Reload data for bullets not in the book

[Mikhail2400]

How do you choose powder loads for bullets you cant find any data on? I have some 300 blackout 220 gr plated bullets I got from Everglades Ammo and the only data I can find in that caliber 220gr bullet is for a HPBT. Should I just use the HBPT data?

I also have some 300 BO 245gr RNFP hi-tek coated Missouri bullets from Brass and Bullet Hub which I cant find any data on. (actual scale weight is around 239gr) Does anyone have load data for these or a suggestion on how I should start these?

 

[greyling22]

Brand specific bullets are largely irrelevant to load data. You match your weight to your powder type. For example, if your load data says you can use 45 grains of powder X with a 150 grain bullet, it doesn't matter if that bullet is made by Sierra or Hornady or speer.
You can generally substitute in a lighter weight bullet for a heavier bullet without issue. For instance, if you find data for a 215 grain bullet, you can safely substitute in a 200 grain bullet which should yield a slightly lower chamber pressure and higher velocity. You cannot go the other way which would yield higher chamber pressure and lower velocity.

Is important to keep in mind that what a manufacturer posts is a recipe. You can typically make minor variations to the recipe, especially if you are not pushing a Max load. There's a lot of experimenting that is done in the reloading world. Using powders very close to each other on the burn rate charts, trying different weight bullets, it is not for the new or casual reloader, but people do it all the time. It is where load data for Wildcat cartridges come from

But to your point, I'd use the hpbt data IF you cannot find anything else. Check Sierra, alliant, hogdon, Hornady, any place that posts data. Then you can Google and see what people are posting as far as personal recipies. If they don't deviate much from the manufacturer data, they are likely fine, but use caution.

Plated bullets are more like lead bullets than they are jacketed bullets, but since it is a 200 grn blackout bullet, I assume you want subsonic velocities. You likely won't be running into dangerous pressure issues there, though I would caution you to check how those bullets perform without a can attached to firearm to make sure that they are stable and not going to Tumble and destroy your can. You may also run into cycling issues from a low-pressure round.

for your 240grn bullets, find the closest weight bullet data for your powder. it is likely 220grn, but you might get lucky and find 240 or 250. if you find those just use that data. if all you can find is 220, i'd take the starting load and reduce by 10-15% and see what happened. But that's just me. It's your face, fingers, and eyes.

PS: if you post a powder and firearm type, you might get pointed to some load data.

 

[Mikhail2400]

Brand specific bullets are largely irrelevant to load data. You match your weight to your powder type. For example, if your load data says you can use 45 grains of powder X with a 150 grain bullet, it doesn't matter if that bullet is made by Sierra or Hornady or speer.
You can generally substitute in a lighter weight bullet for a heavier bullet without issue. For instance, if you find data for a 215 grain bullet, you can safely substitute in a 200 grain bullet which should yield a slightly lower chamber pressure and higher velocity. You cannot go the other way which would yield higher chamber pressure and lower velocity.

Is important to keep in mind that what a manufacturer posts is a recipe. You can typically make minor variations to the recipe, especially if you are not pushing a Max load. There's a lot of experimenting that is done in the reloading world. Using powders very close to each other on the burn rate charts, trying different weight bullets, it is not for the new or casual reloader, but people do it all the time. It is where load data for Wildcat cartridges come from

But to your point, I'd use the hpbt data IF you cannot find anything else. Check Sierra, alliant, hogdon, Hornady, any place that posts data. Then you can Google and see what people are posting as far as personal recipies. If they don't deviate much from the manufacturer data, they are likely fine, but use caution.

Plated bullets are more like lead bullets than they are jacketed bullets, bib since it is a 200 grn blackout bullet, I assume you want subsonic velocities. You likely won't be running into dangerous pressure issues there, though I would caution you to check how those bullets perform without a can attached to firearm to make sure that they are stable and not going to Tumble and destroy your can. You may also run into cycling issues from a low-pressure round.

for your 240grn bullets, find the closest weight bullet data for your powder. it is likely 220grn, but you might get lucky and find 240 or 250. if you find those just use that data. if all you can find is 220, i'd take the starting load and reduce by 10-15% and see what happened. But that's just me. It's your face, fingers, and eyes.

PS: if you post a powder and firearm type, you might get pointed to some load data.

Thank you very much for your reply. It was exactly what I needed to know. What you said is basically how I thought I should handle the issue but being new to reloading I had very little confidence in my decisions. Anyways now I can get on with some test rounds

 

[greyling22]

Fwiw, I was unable to get heavy lead subsonic bullets to run in my blackout sbr ar. And I still don't know why.

 

[FROGO207]

Plated bullets, like lead have a speed limit. The manufacturer will generally give you what it ts. When you get to loading a handgun the difference in plain jacketed and FMJ will be because of the cavity causing the bullet to be pushed into the smaller case more and an equivalent charge of powder would raise pressure, in a rifle not so much of a problem. Always make sure your round fits the magazine, feeds, and plunks in the barrel. Then work up the load.

 

[AJC1]

I would focus on case volume and oal. A BT takes up less case volume than a flat base. With heavy bullets 200 grain class I doubt you could overdrive the bullet no matter what you did. Unless it was specifically designed for 300bo those bullets were designed for guns like the 300rum or 300winmag. Find data close of the same material and you should be fine.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

Fwiw, I was unable to get heavy lead subsonic bullets to run in my blackout sbr ar. And I still don't know why.

What's your gas port length?
The 300BO gets a bad rap for cycling IMO but that's because it runs such a wide variance of proj weights.
Typically I run a really heavy buffer like an H3 with a weak buffer spring, then an adjustable gas block starting low and then adjusting up until it just does cycle, then up one more click.

To the OP, be very cautious with your powder types when running 220g 300BO, most powders will be a compressed load, with an even heavier (longer) projectile and a max COAL you could be running "too" compressed.
Try the 300BO forum, I found some really comprehensive load data combos on pdf from that site.

 

[greyling22]

What's your gas port length?
The 300BO gets a bad rap for cycling IMO but that's because it runs such a wide variance of proj weights.
Typically I run a really heavy buffer like an H3 with a weak buffer spring, then an adjustable gas block starting low and then adjusting up until it just does cycle, then up one more click.

To the OP, be very cautious with your powder types when running 220g 300BO, most powders will be a compressed load, with an even heavier (longer) projectile and a max COAL you could be running "too" compressed.
Try the 300BO forum, I found some really comprehensive load data combos on pdf from that site.

8" barrel, pistol gas system, carbine buffer, superlative gas block. I think it was just the bullet profile I was using. https://www.brazosprecision.com/300...vel-BaseNo-Groove-481ct-01273bullet_p_67.html I tried seating them long, short, loading them hot or light, played with teh gas settings and the buffer weight. I just couldn't get them to feed. I even had the guys who made them send me a few of their reloads that ran in their guns, and they choked on my rifle too. It runs jacketed bullets great, and even runs the lee 150grn rnfp fine. I don't know why it hates that bullet so much.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

8" barrel, pistol gas system, carbine buffer, superlative gas block. I think it was just the bullet profile I was using. https://www.brazosprecision.com/300...vel-BaseNo-Groove-481ct-01273bullet_p_67.html I tried seating them long, short, loading them hot or light, played with teh gas settings and the buffer weight. I just couldn't get them to feed. I even had the guys who made them send me a few of their reloads that ran in their guns, and they choked on my rifle too. It runs jacketed bullets great, and even runs the lee 150grn rnfp fine. I don't know why it hates that bullet so much.

Wow that is odd. I might have tried some blue Dykem on the projectile and cycled it a few times to see if it was a ramp issue, otherwise I dunno.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I have a library of books by my bench. Lymans 3rd and 4th cast,Lymans 50th. Hornady's latest and Speers and an older Speer book too. I have actual Hodgen book. Not a paper pamphlet style. And 2 different Nosler books. The more data sources you have on hand. The better your reloading experience will be. It's good to check data against 2 different sources too. And the Lee one. Forgot to mention it.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

I have a library of books by my bench. Lymans 3rd and 4th cast,Lymans 50th. Hornady's latest and Speers and an older Speer book too. I have actual Hodgen book. Not a paper pamphlet style. And 2 different Nosler books. The more data sources you have on hand. The better your reloading experience will be. It's good to check data against 2 different sources too.

Isn't it an old ancient Chinese proverb that says "Give a man a watch and he'll know what time it is, give him 2 watches and he'll never know what time it is."
Maybe it was Mark Twain. Could even have been Johnny Carson.

 

[dgod]

I found these on load data: Good Luck..

 

[WestKentucky]

Email the makers. Especially the powder makers. Tell them what you have, and they probably have data that didn’t find its way into a manual.

 

[AJC1]

Email the makers. Especially the powder makers. Tell them what you have, and they probably have data that didn’t find its way into a manual.

I know this is true for ramshot powders, most likely true for more. I got a hunter load for 6.5×55 that was not listed at the time.

 

[Mikhail2400]

I love this site and how helpful everyone is. I followed the advice from the posts above and so far everything is doing fine. I loaded up 10 rounds with the 220 grain plated bullets using the recommended powder loads from the 220gr HPBT data. Rifle cycled perfectly, I had no flyers and the fired brass looked just fine afterwards. I havnt gotten to the Missouri Hi-Tek 245gr coated bullets yet and I think ill take another piece of advice and email Accurate powders for their thoughts. I like the 220 plated bullets and will likely buy more since the price wasnt bad at 250 rounds for $99.

Heres the load data.
220gr Plated bullets 10.7gr of Accurate 5744 Winchester SR Primers LC 223 brass remade into 300BO