XXL reloading?

aboynamedjim

Well-Known Member
Hi all.

I'm new to reloading and need a published load for a 257 Roberts with N150 and Nosler Etip 100gr bullet.
The only source I can find is XXL Reloading. I also have GRT.

Does anyone use XXL reloading and if so is it accurate and reliable on its stated loads?

With v best wishes
 
Hi all.

I'm new to reloading and need a published load for a 257 Roberts with N150 and Nosler Etip 100gr bullet.
The only source I can find is XXL Reloading. I also have GRT.

Does anyone use XXL reloading and if so is it accurate and reliable on its stated loads?

With v best wishes
Buy a reloading book, nosler, barnes, hogdon will all have data for the 257
 
I have Nosler data but they dont have a load for n150
It probably won’t because it’s US low data with US calibres which the 257 is, and the 257 is not a popular European calibre, so they won’t be load data for it.

My advice would be find a load in your Nosler loading book with a powder at the same burn rate as N150, go for a middle of the road load and work your way up
 
XXL reloading is a useful tool to help you out when you are getting started.

Especially useful if you load different calibres. They will also provide new loads for bullets if requested. I requested some for Virtus ones and they did it in about 2 weeks. They cover a vast number of powders too.....more than outdated hard copies of manuals that you only need a page worth of data from ..but have to buy a big bloody book to get it.

Being German, XXL are conservative by nature so err on the cautious side.... so even their maximum loads are sometimes below what you will find in manufacturers manuals.... which isn't a bad thing.

For someone starting out a great repository of info on loads with different powders and all for less than £20 a year. The interface is a bit clunky and can take ages to load on a phone..... but you get what you need from it and can bookmark preferred loads.

Unlike hard copy manuals too...you can also tailor the data to barrel length....

Manuals often use something like 26 inch barrels for hunting loads so give data that isn't reflective of a 20 inch Tikka barrel.....

Once you feel comfortable with this resource, I'd recommend using Gordon's Reloading Tool as a (free) download and that will allow you to start tweaking loads using stuff from manuals or XXL reloading as the basis. But GRT is definitely aimed at someone who has got to grips with reloading basics and understands the process..... so only do it when you feel comfortable with what you are doing.
 
XXL reloading is a useful tool to help you out when you are getting started.

Especially useful if you load different calibres. They will also provide new loads for bullets if requested. I requested some for Virtus ones and they did it in about 2 weeks. They cover a vast number of powders too.....more than outdated hard copies of manuals that you only need a page worth of data from ..but have to buy a big bloody book to get it.

Being German, XXL are conservative by nature so err on the cautious side.... so even their maximum loads are sometimes below what you will find in manufacturers manuals.... which isn't a bad thing.

For someone starting out a great repository of info on loads with different powders and all for less than £20 a year. The interface is a bit clunky and can take ages to load on a phone..... but you get what you need from it and can bookmark preferred loads.

Unlike hard copy manuals too...you can also tailor the data to barrel length....

Manuals often use something like 26 inch barrels for hunting loads so give data that isn't reflective of a 20 inch Tikka barrel.....

Once you feel comfortable with this resource, I'd recommend using Gordon's Reloading Tool as a (free) download and that will allow you to start tweaking loads using stuff from manuals or XXL reloading as the basis. But GRT is definitely aimed at someone who has got to grips with reloading basics and understands the process..... so only do it when you feel comfortable with what you are doing.
Much appreciated, thank you
 
is it accurate and reliable on its stated loads?

There are so many variables at play that the answer is probably no for your combination of brass, primer, chamber/throat, temperature, etc etc. That said, as others have said they are very likely to be on the conservative side but as always you should start at or near the minimum and work up to the point where you either get what you need or you start seeing signs of pressure. This might be below the maximum published!

GRT is great but very much a "Garbage In, Garbage Out" sort of tool. You need to look at the little rating graph by the side of the powder in the database to decide how reliable or not the output might be and behave accordingly - while being cautious and conservative at all times by starting low and working up. If you don't get a strong correlation between GRT and reality then you can start to look for what needs correcting. Doing that at low loads gives you an acceptable safety margin.
 
Much appreciated, thank you
XXL reloading gives low starting points too..... so you have a range of charges to work from....and also provides pressures. They are close to GRT and also the P-Max internal ballistics ranges ...... so pretty comfortable with it as a point of reference.

Plus I still have all my fingers after reloading 4 calibres so far off its data.....🙂.
 
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