Snyd
.375 Atomic
The Last Frontier
Posts: 2,392
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Post by Snyd on Mar 29, 2016 19:24:21 GMT -5
With all the different boolits, moulds, alloys, powder and primers we have; the combinations and loads are almost endless for each caliber. So... For your pistols how many different loads do you have that you shoot regularly? What's your approach? Does a specific purpose drive you or is it just for fun and enjoyment of experimenting? Do you have a gun(s) that you have landed on one load? Perhaps a gun that serves one special purpose? I generally think in terms of a light "plinkin" load and a heavy hunting/bear protection load but make sure I practice plenty with the full house loads. Light loads are nice to have when taking a friend shooting who may not be used to bigbore recoil. Or to focus on honing specific skills and muscle memory before load the boomers. Sometimes it's just fun to shoot the lighter loads. But, I find after a few cylinders that I like the boomers as much or more!  I have a 454 levergun so have developed a hunting/bear load that is accurate in my 454 revolver and the levergun and cycles reliably in the levergun. But I also have a levergun only 454 load that is 435gr. I think there is something to be said for settling in on one load for a gun and calling it good. I've done that with my 325wsm rifle. It's the only high powered rifle I own and I have one load that does it all in that gun. An old friend of mine says.... "beware of the man with one gun" There is something to be said about one gun/one load and knowing it well. KISS |
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ericp
.327 Meteor
Posts: 506
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Post by ericp on Mar 29, 2016 19:33:45 GMT -5
Depends on the gun.
My Model 58 only sees the NOE 412-224-SWC over 7.5 gr. of Unique. That load is perfectly capable of anything I do with that gun, is accurate, and hits to the sights.
I almost never have same load twice in my 480 SBH.
The other sixguns fall somewhere in between these two depending on their purpose although I generally try to have a "working load" for each.
Eric
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Post by rjm52 on Mar 30, 2016 5:36:57 GMT -5
....depends on the gun. In my case I would say for a certain gun I have a weight range rather than a specific single bullet or load. But some guns get just one load...
S&W 4" .41 Magnums get 8.0 grains of Unique with 200-230 grain bullets as a standard target and shooting load. This is 950 fps+-. A lead HP will get 9-10.0 grains for 1100-1180 fps to better open the HP.
A custom .41 Special Fat Top Target has only one load of a 250 Keith with 7.0 grains of Unique.
Long range rifles get one load and one bullet. Hunting rifles also generally get only one load.
Concealed Carry guns get 1-2 loads depending on the gun. 10mm Glock gets one load that will penetrate anything and a second a HP.
Bob
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Post by rjm52 on Mar 30, 2016 5:38:29 GMT -5
repeat..
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Post by magnumwheelman on Mar 30, 2016 5:47:41 GMT -5
I have a tendancy to load 2-3 load / bullet combos per revolver, on purpose... generally a fun range load, a specific hunting load ( even if the caliber dictates a special hunting load for those dangerous red pine squirrels ) & a self defense load, ( either against man or beast ) if the caliber is capable... ... on my rifles, seems I have 2 or 3, but my goal is one "best" load... my trouble is I'm always trying to outdo the last load, so it always seems as if I have 2 or 3 decent loads loaded, in search of that one magic load  |
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gjn
.30 Stingray
Posts: 491
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Post by gjn on Mar 30, 2016 6:21:15 GMT -5
I have been trying to follow the KISS principle but it is difficult being a long term adherent to the KICK principle (Keep It Complicated Knucklehead). Generally that involves having so many different loads for each firearm that when you need it you don't have enough rounds of any particular load and it's not sighted in. I think it's caused in part by to much free time in the reloading room at night and not enough time during daylight to go to the range. I picked up a fixed sight Freedom Arms Model 97 in 45 Colt which has helped break me of that habit and I'm now working on one load per gun, sight it in and make sure I have a good supply of that load.
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Post by chsparkman on Mar 30, 2016 11:36:56 GMT -5
I use multiple loads for each gun. It's fun to experiment. I only get really serious when I choose a gun to hunt with. Then the task to find an accurate load begins.
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Post by sixshot on Mar 30, 2016 12:03:51 GMT -5
Snyd, very good subject & one that doesn't get discussed often enough. I think for the guy with a fixed sighted gun its pretty much a one load situation. I don't have any sixguns with fixed sights so for me I usually try quite a few combinations in all my guns then usually settle on two for each of them. First is a summer time, playing/ plinking load tht I use for squirrels, chucks, snakes, badgers or for loaning to a new comer so they don't start out with a flinch & then my late summer full power load that I stay with from Sept. until December.
If its my light guns like the 32 maggie, 327's, 32/20, 30 Carbine, 357 maggie, etc. I pretty much just shoot one load year round & never change anything. I have enough guns I just take 2 every where I go & am ready for everything from squirrels to Utah fishermen....
My in between guns like my 3 44 specials get 2 loads, 5.5 grs. of 231 and 250 grs. of Elmers finest or 7.5 grs of Unique with the same bullet. Once in a great while just to keep Fermin happy I use 8.5 grs of Unique with a 220 gr. GC slug that is scary accurate, #429215. In my 7 1/2" flat top it shoots like a target gun.
My 480 uses the 390 gr. HP with either 21 grs. of 4227 or 13.5 grs of HS6, those loads will handle anything within 2 miles of Soda Springs, probably within 2,000 miles of Soda Springs, although I might have to switch to a solid.
Dick
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Post by bulasteve on Mar 30, 2016 12:10:34 GMT -5
A handgun that'll be hunted, needs and wants only one load. After that, let your imagination run wild.
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Snyd
.375 Atomic
The Last Frontier
Posts: 2,392
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Post by Snyd on Mar 30, 2016 12:28:20 GMT -5
I have been trying to follow the KISS principle but it is difficult being a long term adherent to the KICK principle (Keep It Complicated Knucklehead). Generally that involves having so many different loads for each firearm that when you need it you don't have enough rounds of any particular load and it's not sighted in. I think it's caused in part by to much free time in the reloading room at night and not enough time during daylight to go to the range. I picked up a fixed sight Freedom Arms Model 97 in 45 Colt which has helped break me of that habit and I'm now working on one load per gun, sight it in and make sure I have a good supply of that load. Ok, now this I can relate to! |
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Snyd
.375 Atomic
The Last Frontier
Posts: 2,392
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Post by Snyd on Mar 30, 2016 12:33:47 GMT -5
2 loads that shoot same POA/POI is nice. I stumbled upon 2 loads by accident in my 45 Colt BisHunter. 255gr Lee rnfp over 8.5gr Unique and 355gr wfn from a custom LBT over 21.5gr H110. Both shoot POA/POI out to about 50+ yds with the 2X Weaver scope.
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Post by seak89 on Mar 30, 2016 12:38:49 GMT -5
One load for my 44mag and for plinking one load for my 44 special
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Snyd
.375 Atomic
The Last Frontier
Posts: 2,392
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Post by Snyd on Mar 30, 2016 12:46:09 GMT -5
... on my rifles, seems I have 2 or 3, but my goal is one "best" load... my trouble is I'm always trying to outdo the last load, so it always seems as if I have 2 or 3 decent loads loaded, in search of that one magic load I hear ya. Like I mentioned above I have 1 scoped high powered rifle. Kimber MT 325wsm, Tally LW rings/Bases, Leupold 2.5-8x36. Superb combo. I've drug/bounce/packed it through Alaska for about 12 years now and have killed sheep, moose and griz with it. Initially I'd thought about a light load and a heavy load like 150gr and a 220gr. But, these dog-gone 200gr accubonds are such good flyers and so darn accurate and good killers that this load is all this gun sees now. I do have a 220gr Sierra Gameking load that I started out with (shot an Interior AK griz with it) but I haven't shot it for 10 years. I happened to find that "one magic load" for this gun. Every year when I pull it out to check zero and shoot it always shoots like this. If it works don't fix it. I suppose if I were going to hunt Penninsula or Kodaik Brown Bears I might work up a 220gr Swift A-Frame load. Or use the hunt as a good excuse to buy a .416 of some flavor  |
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Post by sixshot on Mar 30, 2016 13:15:02 GMT -5
I wouldn't change a thing either, nice group.
Dick
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Post by magnumwheelman on Mar 30, 2016 13:28:58 GMT -5
I'm the opposite on the one gun thing... I have pretty much every caliber that interests me, so if i need more or less power, I move up or down in caliber... so... I kinda choose a bullet weight that fits in with caliber, & falls nicely between the one below, & one above, I may mess with a couple bullet choices within that weight range, but I try to get my "collection" as diverse as possible... pretty much do the same thing with handguns, just not quite the diversity of calibers... these are just my "sporting bolt actions" I also have a milsurp rack, a lever action rack, a Czech rack, & a single shot rifle rack... but in this photo, the left side are short actions, & range from 17 Fireball to .308... & the right side are long actions & range from 25-06 to 375 H&H... in other rifles, the calibers go to .416 Rigby, up to 50-70  |
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