What did you reload today?

[27hand]

W296 and H110 are the exact same powder. They are just marketed with a different label and there are reports that they can even have the same lot number. If there is a difference in the book loads it is just do the the particular lot of powder they were testing. I would mix both together and work up one load. In this case you are not mixing different powders (which is dangerous). You are just blending different lots of the same powder together which is what powder companies do before they put it in the can.

There is not much working up you can do with these powders since they need to get to a certain pressure to burn safely. They are meant to be loaded at max and the older reloading manuals cautioned about loading them lower than 3% of max. Curiously most of the new reloading manuals got lawyered up and their max load is under the previous minimum safe load. If you actually chrony these loads I am sure you will see you are way under in velocity with a large velocity spread. Famous lasts words but you can't fit enough W296 / H110 in a .44 mag case to be dangerous. If the charge fits in the case and it is not outrageously compressed that is the load you want and this is usually the load specified in the older manuals. Sometimes you can't even fit as much powder as the older manual shows. Do not attempt to load anything but max with W296 and H110. If you want reduced loads get another powder.

But of course research this yourself for a reality check.

Thanks.
I was aware they were listed as the same powder but saw many loadings vary by a grain between them.

The Speer #10 lists a max load of 24.7gr of 296 whereas the #14 drops down to 24.0 gr of the same powder ( 240 gr bullet).

I often wondered why the difference in charges when 296 and H110 are the same.

It'll be interesting to see how close 110 and 296 chrony as they should be the same or close depending on lot #s

I'll be running these thru my 20 inch Henry.

I also have 4227 and 700x or A#9 for the lead. Not sure what I'll try yet for that bullet.

[Walleye Hunter]

I might be slow but at least I ain't stopped (yet) and I still have all of my appendages. Here's results from today's mini-ladder of .338 WINMAG at 100 yds. I didn't think it could happen but my shoulder seems to be adjusting to the use. After finishing a test load, I adjusted the scope to bring it in towards zero with the next load. These are 69, 69.5 and 70 grain loads of IMR 4831 with Hornady 225 grain bullets. I am not an avid shooter so there is likely some improvement shown on my part, as well as from the loads but that 70 gr load is hard to argue with. I'm thinking I should do another ladder, starting with a trio of 70s and working up from there in 1/2 gr increments. If I find a spot where they level out, then load smaller increments between the two. Any help is appreciated.

6 6 22 338 Data.jpg

6 6 22 338 69 gr.jpg

6 6 22 338 69.5 gr.jpg

6 6 22 338 70 gr.jpg

[Delkal]

I might be slow but at least I ain't stopped (yet) and I still have all of my appendages. Here's results from today's mini-ladder of .338 WINMAG at 100 yds. I didn't think it could happen but my shoulder seems to be adjusting to the use. After finishing a test load, I adjusted the scope to bring it in towards zero with the next load. These are 69, 69.5 and 70 grain loads of IMR 4831 with Hornady 225 grain bullets. I am not an avid shooter so there is likely some improvement shown on my part, as well as from the loads but that 70 gr load is hard to argue with. I'm thinking I should do another ladder, starting with a trio of 70s and working up from there in 1/2 gr increments. If I find a spot where they level out, then load smaller increments between the two. Any help is appreciated.

6 6 22 338 Data.jpg

6 6 22 338 69 gr.jpg

6 6 22 338 69.5 gr.jpg

6 6 22 338 70 gr.jpg

I hate to say this but those are poor groups and you can't tell anything about a load from them. Does your rifle have a scope? If it does use a 1 inch target at 100 yards, shoot from a rest (or sandbags) and concentrate on hitting the little spot.

I am sure you and your rifle can do a lot better than that so stop blasting away at a full silhouette target. Even the red "bullseye" of your target is much larger than the groups you should be getting so use a smaller place to aim at. I can only imagine a .338 would be uncomfortable and it would be difficult to shoot more than a few rounds without starting to flinch, but use a smaller target, relax and think Zen thoughts and leave a lot of time between shots.

Just curious. How many rounds did you shoot in one sitting and did your groups get larger with the later loads? Everyone has difficulty shooting something that hurts.

[85MikeTPI]

I won't be that harsh, but to point out (again?) that OCW or 10-shot nodes are known theories that work and I don't know what you were after with this testing..

http://www.65guys.com/10-round-load-...t-ladder-test/

If you are just zeroing the scope, I'm not sure why the different charge weights. If you were searching for a node, there's not enough data and there's no reason to touch the scope.

[Walleye Hunter]

Before I focus on dialing in the scope, I am looking for groups. I shot those targets in the order they are posted and it looks to me like there was improvement, particularly with the third target. I am first looking for a load that makes the best groups, then put them in the bullseye. I used the big targets because I wasn't even on paper last time out with a small target. I agree that I would like to see one hole at this distance and I am working on the flinching and improving at that. I have three loads there and the first two look low and left to me so I clicked the scope a little high and right and by the looks of that last target, I am headed in the right direction. Being new to all of this, I am still learning. I agree that now that I'm on target, a smaller one is in order.

[Delkal]

My post wasn't to second guess your ability to shoot and it was just from my personal experience from no liking to get beat up. The third group definitely is the best so shooting that last is encouraging. Are you close to max or way under? Magnum cartridges like to be run hot so if you are way under max with a slow powder that can give erratic velocities and larger groups. Now that you are on the paper the rest of your load development should be close. Print out a 1 inch target on a regular sheet of paper. and try your groups again.

[Walleye Hunter]

My post wasn't to second guess your ability to shoot and it was just from my personal experience from no liking to get beat up. The third group definitely is the best so shooting that last is encouraging. Are you close to max or way under? Magnum cartridges like to be run hot so if you are way under max with a slow powder that can give erratic velocities and larger groups. Now that you are on the paper the rest of your load development should be close. Print out a 1 inch target on a regular sheet of paper. and try your groups again.

I am a few grains below max yet and will move to a smaller target. Thanks. Being new to reloading and these being magnum rounds, I'm going to take baby steps and if I see my groups start to expand, I'll stop there.

[85MikeTPI]

IMG_2780 copy.jpg

I picked up 1000 pulled 205gr .308 Sig Expanding subsonic projectiles and gel tested them in 300blackout loads. The retained weight was 178gr (1100fps) and it shed copper all along it's 26" journey through the gel.

I've loaded another 100 rounds to keep with my SHTF kit in case location give-a-way is an issue..

[27hand]

I loaded 50 .44 mags using H110 (24.8 gr) under 240gr Hdy XTPs for my Henry. I also trimmed another 375 .44 mag cases although I only bought 200 more XTPs.

I pulled some 7mm mag bullets ( 175gr ) and neck sized the brass. I'll load those with 140gr Nosler ballistic tips. Not sure yet if Ill stay with IMR4350 or jump to RL23 since I found a few pounds of that. I also have to run some 131 gr Hammer Hunters with RL23 in 7mm mag

I resized some .300 winmag brass. They will get 165 Accubonds and 160gr Hammers.

I loaded some 30-30s ( 10 ) with Varget. The IMR4350 had me at about 18 to 1900 FPS.
with Speer 170gr Deep Curls.
I'll see what the Varget gives me.

[Noah_Zark]

Loaded another 20 45-60 cartridges with 12 gr Unique under an Evergreen copper plated 300 gr RNFP whose cannelure is just forward enough to crimp the case with the OAL just under the max. Cycles thru the Uberti 1876 clone fine. Previously I used Sierra 8900 300 gr jacketed RNHP, but I had to use a C-H tool to make a new cannelure 1/16" forward for crimping so that OAL was within limits. Tbose boolits shot fine offhand at 100 yds, and I'm anxious to try these Evergreen plated cast boolits at the range.

Also tore the 1876 clone apart and lubed the high contact force areas and points. Much smoother functioning now. I could sit all day and watch an 1873/1876 action being worked; like watching a little machine take a cylindrical object from one elevation and position it singly at another elevation, locking it in place. Which is exactly what it is and does.

Noah