First load, can someone verify?

[jwrowland77]

Looked through old threads. Did workup from 4.9 to 6.6 from my Sierra manual.

[Nick_C_S]

Unique 5.6 grains expected velocity of 1166 COL (case overall length) of 1.135

Sorry, I'm late to the party and didn't read all the posts.

Assuming your technique is correct and proper, you'll be just fine. That's a good starting load. And Unique is not a real fast powder, so it's going to give you a little wiggle room - even if you do something anomalous. Which you won't.

You are about to be rewarded with some fine rounds - your rounds - that you made. Pretty cool.

[rosefox911]

Thanks Nick,
I just wanted to be very very safe. I don't want my hand blown off or my glock to explode.

[Nick_C_S]

The process of loading brings inherent dangers - stating the obvious.

That's why we proceed with forethought; we ask questions; we never assume; we are open to others' techniques - regardless of our own experience level; our ego's are in neutral; and we never stop learning.

At the bench, we check; we double-check; we don't get distracted; and we keep our head at the bench - and nowhere else. We start when we know we have time to finish.

It's respect for the craft. And when we do these things, we are safe. Great reward follows.

[jwrowland77]

Amen! I wish there was a "like" button on your post Nick.

As Nick said, don't start anything unless you can finish and finish not tired. There's many nights that I'll get my stuff ready to load and I may have to take care of my 3 daughters for something. By time I get done, it's later than what I planned to get started and I think that I'll be really tired by time I get done. Those are the nights I put stuff back up.

I might go to a certain point like finish brass prep, but I won't prime, or do powder or seat bullets.

It's a very rewarding hobby/addiction/lifestyle. Enjoy it.

[buck460XVR]

Originally posted by jwrowland77:

I take and average of several manuals to work from.

This is what I do also. Between published manuals and online guides from powder companies, I sometimes see big differences in powder charges, even when the same or similar components are used with a certain powder. In some cases, one manual's starting load may be above the max load in another manual. This is where common sense tells me, that while both may be showing "safe loads", either extreme is not a wise place to start. Thus I start somewhere in the middle. Exception would be if 3 sources show the same charge rate, while another is substantially higher and/or another is substantially lower. Then, I tend to stick with the majority for a place to start. Sometimes, tho, one will find the extremes are what you gun likes/shoots the best. This is the mystery of handloading. Once you get to know your firearms, you'll tend to see it has a pattern and preferences. I have a .460 with tight throats, because of that, it tends to shoot better with loads that are on the lower end of many recipes. It's max loads many times are at or below start loads in some manuals. This is why many experienced reloaders reference three or more sources before developing new loads.

[jwrowland77]

The averaging I feel has kept me nice and safe.

With the 9mm workup I did, it was my very first reloaded rounds, so I had chosen to go with the data from Sierra. Plus it was the closest that fit my bullet. OAL wise and everything. I was rather nervous over two years ago. Of course since then, I've learned a heck of a lot. I've many thousands and thousands of rounds downrange.

[WESHOOT2]

Your 5.6g / 1.135" load is utterly safe, and IME fine fine fine.

So.....how does it shoot?