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Old January 6, 2013, 08:14 PM   #1
presence
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Need for Speed (?)

Hello all, I am just getting into reloading. Im sure over the next few weeks ill have a heap of questions! As for right now, just a quicky...

Ive been reading through my first manual (nosler reloading guide 6) and noticed in the ballistic charts that it seems reload velocities are slower than factory loads. I was always under the impression that reloads were always faster...crazy fast even. I know speed doesnt necessarily mean accuracy, but i like fast!

Should i ready myself for disappointment when it comes to velocity?

Thanks in advance!

-germs
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Old January 6, 2013, 08:25 PM   #2
Bart B.
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Most factory ammo will shoot bullets slower in ones own firearms as their barrels' bore and groove diameters are typically larger than the SAAMI spec test barrels often used to test ammo.

Safe reloads may well be the same thing. And the barrel published loads were developed with will be different than yours. So are the primer, powder and case lot numbers and these also make differences in muzzle velocity. So is case neck tension on the bullets. To say nothing of the pressure measuring methods so often used in published data; it could be way too high for safety.

Be patient with your bullet's speeds. They don't need to win the race to the target, but arriving all at the same place is great. Who'll really know if they got there 100 fps slower than someone elses that are spread all over the place.

If velocity for a given bullet needs to be as fast as possible, use the biggest case that can use it, then use as much powder as you want under it. How safe it is depends on your overall objectives in life.
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Old January 6, 2013, 08:33 PM   #3
JerryM
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I bought a chronograph MANY years ago, and it was one of the best purchases I ever made to help me in reloading my hunting ammo.

Individual rifles vary a lot as to the velocity you can obtain, and you will not know until you get a chronograph.

Jerry
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Old January 7, 2013, 09:23 PM   #4
DeerSlayer86
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You won't be disappointed

I'm right there with you, wanting a little more zip. Like you said it doesn't mean better accuracy but it makes it fun...especially when you figure out the "sweet spot" for a given rifle/bullet/powder combination. As you experiment more and more you'll figure out how to get both accuracy and velocity. It's fun...and I hope you're not getting into reloading to save money ! You will shoot more but probably won't really save any money...but it's totally worth it
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Old January 8, 2013, 10:59 PM   #5
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A Chrony is a good investment at just over $70.
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Old January 9, 2013, 10:00 AM   #6
jmorris
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If your 30-06 ammo is at published max loads and you want more get a 300 mag and down load it.
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Old January 9, 2013, 02:53 PM   #7
Sure Shot Mc Gee
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Quote:
Should i ready myself for disappointment when it comes to velocity?
Depends on what your shooting? Keep in mind. Lots of time and some investment will be spent on a Range experimenting no doubt. Some guys are happy with mediocre loadings some aren't. "Speed offers little in the way of satisfaction. If you can't bullseye your target shot after shot."
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Old January 9, 2013, 03:06 PM   #8
5whiskey
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Alot depends on the length of your barrel. Most factories test fire out of 26" barrels, which well help out with speed. I know I don't shoot out of 26" pipes, if you don't then don't expect factory speeds. And, as said, it will depend on the specs of the barrel. Most factory ammo is loaded too far under max... I'd say 5% under max load is a little on the weak side for factory ammo.

I don't care too much about raw speed... I'd much rather be as accurate as possible. I don't want to lob it in either. Either way, I'm in luck, my rifle likes em' hot. I've found my best load for accuracy is only about 1.5% under max load. I would really rather it be a little lower. Brass may last a little longer.
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Old January 9, 2013, 03:55 PM   #9
the led farmer
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Originally Posted by 5whiskey View Post
...I've found my best load for accuracy is only about 1.5% under max load. I would really rather it be a little lower. Brass may last a little longer.
Not to mention powder would last longer!!

To the o/p I would rather ring a 100 meter gong all day than say, "hey buddy did you see how fast my bullet was?? Mine was the fastest out there!!

Neat...
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Old January 9, 2013, 04:09 PM   #10
Bart B.
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5whiskey claims most factories test fire out of 26" barrels.

I disagree. Check out the following starting on page 135 and note the length of SAAMI test barrels used at factory test facilities to qualify their ammo to SAAMI specs:

http://www.saami.org/specifications_...wnload/206.pdf

The vast majority of 'em are 24 inches long.

5whiskey also claims most factory ammo is loaded too far under max.

Go to page 13 in the above SAAMI specs and check out the cartridge-bullet/weight-velocity-pressure numbers then compare them to factory published data on their ammo.
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Old January 9, 2013, 07:17 PM   #11
serf 'rett
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Quote:
I was always under the impression that reloads were always faster...crazy fast even.
Nope. For many people, speed is secondary to small groups and custom loads designed for purpose. In my limited experience, often times higher velocity yields higher group scatter (but not always).

Quote:
I know speed doesnt necessarily mean accuracy, but i like fast!
Just wondering, why do you like it "fast"? How do you define fast?
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Old January 9, 2013, 08:14 PM   #12
Brian Pfleuger
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You'll find that the fastest handloads are in line with the fastest factory ammo, in real numbers.

Not in terms of the numbers printed on the ammo box, but in terms of what your gun actually does.

There are dozens of powders that will function in any given cartridge and not all of them are ideal in terms of velocity.

You can almost always find a powder that will match or exceed the real world velocity of factory ammo. I don't know of any exceptions though I don't doubt that they exist. Ordinarily, you can find quite a few powders that will match factory ammo speeds. Your task then, is to find the REAL advantage of handloads... accuracy WITH velocity.
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Old January 9, 2013, 09:00 PM   #13
tkglazie
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Quote:
I was always under the impression that reloads were always faster...crazy fast even
Good lord no. One of the main benefits of reloading is that you get to tailor your loads to your equipment and preferences. I load my 9mm ammo, for example, to 1050fps (125gr), my .45s to 775fps (200gr), my wife's .38s (148gr) to 700ish, etc., etc.

Often, VERY often, the most accurate load is far from the fastest load.
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Old January 9, 2013, 09:38 PM   #14
Bart B.
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Best way I can think of to get the fastest, safe pressure, loads from a cartridge is to use a much longer barrel. For example, a 150 grain factory round from a .308 Win. 22" factory barrel will leave at about 2700 fps. With a 30 inch barrel, it would leave over 2900 fps.
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Old January 10, 2013, 10:57 PM   #15
5whiskey
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5whiskey also claims most factory ammo is loaded too far under max.
Bart, I meant to say that most factory is NOT loaded too far under max. Most factory ammo is not much under max load. Sorry for the typo, thanks for catching it. BTW, alot of ammo manufacturers publish their external ballistics data based on firing from 26" barrels.
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Old January 11, 2013, 08:01 AM   #16
Bart B.
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5whiskey, how did you determine that most factory ammo is NOT loaded too far under max? Chronograph it?

If you did and your test barrel was not identical in all bore and chamber dimensions, mounted the same way, used the same lot of primers and powder, cases had the same neck tension and the firing pin had the same impact parameters, then your data will be different than the factory data.

I ask 'cause chronographing ammo's how most folks make comparisons.

What ammo makers use 26" test barrels?
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