load and try it.
Ka-boom...

If your manual doesn't show it, 24.9 is the highest max I can find.

If someone just goes and tries a load found online he is a retard. We have brains and need to use them.

 

[rral22]

I never use data some forum member somewhere says works. Could be good; could be a disaster. So I just work up my own.

 

[aspenkarius]

While i agree that user submitted data can be sketchy perhaps if people post the min/max loads according to the book(s) with each load that might help.

 

[hometownhero]

While i agree that user submitted data can be sketchy perhaps if people post the min/max loads according to the book(s) with each load that might help.

This would be ok if there was only one book with one set of data but everyone is different. Do some research in other words. My loads posted are pretty light according to some data and max with others. Just use your head. If you are loading 165's in a 308 dont start at 45grains of varget because someone posted that it was ok for them. No matter where you get data from start on the lower side and work up to the max charge.
Its like skiing just because a ski instructor goes down a double black diamond doenst mean you should start there.

 

[klink1983]

Firearm
Manufacturer & Model: Remington 700 SPS AAC-SD
Caliber: .308 Winchester
Barrel length: 20"
Rate of twist: 1:10"

Ammo Info
Powder Manufacturer & Name: Hodgdon H4895
Powder Weight: 41.5gr
Case Manufacturer: Remington
Primer: CCI 200 Large Rifle
Projectile Manufacturer & Model: Sierra Matchking HPBT
Bullet Weight: 168gr

Target Distance: 100yrds
Best MOA grouping size: 0.571"

Misc info (optional): Forgot to subtract my caliber size from OAL measurements in pic.

How comparable is H4895 to IMR 4895? A buddy of mine a while back did up a few H4895 loads, ironically enough at 41.5, with you and I shooting the exact same rifle.Lol

I have 2lbs plus 1 opened of IMR4895 at the moment and I am curious to know if I would get the same result as my test target of H4895, slightly different, or totally different.

 

[Trinimon]

How comparable is H4895 to IMR 4895? A buddy of mine a while back did up a few H4895 loads, ironically enough at 41.5, with you and I shooting the exact same rifle.Lol

I have 2lbs plus 1 opened of IMR4895 at the moment and I am curious to know if I would get the same result as my test target of H4895, slightly different, or totally different.

Yeah, I'm finding out that my rifle likes the lighter loads best. As for H4895 and IMR4895 (which I've never used), I'm told that they perform very similar (though you shouldn't interchange the load data) with H4895 being more temperature stable than IMR4895. H4895 is slightly faster burning over IMR4895 but I'm not sure if enough to make a difference. H4895 is listed at #87 and IMR4895 at #89 on the burn rate chart.

 

[Mikeyman]

I use a site called ammoguide interactive. It is comprised of thousands of user posted recipes for over 800 calibers. The diference is I also consult my three load manuals and use every resourse available to help 'solve the puzzle'. I then check and recheck to find a starting point and work up. As long as people understand not to only use one posted recipe as gospel then I think people posting their recipes is a great idea.

 

[Eagleye]

Just a word of caution re: Burn Rate Charts.
They are not very consistent, from source to source, so trusting them to tell
one where a powder actually sits is "iffy" at best, dangerous at the worst level.

I have some very good loads in MY rifles, but chances that they will work well in another
firearm are not really great.

Some are with powders for which there is little or NO data available. [i.e. WC 760 SL10, WC 760 SL131, 47N, CF7900, CF8506, WC755, etc]

If the chronograph shows velocities I expect to see, and no excess pressure indications are present, I'm good to go.

Regards, Dave.

 

[horseman2]

Until you have read Bob Hagel's book "Game Loads and Practical Ballistics", most loads are close to dangerous.
He surpasses my version of "Loaded to the Nutz", and I got pressure signs long before his loads were achieved.
His most common loads in hunting applications used 4831, 205, and 4350 in the hunting loads I followed.

 

[mooger31]

Or not so much!

The potential for this to turn into "monkey see monkey do" reloading, is too great.

I'll stick with published manuals thanks.

add:
Just as an example, I was loading 70gr Berger VLDs over 27gr Varget.
Read your manual to find a published max load. See what I mean?
Some dumb effer would read my load and try it.
Ka-boom...

If your manual doesn't show it, 24.9 is the highest max I can find.

I would hope that if any one that is posting a load that is over the max load in their manual would say so.

 

[aspenkarius]

This would be ok if there was only one book with one set of data but everyone is different. Do some research in other words. My loads posted are pretty light according to some data and max with others. Just use your head. If you are loading 165's in a 308 dont start at 45grains of varget because someone posted that it was ok for them. No matter where you get data from start on the lower side and work up to the max charge.
Its like skiing just because a ski instructor goes down a double black diamond doenst mean you should start there.

I guess I was thinkin along the lines of if you are using hornady bullets go by the hornady book. I know Lyman's tends to have different info and some books have loads for other brands of bullets but I've always gone by the min/max for the brand of bullet based off info from the manufacturer.

 

[silverfoxdj]

I guess I was thinkin along the lines of if you are using hornady bullets go by the hornady book. I know Lyman's tends to have different info and some books have loads for other brands of bullets but I've always gone by the min/max for the brand of bullet based off info from the manufacturer.

That's what I also do ...

 

[ykkid]

I love the idea. If captainkangarooman states his pet load for his .3000 remwin kaboomagnum is 15 percent over book, and he weighs each charge in a laboratory grade electronic scale, that tells me volumes about anything captainkangarooman says about handloading.

this thread could become guide to creds kinda thingee. go for it.