Loading manual for commerical loads?

[sigma6]

I just picked up the lyman 49th edition. It has lots of info on cast bullet and hunting loads but not a lot of commercial target loads. The annual Hodgen manual has FMJ for pistol but only has WSF powder listed...

I am looking for the common loads like 115/124/147 FMJ and LRN/Plated. For rifle I would like to see 55/62/77gr and 150/168/17x.

Basically I know what bullets I want to use but I would like to see a variety of powders for each bullet.

[damndave]

My Lyman's 49th has those.

[sigma6]

Huh? I'm looking at PG 341 and its listed 95gr fmj, 115 JHP XTP, 125 JHP and 147 TMJ. The next page has the cast bullet listings. The only 55gr listed for 223 is a JSPT on page 138.

I leaning towards the Hornady manual since I'll probably go with hornady 115gr FMJ RN or sub it for a montana gold. On the rifle side im looking more the hornady 55gr .224 FMJBT and the 168gr AMAX. I just hope the manual has a bunch of different powders like CFE223, TAC and of course Varget all in 1 manual.

[BajaJames83]

Id look at the lee manual. They have a ton of load date. More then most others.
Many different powders, bullets etc.

[damndave]

You're right.

But for my 9mm, I use the info given for the JHP for my FMJ and works the same.

My personal fav is W231/HP38 for 9mm and 45acp.

[Dooder]

There is no one manual. Just have to get a few and cross reference because the same load in a different manual will be different as well.

Same loads change in different editions even. Hodgdon's web data base is grwat, ramshot has a great database as well. The more data the better.

[BajaJames83]

try this for some reference too

http://handloads.com/loaddata/default.asp?Caliber=38%20Special%20%20P&Weight=158&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=

[BenHa]

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

[stilly]

Id look at the lee manual. They have a ton of load date. More then most others.
Many different powders, bullets etc.

+1

_ Lee has been around since before Dinosaurs. In fact, IIRC, Lee made the first dinosaur round back in -1599832 BC. Also, because they did not have machines back in the day, they had to make their bullets and reloads with the lee loader that was back then made of stone because they had the time to do that sort of thing. Later on it caught on and people started asking them to make them out of metal, but anyways. After a while, William Shatner caught wind of it and pitched the idea to the network execs and they worked in a HUGE lee loader into one of the original Star Trek episodes where he fought some lizard on a planet and he loaded up with a mixture of HP-38 and sulphur and then use a giant rock. Typical Hollywood Execs that don't know anything had him fashion his cannon out of bamboo which we ALL know would never work and he would have had a Kaboom and a lot of splinters for Uhara to pick out... FWIW, I believe that Lee kept that same load on their loading book until the second edition because too many people did not get the reference and were mad because they had no idea what 1 part krillian sulphur was and kept complaining that the info was outdated. SO, Lee removed that load from the second manual printing, BUT, every other load that they have ever tested out was still kept in it. Snapple fact #412- That is THE only load that Lee EVER deleted from their manual. Later on Richard Lee came out and defended the choice to drop the load from the manual by claiming that by having that extra page in the book (Page 704) it was actually ONE page more then they could afford to have produced en masse (cause back when they were printing these they were being printed by hand and they needed 70,000 monks to complete it by the next month) and the monks they were using happened to be hard nosed Lucas Followers (they called themselves Monk Sand Traders of Tatooi or something) and they protested that there was a piece of Star Trek in a reloading manual when there was no reference to any laser blasters or calibers that Han Solo used when he needed to reload his rounds. So Lee just said to solve any headaches he would drop the load data for that and with that removed, it was a page less and the monks were happier that they would not get writer's cramp.

So you see what we learned here? Buy the Book of Lee (BoLee) and ONLY look at the loads that they have, they have a LOT more than lyman and others. Also, for you paragraph mongers. You see I found how to indent improperly? So shaddup before you start about my wall of text... I think it is impossible to indent properly here... Oh wait a sec. No, it is a PITA to indent properly...

[Cummins_Powered]

What bout using the manual put out by the manufacturer of the bullets you're using?

[stilly]

What bout using the manual put out by the manufacturer of the bullets you're using?

LoL.

He said PLATED...

[gemoose23]

I think the use of the word "commercial" is leading you astray. i.e. Winchester doesn't use XYZ Retail powder jugs, they use powder that is available in the boatload mixed to their specs, etc.

Reloading Manuals, Powder Mfg. Load data only show min and maxes, this is where the artistry in reloading. You get to produce ammo that works best in "your" firearms.

Use more than one source of reloading info if you are developing a load for your firearms, Powder Manufacturer websites are free.

Your Plated bullets will have a recommendation with them from their manufacturer.

For FMJ, TMJ, and JHP (using data available, interchangeably for a given Bullet weight) I would load to the powder minimums and develop a load from there.

Following this pattern for rifle, start out at the low end of the spectrum and work up a load for your rifles to achieve your goals. Both my Hornady and Sierra Manuals list powder data for a grouping of bullet weights. (As an alternative, I believe Hornady Superformance Ammo actually has their recipes listed, using their Hodgdon's Superformance and Hornady bullets and brass)

An example of interchangablity of powder rates for a given bullet grain, always start at the minimum and work up a load:

[stilly]

I think the use of the word "commercial" is leading you astray. i.e. Winchester doesn't use XYZ Retail powder jugs, they use powder that is available in the boatload mixed to their specs, etc.

Reloading Manuals, Powder Mfg. Load data only show min and maxes, this is where the artistry in reloading. You get to produce ammo that works best in "your" firearms.

Use more than one source of reloading info if you are developing a load for your firearms, Powder Manufacturer websites are free.

Your Plated bullets will have a recommendation with them from their manufacturer.

For FMJ, TMJ, and JHP (using data available, interchangeably for a given Bullet weight) I would load to the powder minimums and develop a load from there.

Following this pattern for rifle, start out at the low end of the spectrum and work up a load for your rifles to achieve your goals. Both my Hornady and Sierra Manuals list powder data for a grouping of bullet weights. (As an alternative, I believe Hornady Superformance Ammo actually has their recipes listed, using their Hodgdon's Superformance and Hornady bullets and brass)

An example of interchangablity of powder rates for a given bullet grain, always start at the minimum and work up a load:

Is that the Hornady book? 0o0o0o WANT WANT WANT!

[milw50717]

Is that the Hornady book? 0o0o0o WANT WANT WANT!

Yes, that is the Hornady book. One of my favourite reads

[GeoffLinder]

+1 to use several manuals. Almost all later revision manuals have plated data.

Bullet diameter and bullet type (Copper jacketed, Plated or cast lead) are what is important, not the profile/config (JHP, RN, SWC, etc...).

To dupe factory loads, just fire some factory ammo over a chronograph and get the velocity in your gun. Then use same or similar bullet construction and work the powder charge up until you have same velocity. Done!