Speer Manual- significance of order?

[Patocazador]

The Nosler manual lists the most accurate rounds. This is helpful to me. However, the Speer manual doesn't seem to have any rhyme or reason to the order of their loads. The first one has a lower velocity noted in many cases than the ones that follow.

Is there any significance to the order of the loads posted by Speer?

 

[climbnjump]

The first one has a lower velocity noted in many cases than the ones that follow.

Is there any significance to the order of the loads posted by Speer?

Yeah, actually there is a significance. They list their loads by "maximum charge" velocity, so you have to look at the right hand column to understand. The velocities in that column are always in descending order.

What you are referring to is the fact that the left hand column - the start load column - does have higher velocities in some lower down entries.

 

[Hokie_PhD]

I wouldn’t hold much faith in which load is “most accurate” as that’s what the tester find in THEIR GUN. Is yours exactly the same? I’m betting NO

I just just the loads as guidelines to pick what I’m going to try, from there working up loads and resting is part of the process to find what works best for you and YOUR GUNS.

 

[Tony k]

And Hornady appears to list them in order of burn rate.

 

[Patocazador]

I wouldn’t hold much faith in which load is “most accurate” as that’s what the tester find in THEIR GUN. Is yours exactly the same? I’m betting NO

I just just the loads as guidelines to pick what I’m going to try, from there working up loads and resting is part of the process to find what works best for you and YOUR GUNS.

I have found that Nosler's 'most accurate' load is a good spot to start. The powder charge is seldom the most accurate in my guns but the brand of powder often is the one that gives me the best results. Most of my accurate loads are 1/2 to 1 grain higher than Nosler's.

I have found that most of the combos given in the Hornady manual are not good loads in my rifles. I usually don't pay any attention to their loads unless they are for calibers not shown in the other manuals.

 

[sage5907]

I must be missing something here. I have most of the Speer manuals up through #13. For the cartridges that I load, 25-06, 270 Winchester, 30-06 etc, the upper left load always has the highest velocity and the loads go in descending velocity order with the lowest velocity on the lower right.

 

[X-Ring]

It seems that generally Speer list the highest velocity first and descending velocities from there, but there are many exceptions. So it is not a stead fast rule.

 

[climbnjump]

I must be missing something here. I have most of the Speer manuals up through #13. For the cartridges that I load, 25-06, 270 Winchester, 30-06 etc, the upper left load always has the highest velocity and the loads go in descending velocity order with the lowest velocity on the lower right.

Yep, they changed their format for manual #14 - which is the one I referenced above. Since that's the newest, I was assuming that was the one the OP was referring to, but perhaps not...

For an example of the #14 data layout, you can check this: http://www.speer-bullets.com/pdf/308Win_165gr_2027_DC_DataFile.pdf
http://www.speer-bullets.com/pdf/308Win_165gr_2027_DC_DataFile.pdf
You can see that the powders are ordered starting with the highest max charge velocity and are in descending order from there.

For those that might have the #14 manual, the explanation of the ordering can be found on page 177.

 

[Patocazador]

I happened to be looking at an old one (#10). The books add and subtract calibers in each issue. I suppose that's due to popularity of the cartridge.
I looked in #13 and it is ordered according to velocity.
The newer books also have been lawyer-proofed so the charges are lower. Another difference is the old books use actual rifles/pistols instead of test barrels. This makes those loads more relevant for my use.

 

[Jack B.]

I only use manuals to get basic load data. Components , minimum and maximum charges , seating depth and COAL. Then I start testing different loads to find the best for my rifles and guns. It's really satisfying to find an accurate load that you worked up yourself.

 

[Nature Boy]

I have found that Nosler's 'most accurate' load is a good spot to start.

Same here. I have accurate loads across several calibers and rifles that have corresponded with both Nosler and Sierra's "accuracy load"

May be luck, may not be

 

[Varminterror]

I'm more like @Jack B. - I take the data in the books under advisement, but generally only consider anything from the books as a starting point. The accuracy loads from different books usually aren't an accident, they'll typically find themselves with a max or near max load in a node for most barrels, but that's not always a guarantee.

I'll also admit, I've given up on burning out half of my barrel life in trying different bullets, powders, and loads. Half of the time I don't even start at the starting load, because I know I won't ever load so slowly. If it doesn't shoot well in the top half of its charge range, I'd rather shoot a different powder which does.