Rifle Loading Question-Substitute bullets.

[cowboyup]

Question on reloading, please.

Looking at reloading info for a particular rifle cartridge, can you substitue another brand bullet even if its not shown?

For example, a particular load table might say 22 grains of abc powder with a 120 grain nosler BT. Can I simply substitute a 120 SMK even if the book does not say smk?

Thanks

[Fjold]

Yes if the 22 grains is not a maximum load. If the range of weight of the powder charge is starting load of 20 grains with a maximum load of 22 grains then I would substitute the bullets at a starting load of 20 grains and work my way up in .2-.3 grain increments.

[1859sharps]

my 2cents is as long as the bullet is practically the same, go for it.

example

hornady 55gr fmjbt
sierra 55gr fmjbt
winchester 55gr fmjbt

I treat them all the same.

I personally would not treat a 55gr fmj and a 55 grn softpoint the same. I would go back to square one and work up similar to what cowboyup describes. but this is just me. I prefer to be over cautious when it comes to reloading until I KNOW a change in a particular component verses the load book does not matter.

whatever you choose... be careful and it never hurts to double check here or call one of the manufacture support lines before actually doing something.

I like to suggest sierra because it's free and they don't require you only ask about sierra products.

[old-trapper]

you have to be careful. Because bullets are diffrent shapes they vary in the amount of contact area to the barrel. Sciroccos and barnes are famous for this. For instance a barnes bullet of the same grain as a sierra bullet is much bigger. the sierra is lead and the barnes is copper so it takes more copper to get to that weight so therfore more drag surface. Also not all copper is the same hardness so the size, weight and hardness all come into play. Be safe and try to get info for the bullets you are using. most places have at least a few recipies online for their bullets.

[Hans Gruber]

Minimum load data is pretty much interchangeable for bullets of similar weights/features from what I've gathered. Max load is pretty much arbitrary number for every round and every rifle so it's almost meaningless.

Do your own workups starting with a minimum from a similar projectile and you'll do ok

[Beelzy]

NO!

Bullets can differ in shape, and a significant difference in bullet ogive can
change a load dramatically.

[Fjold]

NO!

Bullets can differ in shape, and a significant difference in bullet ogive can
change a load dramatically.

BS!

That's how reloading is done. The reloading data in the manuals are guidelines not recipes. You substitute different brands of primers, case, bullets(of the same weight) and begin at the starting loads listed in the manuals and work your way up.

That's why everyone says buy more than one manual so that you can compare load data when developing your loads. The manuals rarely if ever use the identical components as other reloading manuals.

[Beelzy]

BS!

That's how reloading is done. The reloading data in the manuals are guidelines not recipes. You substitute different brands of primers, case, bullets(of the same weight) and begin at the starting loads listed in the manuals and work your way up.

That's why everyone says buy more than one manual so that you can compare load data when developing your loads. The manuals rarely if ever use the identical components as other reloading manuals.

You say Tomato, I say Tomaato.