How many loads do you load for a given gun?

robinny said:
I'm wondering if most folks load multiple loads for one gun, say a varmint load, a plinking load and a load for larger game? Or do they have more than one gun in the same caliber and load just one load for the various purposes? I have one .243 bolt gun and am in the process of working up a fourth load for it. I load the Barnes 80 gr TTSX with IMR 4350 for deer, Sierra 75 gr HP with IMR 4350 for trigger practice, Hornady 80 gr FMJ with a reduced load of H4895 for plinking, and am working on a varmint load using Sierra 60 gr HP on top of H4895.

Just curious. It would be great if I could afford four guns.
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Same cartridge... 44-40

Loads...
Normal Revolver loads
Large Frame revolver loads
Weak action rifle loads
Strong action rifle loads

Plinking
Accuracy
Hunting
Shotloads for critters

Five powders...Unique, 2400, IMR-4227, Reloder 7, Tail Boss
Many different charges

Such a multifaceted cartridge, isn't it?
 
For each rifle I have just one load. For .44mag and .357mag I have two for each. One is a moderate "everyday" load and the other is a (more or less) full power load.
 
I have multiple loads for multiple guns.
25 caliber (of which i have 4) i shoot everything from a 75gr Sierra HP Varminter, 90gr BlitzKing, 100gr SPBT GameKing, 100&115gr Ballistic Tips, 115gr Berger VLD, 120gr Partition & HPBT GameKing.

My 7mm's (of which i have 4 also) shoot everything from 100gr Sierra HP Varminter through 180gr Bergers.

9mm i only have 2 loads. 115gr and 124gr bullets.

45ACP, i have 5 loads.
185gr LSWC carry & target
185GR JHP
185GR Sierra Tournament Masters (carry & target)
Now i need to find another bullet, as the Tournament Masters in 185gr have been discontinued.
 
I normally load two different loads for my guns, one for practice and competition where I need to make a certain power factor and another load for Steel Challenge matches which are very light.

I keep about 2000 rounds in reserve for my competition guns. Glad I do because this pandemic is driving me nuts. I'm now shooting .22 most of the time and again I need two different loads. I have a bunch of .22s stashed away so I don't worry about running out.
 
If I see a bullet on sale for a decent price that I haven’t tried yet, I’ll buy either 500 or a 1000 and work up a load. I have a lot of powder and primers on hand so it’s easy for me to work up a lot of different loads. As far as their use, it depends on Bullet style and accuracy achieved with the load work up. If the accuracy is say 2 MOA it’s for plinking or hunting larger game. If the accuracy is more like .5-.75 MOA then it’s for the range and target shooting. I guess for me working up different loads is a big portion of the fun of shooting.
 
It was for me as well when I was a LOT younger........nowadays, it is load up one that works and go shoot! :P
 
FITASC, isn't it amazing what you can still learn as you age? At age 79 and 45 years of handloading, I'm now at the point you describe:

130gr Speer flat base for my son's .270
150gr Hornady spire for my .270
162gr Hornady spire for the 7mm RM
140gr Sierra for the 6.5 Creedmoor
etc., etc., etc.

No more experimenting. Just shoot.
 
jetinteriorguy said:
If I see a bullet on sale for a decent price that I haven’t tried yet, I’ll buy either 500 or a 1000 and work up a load. I have a lot of powder and primers on hand so it’s easy for me to work up a lot of different loads. As far as their use, it depends on Bullet style and accuracy achieved with the load work up. If the accuracy is say 2 MOA it’s for plinking or hunting larger game. If the accuracy is more like .5-.75 MOA then it’s for the range and target shooting. I guess for me working up different loads is a big portion of the fun of shooting.
Click to expand...

Totally agree on load development being a big part of the enjoyment. But if I can't get it dialed in to at least close to 1 MOA it's kind of frustrating. I'd rather keep trying different powders or other adjustments until I can get consistently good groups.
 
I'm still working with tuning. Just as Einstein sought a unified field theory, I am looking for a unified load tuning method that works to get anything shooting to its potential.
 
200 to 500 per caliber usually. Got bored over a period of time and loaded about 1500 for 45. Was shooting a lot of 45 at the time. Usually load 50 or 100 for 44 mag.
 
For 26" long 308 Winchester barrels with a 1:11 twist:

Reduced loads for 150, 155, 168, 170 and 180 grain bullets.

Maximum loads for 170, 180, 185, 190, 200, 210 and 220 grain bullets.
 
All rifles and pistols get only one handload each.
Except for the 458,
which I worked up 2 different loads to shoot to same point of impact.
 
It depends. Bolt action usually just one. My 454 casull I have three, but really I only shoot one, the other two are weaker loadings, one being 45 colt. My 9mm I have maybe two. A 115 grain fmj and a 153 grain cast.

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