Satterlee Method - Practical Reloading

[MarinePMI]

I know a few months ago, maybe a year back, there was a lively discussion about the "Satterlee Method" of working up a load on UKSD. After some debating, I reached out to Scott via IM, and he agreed to come over, and he made a few posts to clarify how his method has changed.

With all the talk about hunting ammo, lack of reloading supplies, I thought I would post up his video on the topic. There are quite a few nuggets in there (IMHO) that apply not just to those of us that compete, but also to those who want to spend more time hunting and shooting, than at the reloading bench. I think this latest video gives a lot of common sense context to what he (and many here) have discussed.

At any rate, enjoy!

 

[User00040]

He needs some advice regarding whisky choice though!

 

[MarinePMI]

He needs some advice regarding whisky choice though!

LOL! Meh, Americans definitely have different tastes when it comes to whiskey/bourbon/scotch. It's a regional thing...

 

[User00040]

Having watched the video to it's conclusion, I'd be very tempted to skip the whole seating depth adjustment stage and just increase powder charges until a nice muzzle velocity and consistency is achieved.

There is a pretty good consensus on the .308, if it does not shoot a 175SMK loaded to 2.8" COAL with 40+ grains of Varget or simillar, you have a bad rifle!

 

[MarinePMI]

Having watched the video to it's conclusion, I'd be very tempted to skip the whole seating depth adjustment stage and just increase powder charges until a nice muzzle velocity and consistency is achieved.

There is a pretty good consensus on the .308, if it does not shoot a 175SMK loaded to 2.8" COAL with 40+ grains of Varget or simillar, you have a bad rifle!

Yes, but I think that proves his point to some degree. The .308 has been around long enough, and the chamber is pretty much bog standard, that ammo manufacturers and reloaders alike, can make a round that will shoot in any .308 that has a proper chamber cut. Hit 2600-2700fps, and you're pretty much guaranteed a pretty accurate load, everything else is seating depth.

6.5CM's sweet spot is 2850. I've never seen a load with a 130-140gr bullet at 2850 that didn't want to shoot accurately.

6CM, 6 Dasher, and other unestablished cases, that don't have powder specifically tailor made for them (IMR-4064, Varget, BL(c)-2, etc. for .308) can benefit a lot from this sort of approach though (IMHO).

 

[User00040]

6.5CM's sweet spot is 2850. I've never seen a load with a 130-140gr bullet at 2850 that didn't want to shoot accurately.

Interesting as Viht's (notoriously conservative) load data barely gets here at 'max' loads, even with their 'Creed special' N555.

Rifle reloading data | Handloading | Rifle calibers | Centerfire Rifle bullets | Reload your own ammo - Vihtavuori

Vihtavuori offers rifle reloading data for numerous calibers and bullets for match and hunting purposes. Never exceed maximum loads.

www.vihtavuori.com

 

[Rory]

There is a pretty good consensus on the .308, if it does not shoot a 175SMK loaded to 2.8" COAL with 40+ grains of Varget or simillar, you have a bad rifle!

This is very true!

 

[MarinePMI]

Interesting as Viht's (notoriously conservative) load data barely gets here at 'max' loads, even with their 'Creed special' N555.

Rifle reloading data | Handloading | Rifle calibers | Centerfire Rifle bullets | Reload your own ammo - Vihtavuori

Vihtavuori offers rifle reloading data for numerous calibers and bullets for match and hunting purposes. Never exceed maximum loads.

www.vihtavuori.com

Maybe why not a lot of people use VV for 6.5CM(?). It isn't popular here, so just a guess.

Those do look like some pretty slow numbers (especially for the 140's).

 

[25 Sharps]

Maybe why not a lot of people use VV for 6.5CM(?). It isn't popular here, so just a guess.

Those do look like some pretty slow numbers (especially for the 140's).

Vihtavouri are notorious for being conservative with their data

That said it is pretty comparable to the data on the hodgdon site with most powders topping out under 2750 and only one getting to 2800 plus (none reaching 2850).

 

[MarinePMI]

Vihtavouri are notorious for being conservative with their data

That said it is pretty comparable to the data on the hodgdon site with most powders topping out under 2750 and only one getting to 2800 plus (none reaching 2850).

LOL! Yeah, the Hodgdon data on their website is notoriously conservative (to the point of almost being worthless).

Case in point: 6.5CM data from Hodgdon has a load around 40'ish grs as max load. Most shooters run an actual 42-42.7gr load in the real world. I've vented before about the Hodgdon website, as it is so conservative, loaders automatically go to the max load, and work up from there. It's sets a horrible trend for reloaders, and is just as dangerous (having that conservative of load data) as having overly optimistic data (Alexander Arms was notorious to overly optimistic load data).

At 42.5 grs of h-4350 and a 140gr ELDM or RDF, at sea level, I was hitting 2825fps with no pressure signs...and that was with multiple guns and barrels (bolt and semi-auto).

 

[25 Sharps]

LOL! Yeah, the Hodgdon data on their website is notoriously conservative (to the point of almost being worthless).

Case in point: 6.5CM data from Hodgdon has a load around 40'ish grs as max load. Most shooters run an actual 42-42.7gr load in the real world. I've vented before about the Hodgdon website, as it is so conservative, loaders automatically go to the max load, and work up from there. It's sets a horrible trend for reloaders, and is just as dangerous (having that conservative of load data) as having overly optimistic data (Alexander Arms was notorious to overly optimistic load data).

At 42.5 grs of h-4350 and a 140gr ELDM or RDF, at sea level, I was hitting 2825fps with no pressure signs...and that was with multiple guns and barrels (bolt and semi-auto).

Looks like hodgdon and viht are similar then!