Pooner_SW Posted September 4, 2019 Report Share Posted September 4, 2019 Hello Everyone, New to the forums and new to reloading so hoping someone can help I have just reloaded my first batch of 87Gr V-Max @ Min Load of 42.2Gr and it went quite well I have to say (I hope anyway) According to the Hornady Reloading Manual, I have 42.2Gr starting load and a max load of 45.5Gr of RL19 However, in the Lee Manual and with the Lee Dippers it states I should reduce my max pressure loads by 10%. So, please feel free to correct me if i'm wrong but 45.5 - 10% = 40.95 40.95Gr is obviously lower than the 42.2Gr Starting Load in the Hornady Manual It would be really helpful if anyone could shed some light on this... Poon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted September 4, 2019 Report Share Posted September 4, 2019 2 hours ago, Pooner_SW said: Hello Everyone, New to the forums and new to reloading so hoping someone can help I have just reloaded my first batch of 87Gr V-Max @ Min Load of 42.2Gr and it went quite well I have to say (I hope anyway) According to the Hornady Reloading Manual, I have 42.2Gr starting load and a max load of 45.5Gr of RL19 However, in the Lee Manual and with the Lee Dippers it states I should reduce my max pressure loads by 10%. So, please feel free to correct me if i'm wrong but 45.5 - 10% = 40.95 40.95Gr is obviously lower than the 42.2Gr Starting Load in the Hornady Manual It would be really helpful if anyone could shed some light on this... Poon The dippers arent accurate enough to do proper measured loads, hence recommending to be 10% below to be extra safe. Buy a scale and then follow the manual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted September 4, 2019 Report Share Posted September 4, 2019 Lee powder measures always give under the weight stated for them and their loading data is always very cautious. This I can only presume is intentional on their part. Get some scales and a trickler, don't try to do it blind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benthejockey Posted September 4, 2019 Report Share Posted September 4, 2019 Having been a huge advocate of the dipper until recently I'd say get some scales and do it properly. I'd never had any trouble up until this last batch using barnes 67g Varmint grenades and a dipper full of H4895. However this last batch accuracy went to ****. And then when checking and adjusting zero I had an issue where I got blow back and couldn't lift the bolt after firing. Not just a stiff bolt an actual stuck bolt. I got it sorted - it required a hammer! - and the rifle checked over and changed my nappy and I'm using factory ammo again. I'd had what I believe is a flash fire. The charge is conservative to say the least, the primer ignites the powder but because it's a light load the flame travels straight over the top of the gun powder rather than a consistent burn from back to front. The flash causes a massive pressure spike similar to an over charge. At best you poo yourself at worst you blow the gun up and hurt yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooner_SW Posted September 4, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2019 2 hours ago, Lloyd90 said: The dippers arent accurate enough to do proper measured loads, hence recommending to be 10% below to be extra safe. Buy a scale and then follow the manual. Evening all, Thanks for the answers btw, Yeah, I wasn't too sure on the accuracy of the dipper so did buy a scale to confirm weights. I used 42.2gr as per the min charge in the Hornady Load Data rather than a 10% reduction as Lee stated. Again, being new to reloading I didnt want to use a load that was too light as that has it's own issues - so I have read anyway. The 10% figure was making me doubt the Hornady load data!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooner_SW Posted September 4, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2019 10 minutes ago, Benthejockey said: Having been a huge advocate of the dipper until recently I'd say get some scales and do it properly. I'd never had any trouble up until this last batch using barnes 67g Varmint grenades and a dipper full of H4895. However this last batch accuracy went to ****. And then when checking and adjusting zero I had an issue where I got blow back and couldn't lift the bolt after firing. Not just a stiff bolt an actual stuck bolt. I got it sorted - it required a hammer! - and the rifle checked over and changed my nappy and I'm using factory ammo again. I'd had what I believe is a flash fire. The charge is conservative to say the least, the primer ignites the powder but because it's a light load the flame travels straight over the top of the gun powder rather than a consistent burn from back to front. The flash causes a massive pressure spike similar to an over charge. At best you poo yourself at worst you blow the gun up and hurt yourself. Hmm, not a nice sight at the range in either instance...thanks for explaining the issues a light load may give. Definitely not a situation anyone wants to be in!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
super sharp shooter Posted September 5, 2019 Report Share Posted September 5, 2019 Just wondering why you decided to use RL19. It looks like there isn’t much room for adjustment on the powder side of things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooner_SW Posted September 5, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2019 1 minute ago, super sharp shooter said: Just wondering why you decided to use RL19. It looks like there isn’t much room for adjustment on the powder side of things. Yeah I know, I originally decided (after much deliberation) to use Sierra TGK 90Gr Bullet Heads which I ordered a box off from Mc'Avoy Guns. RL19 gave me the best spread of charges when combined with that particular Bullet Head, so i went and purchased some RL19 in preparation only to then get an email from Mc'Avoy that they had run out of the 90Gr TGK's and would ship them when they come back in stock (Hopefully next week). So I took a trip to my local RFD who didnt have the greatest selection of Bullet Heads of a similar weight. Hence the Hornady 87Gr V-max @ £24.00 for 100. Although not the greatest room for adjustment on the powder. I had the Load Data so could make RL19 work with both Bullets I originally wanted to use a Hodgdon Powder but according to my local RFD that isn't available in the UK anymore? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
super sharp shooter Posted September 5, 2019 Report Share Posted September 5, 2019 Yes that’s a fair point. I use chit 140 and that gives me great results on 87 vmax and I also can use it in my 22.250 & 204 so very versatile and saves having different tubs of powder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted September 6, 2019 Report Share Posted September 6, 2019 Where about are you in Cornwall? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooner_SW Posted September 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2019 42 minutes ago, Vince Green said: Where about are you in Cornwall? In the Helston/Camborne Area for my sins!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted September 6, 2019 Report Share Posted September 6, 2019 Oh right down there, yes I can imagine you do get a bit of a supply problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooner_SW Posted September 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2019 6 hours ago, Vince Green said: Oh right down there, yes I can imagine you do get a bit of a supply problem. yep, nearly as far South as you can go..theres a couple of decent RFD's within an hour of me but nothing major. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted September 15, 2019 Report Share Posted September 15, 2019 On 06/09/2019 at 16:14, Pooner_SW said: yep, nearly as far South as you can go..theres a couple of decent RFD's within an hour of me but nothing major. We have a place in St Ozzle, and I travel back and forwards regularly now so I was going to say I could get stuff down to you but we are still a long way away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted September 15, 2019 Report Share Posted September 15, 2019 My Fifth Edition Hornady manual list 9 loads as being compatible and excellent performers in the 243 Win with the 87g V Max and one of those is RE 19. It gives a max as 45gr and 42.2 gr is just above halfway down the load suggestions and is producing 2900fps at muzzle. I would check that load out for accuracy and if it is shooting sub moa then stick with it because the fox/roe/muntie will not notice it was RE19 or a couple of hundred fps below max. It does not list 42.2 as the minimum and after 40yrs of loading for a dozen different calibres then 10% below the listed maximum has always been the safety suggestion. Very often a slower load will provide you with better accuracy and that is what counts, not how many primers you can flatten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooner_SW Posted September 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2019 On 15/09/2019 at 19:22, Vince Green said: We have a place in St Ozzle, and I travel back and forwards regularly now so I was going to say I could get stuff down to you but we are still a long way away. Ahh I see...thanks for the offer though!! I'm driving past sportsmans in exeter tomorrow PM so am gonna have a gander in there On 15/09/2019 at 20:41, Walker570 said: My Fifth Edition Hornady manual list 9 loads as being compatible and excellent performers in the 243 Win with the 87g V Max and one of those is RE 19. It gives a max as 45gr and 42.2 gr is just above halfway down the load suggestions and is producing 2900fps at muzzle. I would check that load out for accuracy and if it is shooting sub moa then stick with it because the fox/roe/muntie will not notice it was RE19 or a couple of hundred fps below max. It does not list 42.2 as the minimum and after 40yrs of loading for a dozen different calibres then 10% below the listed maximum has always been the safety suggestion. Very often a slower load will provide you with better accuracy and that is what counts, not how many primers you can flatten. Thays my thinking regards the slower loads. Hornady 10th give 42.2 as the starting load for some reason. I am obviously no expert but I suppose there may have been a spec change somewhere between the 2 publications. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted September 17, 2019 Report Share Posted September 17, 2019 (edited) Generally, the trend is that the older editions of American loading manuals gave out higher loads than the newer editions purely because they have become more risk adverse but you can find quite a variation between say the Hornady and the sierra manuals sometimes. It can be very confusing. My first place to look is always the powder manufacturers tables, in your case Alliant to see what they say But as Walker570 said mid table loads are almost always more accurate (and cheaper, don't forget cheaper) Edited September 17, 2019 by Vince Green Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welshwarrior Posted September 25, 2019 Report Share Posted September 25, 2019 Load data is always ultra safe from some sources. -10% is generally safe number to work from but if a book minimum is listed I’d use that. I can remember checking a 308 Norma Magnum load against 2 good manuals the minimum load in one was the same as the max load in the other! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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