Someone elses home loads ?

Triggermortis

Well-Known Member
Whilst i would be shy of using someone elses home loads unless i knew and totally trusted the person, if someone has a load worked up for the same calibre/make of rifle as mine, is it safe to try loads that i have loaded to their data? i.e if they have a load worked out that gives good performance with no signs of over pressure in their rifle, would it be safe to load my owm fire formed rounds to the same spec I.E powder/bullet and C.O.L wise and try them in mine or should i start with a slightly reduced powder load?

Cheers

Tikkat3
 
Although it would probably be ok personally I would always go back to published starting loads for the powder/bullet specified as every rifle is different, humans make errors etc and 'probably ok' isn't really good enough when you could lose your hands, your face or your life!

There is no reason why you can't quickly progress back up to their load data in intervals so you can check for pressure along the way.
 
my friend and i both had howa 223 varmints i developed a load for mine and also for him but using his own brass in his own rifle they both shot fine

even when we upped it in 0.2gn increments to tighten our groups they both shot fine no pressure signs even though they were on the way to being hot loads you might be wise to try reduced load then work up like we did hope this is of some help
 
Whilst i would be shy of using someone elses home loads unless i knew and totally trusted the person, if someone has a load worked up for the same calibre/make of rifle as mine, is it safe to try loads that i have loaded to their data? i.e if they have a load worked out that gives good performance with no signs of over pressure in their rifle, would it be safe to load my owm fire formed rounds to the same spec I.E powder/bullet and C.O.L wise and try them in mine or should i start with a slightly reduced powder load?

Cheers

Tikkat3

I have been reloading for most of my life and one of the first things I learned, and have passed on, is that you never shoot someone else's reloads in your rifle. A load that is perfectly safe in one rifle may not be safe at all in another due to variances in the rifles. I won't reload for another's rifle for just that reason, unless I have the rifle at hand so I can work up loads myself. Another aspect is that people are human and make mistakes. I can live with the consequences of my own mistakes but don't like saddling myself with those of others.~Muir
 
Cheers lads, pretty much thought the same, i'll start some loads 3grains down from his data and work up from there, if anyones near me in kent, i'd welcome a bit of assistance/guidance with this, i have a 100yd range to use and test on but am struggling a bit with the load development

Cheers

Tikkat3
 
one of the first things I learned, and have passed on, is that you never shoot someone else's reloads in your rifle. A load that is perfectly safe in one rifle may not be safe at all in another due to variances in the rifles. I won't reload for another's rifle for just that reason, unless I have the rifle at hand so I can work up loads myself. Another aspect is that people are human and make mistakes. I can live with the consequences of my own mistakes but don't like saddling myself with those of others.~Muir

X2 A proper reply.
 
Cheers lads, pretty much thought the same, i'll start some loads 3grains down from his data and work up from there, if anyones near me in kent, i'd welcome a bit of assistance/guidance with this, i have a 100yd range to use and test on but am struggling a bit with the load development

Cheers

Tikkat3
Where abouts in Kent are you TikkaT3 ? I get down that way a fair bit.
 
I was just pulling your leg! But I understood that it is only illegal to sell ammunition unless you are a RFD; transfer by non-RFDs is ok subject to both parties meeting FAC conditions (Firearms Guidance Chapter 5, Sections 14 and 15).
Nevertheless, there is also a liability issue if someone uses your handloads and I think that to get public liability insurance you would probably need to be an RFD.
 
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Hi,
One of the other things worth noting is that when trying to replicate a load from sources other than your own, you have to replicate the cartridge overall length. Small changes in seating depth, especially when using max charges can lead to unproportional rises in pressure. I use a stoney point (now Hornady) comparator which allows you to accurately measure from the ogive of the head to the base of the case, however, I have noticed that when I measured one of my own rounds with a friends comparator, I got a different reading. Comparators only alow you to compare one round with another when using the same instrument, therefore it would not be possible to exactly replicate a round when using different equipment. The conclusion therefore is that you risk excess pressure if you attempt to replicate anothers load without following the correct procedures. (or even your own loads when using new equipment)

David
 
As above: always start below and work up.

Never shoot someone else's loads.

A friend told me this salutary tale. He bought a S/H .243 a few years back and the seller threw in around 100 of his own reloads. As soon as the opportunity presented itself he sat down with the bullet puller, scales and callipers and took a look at what he had. The answer (IIRC): three different bullet weights; five types of brass of a variety of lengths; two different powders with respective charge weights that varied by several grains; and at least two different types of primer... all from what was notionally the same load!

Being a thrifty soul, he batched up and uniformed the brass, and reused the bullets, but even he wasn't going to trust the primers and powder!
 
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