The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Question for All the Ammo/Reloding Experts

BigJimP · May 11, 2013, 04:09 PM

I don't fuss with handgun loads....or try to customize them to each of my guns in that caliber.../ partly because I have too many guns in each caliber and it would drive me crazy.

I have a couple of handguns - where accuracy is a big deal to me / like a single action revolver ...but my eyes have gotten so bad, that the best I can do with open sights on that gun is a 3" bullseye at 25yds anyway...and my everyday load ( 158gr .357 mag ) is very accurate for that gun when I've fired it from a rest. Fussing with that load - and keeping a box or two separarate ...just for bulls eye shooting ....isn't worth the effort to me / and I'm not sure it would really make any difference.
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I used to fuss with my shotgun loads...and pattern them for + 10 fps, up and down in the range from the min and max ranges ( for loads where they list recipes at 1150 fps, 1200 fps, 1250 fps and 1300 fps...) so in effect I had a min and max range to work within. Lots of paper wasted - looking at patterns, and in the end it really didn't matter - all of the patterns were effective. In the end I've settled on one load for a 12ga - 1oz of 8's at 1225 fps ....and I shoot it, in 12ga, for Skeet, 5 Stand, Sporting Clays and in Trap singles and Trap Continental and Trap Doubles. I used to load some 9's and some 8 1/2's and some 7 1/2's....and I've given all that up too.
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Now, if I was into rifles ....and long range competition shooting or long range bulls eye shooting ....then it probably makes sense to tweak every load for every barrel ..to get it just right for that gun !

But I can't be bothered to do it for handguns or shotguns...

I do tailor my handgun loads for recoil management ..especially for young shooters in my family ...( like softer 9mm, or .38 spl ....vs whatever I like to shoot myself ).

May 11, 2013, 04:09 PM	#12
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	I don't fuss with handgun loads....or try to customize them to each of my guns in that caliber.../ partly because I have too many guns in each caliber and it would drive me crazy. I have a couple of handguns - where accuracy is a big deal to me / like a single action revolver ...but my eyes have gotten so bad, that the best I can do with open sights on that gun is a 3" bullseye at 25yds anyway...and my everyday load ( 158gr .357 mag ) is very accurate for that gun when I've fired it from a rest. Fussing with that load - and keeping a box or two separarate ...just for bulls eye shooting ....isn't worth the effort to me / and I'm not sure it would really make any difference. ----------- I used to fuss with my shotgun loads...and pattern them for + 10 fps, up and down in the range from the min and max ranges ( for loads where they list recipes at 1150 fps, 1200 fps, 1250 fps and 1300 fps...) so in effect I had a min and max range to work within. Lots of paper wasted - looking at patterns, and in the end it really didn't matter - all of the patterns were effective. In the end I've settled on one load for a 12ga - 1oz of 8's at 1225 fps ....and I shoot it, in 12ga, for Skeet, 5 Stand, Sporting Clays and in Trap singles and Trap Continental and Trap Doubles. I used to load some 9's and some 8 1/2's and some 7 1/2's....and I've given all that up too. ----------- Now, if I was into rifles ....and long range competition shooting or long range bulls eye shooting ....then it probably makes sense to tweak every load for every barrel ..to get it just right for that gun ! But I can't be bothered to do it for handguns or shotguns... I do tailor my handgun loads for recoil management ..especially for young shooters in my family ...( like softer 9mm, or .38 spl ....vs whatever I like to shoot myself ).