Have a question about manufacture ammo...

Are we talkin' Norma or Weakchester?

I guess it varies based on the performance specs sought after, the powders/components used and SAAMI / CIP specs for pressures of that particular round.

(as an example) I notice that most large ammo makers have close velocity/energy specs for 150 and 170 gr .30-30 ammo, so I'll guess that these makers are all loading their .30-30 ammo with powder charges that are similar across the board to achieve the similar performance. (Of course the numbers are all inflated with 24" barrel velocity readings, but that's another story.)

Smaller makers can tinker and offer ammo that goes beyond what the big boys do... but you'll pay more for the privilege .

Stay safe.

Proud Rebel said:

Thanks, I have 3 already and was just wondering if they loaded with the proper grains per charge and bullet weight which would be factored in...

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Howdy Proud Rebel,

as JohnKSa already pointed out you just need to dismiss any information regarding the powder charge you might gain from torn apart factory ammo.

To load a cartridge you need to get into unison the whole package of information/ data:
COAL
crimp measurements, for both case body and case mouth
bullet weight, shape and materiel
type of powder
weight of powder charge
type of primer
case manufacturer

You need to handle EVERY SINGLE ONE of these data as if you were building your loads from scratch...because this ist exactly what you do.
You have to do this thoroughly to get sensible results and avoid damage to gear and people.

Going through your reloading manuals is the best way to get an understanding of the importance of all components you need to manage.

Lots of success...and patience... to you!

Carsten

Large companies use what's called DATA powder. They buy a lot of powder and then their lab works up data for that powder for whatever cartridge they are going to load it in.

Reloaders use CANISTER powder. This is powder that has been blended to meet specific goals. Canister powder generally doesn't vary more than 10% per lot. Actually it's usually a lot closer than that.

Trying to base YOUR handloads against factory ammo is a fools errand. The one company that you might be able to duplicate is Hornady. On certain cartridges they provide info on the box to allow you to duplicate the load.

Unless you know which powder they used knowing how much they used is worthless information. And in many cases the powder they use isn't available to the public. You're approaching this all wrong.

Here is my advice. Tell us what cartridge you're loading for and what you want to do with it. Are you going to deer hunt, elk hunt, bear hunt, or is it only for target shooting. Do you expect to keep all shots under 200 yards, or do you have the skills to hit game much farther.

Lots of people here will be happy to tell you what works for them. I wouldn't advise blindly duplicating load data you pick up on the internet, but you will see trends where a lot of people are getting good results with X amount of brand Y powder shooting brand Z bullet. That would be a good place to start. I'd verify that load in a manual and start at the low and work up the powder charges others are using.

This is where I think a chronograph helps. If most standard factory loads are getting 2800 fps with a 150 gr bullet then finding a load near 2800 fps with good accuracy would be my goal.

And even then you have to consider some things. There are some 100+ year old rifles out there. In some cartridges most factory loads are going to be loaded very conservatively in case they end up in an older rifle. If you have a modern rifle in that cartridge it is quite safe to load up to the max listed in the load manual.

From your description I get the impression you may be new to reloading. Read ABCs of Reloading and a couple manuals, then either take an NRA class or work with someone who already has experience.

A quick browse of any reloading recipes will show multiple possible powders all with different weight ranges. Manufacturers are building ammo to a spec of pressure and velocity which really isn't directly relatable to our reloading process. Always follow a book recipe for your specific components and use caution when approaching maximum loads. Start with the minimum/starting loads and see what happens before moving up the charge weights. We don't have equipment to read pressure and traditional signs may not appear before a blow up so it's not a good idea to go over max even if it seems to look ok.

Proud Rebel said:

Thanks to all for the info, I've been reloading for about six months now and I'm still learning alot from other loaders as well. I have three manuals and they are spot on with the loads, powder and bullets that I use. Again thanks to all you who replied, if there is anything i need more to know, I can count on y'all!!!!!!!

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I hope you load some nice rounds, be sure to make a thread in the reloading section and let us know how you do.

jmr40 said:

This is where I think a chronograph helps. If most standard factory loads are getting 2800 fps with a 150 gr bullet then finding a load near 2800 fps with good accuracy would be my goal.

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This is how I develop my carry loads. For my P365, I found it likes the 147gr XTPs, so I looked up Hornady's specs for their defensive load; 975 fps. I then looked up a load that gives me 975 fps and use that.

I'll do the same for the Speer Gold Dots. I figure the manufacturers have done all of the testing and research to maximize their bullet's performance, so I just get my load to go the same speed using the same bullet.