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Post by seancass on Mar 11, 2015 11:25:03 GMT -5
When reloading ammo and shooting your favorite guns, do you load them to their horsepower potential or do you keep it mild?
By hot, I mean, essentially, whatever the H110/296 safe level is. I do not mean going beyond spec. Mild would be a middle weight bullet at 1000fps. Or do you prefer to go even lower?
I suspect many of use do a little of everything.
With 454, i run it around Magnum levels, something a little under max, but using H110. My 500JRH has been getting a steady diet of 440's at 1300-1350ish fps. Seems like a waste to have the power and not use it. I'll work up milder loads soon enough. My goal is accuracy not recoil. If i find a mild load that really works, I won't argue! Part of the reason for using heavy loads is conditioning to the recoil, trying to avoid a flinch.
With everything else, i definitely tend towards lighter loads. Even 90% of my 44 loads right now are Heavy special level, 1000-1200 fps, 250gr of lead.
Just curious what other people shoot most of the time.
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callshot
.327 Meteor
Living another day in the worlds largest playground
Posts: 780
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Post by callshot on Mar 11, 2015 12:37:39 GMT -5
Lighter loads most of the time.
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Post by bigbrowndog on Mar 11, 2015 12:59:19 GMT -5
I tend to shoot for 1200fps on working loads, no matter the bullet weight.(provided that level is safe and feasible). I do keep some guns and loads at the 1000fps level, my 3screw 357 with 220 gr bullets and a 3" 629 with 240 swc. The other guns that may have to shoot thru the south end of a north bound hog or deer, get very steady diets of 265-340gr bullets at 1200ish fps.
I prefer to go up in bullet weight than up in velocity, and have yet to need a "flatter" trajectory.
Trapr
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Post by magnumwheelman on Mar 11, 2015 13:04:29 GMT -5
depends on the guns & use... but in general I have a tendency to load between 80 - 85% of max loads... however I do have many guns that I load very light loads for, so long as they are accurate... I also use Trailboss a lot, so I still get good case fill volumes
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2015 13:33:59 GMT -5
I shoot mostly midrange loads. Not too light, and not too hot.
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Post by bigbores on Mar 11, 2015 14:00:13 GMT -5
Twenty years ago I maxed out everything I reloaded, my go to load for my 475L was 2 grains over max. Now days I want to find accurate loads but I sill like them to kick a little.
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Post by dougader on Mar 11, 2015 14:24:07 GMT -5
I work up close to max for my guns, and then load a box or two that way. Then I load some 3/4 power loads for my practice loads, but I also load up some real light "gallery" type loads for wife and daughter. That way, they can choose what load they're comfortable with when they shoot.
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Post by theoldredneck on Mar 11, 2015 14:40:59 GMT -5
I still load a few hot loads to have if I want them. Usually if I want to just shoot for the pleasure of shooting it will be regular or light loads. The smaller calibers under.44 are being shot more. The old 32 S&W long has been a favorite for a while now. When the reamers get here two Single Sixes will become convertibles in 22/25 acp,22/32S&W long and 17's on the same cases. Then a 25 acp. The heavy recoil big bores are just not as much fun as I get older.
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Post by sheriff on Mar 11, 2015 15:08:19 GMT -5
Usually middle of the road.....
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Post by sixshot on Mar 11, 2015 22:17:38 GMT -5
1. Accuracy 2. Heavy for caliber bullet 3. 1100-1200 fps 4. Complete penetration 5. Sharp knife
Dick
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Paden
.375 Atomic
Lower Goldstream Creek
Posts: 1,132
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Post by Paden on Mar 11, 2015 22:36:20 GMT -5
I load for accuracy and terminal performance. I've no use for gratuitous muzzle flash and recoil.
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Post by lscg on Mar 11, 2015 23:23:03 GMT -5
Accuracy is number one for me but if I can get Accuracy plus a fast velocity then that's even better.
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Post by Alaskan454 on Mar 25, 2016 15:23:12 GMT -5
I run the full spectrum in power but shoot mostly upper end loading of economy powder. After loading the 454 and 480 I've learned to appreciate Longshot for it's reasonably high velocity with half the powder charge of slower magnum powders. I also like to tinker with Trail Boss and Red Dot on occasion, they make for some great plinking loads!
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Post by savit260 on Mar 25, 2016 16:06:12 GMT -5
In .357 , 41 mag, and 44 mag, I usually load standard weight for caliber bullets in the 1000 to 1200fps range. In Smokeless 45 Colt I keep 'em more in the 850 to 950 neighborhood with a 250gr slug. Black Powder 45 Colts get filled up as much as I can and still seat the bullet. Sure, once in a while I'll load up some hot ones for giggles (exception is 45 Colt ), but on average I don't find beating myself up with heavy loads to be much fun.
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Post by zeus on Mar 25, 2016 16:09:48 GMT -5
Mainly 1100-1200 fps for 95% of my needs. I don't chase anything right now that requires more. I have a favorite load for my Casulls but even it hasn't been used in a Long time. For deer and such though, a 260 FA bullet at 1900 or so is fairly effective Most of my loads are heavier slugs at 1150 fps. Does everything I want and is easy on the gun and the shooter. Helps both last a long time. Typically, it is easy to find a sweet spot in the range Dick mentions from 1100-1200 as well with most bullets.
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