First go at reloading, sanity check.

Hi Alex, the attached is from the latest Hornady reloading manual. Covers the powders you mention.

Lots of useful programmes out there, GRT (free) and P-Max (also free) are helpful. The former is especially useful the more you go down the rabbit hole. I'm thinking of trying ApexLoad Pro as use XXL Reloading - and access is half price through that. If it is developed by the same German engineers it will be very conservative in its max loads. Seems their natural national reticence bleeds into their modelling of load data. My advice would be to run their stuff through P-Max too and play with loads in that initially.

Manuals have there place - but if you have joined the 21st century - the software available is a very good resource for developing loads.
Screenshot_20260311-013408~2.webp
 
I’ve found P-Max to be very good… developed by borbal, one of our resident experts 👍


Cheer
Fizz
😎
I’ve used P-max to help get a load for my 19” barrel 7x57 and copper to where you need to get the expansion speed right, lead not a problem!

All these apps and programs are alright, but their no substitute for learning to read and feel the pressure signs.
 
Load what you have, then go and shoot some stuff and enjoy. I've got a 60-grain and 40-grain load for my .223, both shoot to the same POI.
No idea really how quick they are :-|.
40 grain Vmax out of a 20" 1:8 twist Tikka. 24.4 grains N130.
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It wouldnt take much in the way of internal barrel dimensions and finish to change the pressure curve I'm sure . Plus , they may be using brass with a different volume and different primers .
Just as an example , I was using Hornady brass in my 22-250 with a 50 grain Vmax . According to Hornady's data , max load for N140 is 37.2 grains . I was seeing flattered primers and ejector marks at 36.5 . I see no point in caning my brass and I had good accuracy at 36.3 . 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️
The point i was making was test barrels are a long way from the mass produced rifle barrels, they are items of high precision, on tolerances and location for the pressure transducers. Depending on the barrel they cost thousands of pounds. As for brass used, CIP, SAAMI may specify just one make is used , not looked. The goal is repeatable results across CIP member countries, They also use statistical analysis to ensure compliance with CIP
Every calibre is defined by CIP.


Yes for us the pressure will change based on many factors like as you say brass make, neck tension, actual chamber dimensions of your rifle, age of propellant and how stored, etc etc.

Hence why we work loads up.
 
Bloody hell, I put those charge weights in my 222!
Vhit data is very conservative, all data is.
Max charges are NOT the point your rifle will let go.
It means you can load some ammo in Iceland in winter and then fly to Africa, their summer and the ammo not get to hot or unsafe.
As I don't travel to a hot climate I always start near top of even work over.

Let's have a quick count 1234, yep all ten fingers, 1,2, yep both eyes. After 30years + of reloading all sorts I've only ever had blown case heads from factory ammo!
 
Hi Alex, the attached is from the latest Hornady reloading manual. Covers the powders you mention.

Lots of useful programmes out there, GRT (free) and P-Max (also free) are helpful. The former is especially useful the more you go down the rabbit hole. I'm thinking of trying ApexLoad Pro as use XXL Reloading - and access is half price through that. If it is developed by the same German engineers it will be very conservative in its max loads. Seems their natural national reticence bleeds into their modelling of load data. My advice would be to run their stuff through P-Max too and play with loads in that initially.

Manuals have there place - but if you have joined the 21st century - the software available is a very good resource for developing loads.
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Thank you for that, much appreciated.

I didn't try GRT, I thought it was no longer being supported. I had heard of Quickload but it seems to have changed to Apexload.

I'm quite keen on using the technology but I'm happy to start low and do the testing in real life, that has to be half the fun.

Cheers
Alex
 
Thank you for that, much appreciated.

I didn't try GRT, I thought it was no longer being supported. I had heard of Quickload but it seems to have changed to Apexload.

I'm quite keen on using the technology but I'm happy to start low and do the testing in real life, that has to be half the fun.

Cheers
Alex
GRT is still alive and kicking.....

Free to download.

A discourse chat group and developers are looking to bring out version 2.0.

No idea what goes on there but basically is allowing for GRT to move forward albeit very slowly.

Unlike a few on here who seem to quiver and shake at the mere mention of the 21st century, I think there's a place for these and commercially produced information/load data in a reloading manual in the same conversation..........
 
The point i was making was test barrels are a long way from the mass produced rifle barrels, they are items of high precision, on tolerances and location for the pressure transducers. Depending on the barrel they cost thousands of pounds. As for brass used, CIP, SAAMI may specify just one make is used , not looked. The goal is repeatable results across CIP member countries, They also use statistical analysis to ensure compliance with CIP
Every calibre is defined by CIP.


Yes for us the pressure will change based on many factors like as you say brass make, neck tension, actual chamber dimensions of your rifle, age of propellant and how stored, etc etc.

Hence why we work loads up.

Yup !
 
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