Mixed Recipes

B

bhoglan

Inactive
Hi there,

My second newbie question (After the generous assistance with my primer pocket problem) is as follows:
Using the Hornady manual (v9) I selected a RL15 powder from Alliant. The closest bullet I could get was a Hornady 150gr SP, and I have Remington 9 1/2 LR primers.

Now, Alliant has a recipe on their website using a Speer 150gr projectile. I feel silly for asking, but does it really make a difference which brand or line of bullet you're using so long as the grain (and presence of a cannelure) are the same?

As for the primers, I had assumed that so long as the primer is the right size for the cartridge that it would be suitable for the task. In Alliant's recipe they call for CCI 200 primers.

So, is my mixing and matching a big deal or should I still be ok with what I have?

**Edit**
I should also add, my platform is an AR chambered in .308/7.62

Thanks!
Brian
 
In general, as long as the projectile weight is the same or very close (within 5 grains), you can use the data as a starting point. Monolithic bullets (Barnes, Hornady GMX, etc) are different animals. Use specific data with them. The cannelure is more or less inconsequential, and is merely a suggestion for seating depth. For that matter, so is COL in the load data. Just don't go shorter than stated without starting back well away from max. If you substitute a long for weight bullet like a VLD or Hornady ELD, realize that seating them to the length stated for, say, a Hornady Interlock of the same weight will mean they are far into the case, reducing case capacity and increasing pressure.
For primers, don't substitute them willy-nilly, especially if the load is near max. Watch standard vs magnum primers, again, especially if near max. Yes you can substitute them, but start low and work up anytime you switch.

As always, start low and work up anytime you change components, looking for pressure signs. If you see them, back it off several tenths of a grain.
Long answer to a short question, sorry. The short answer is, yes, as long as you start low and work up, those substitutions should be just fine.


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@Astocks2622 - Thanks for the info. Everything you said makes perfect sense and I can easily work with that. The only holdback I have is: Mololithic bullets... How can I tell if a bullet is monolithic or not? That's a term I've used in Computing for years, but I haven't run across that in bullets yet.


Thanks!
Brian
 
The monolithics are all-copper for penetration (or due to certain laws in certain places). Because copper is lighter, they're very long and have very long bearing surfaces.

So it's the all-copper thing that is really the gist of the matter; makes for long, non-traditional bullet shapes.
 
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All it means is a bullet made of entirely one material, usually a copper/brass alloy of some sort. These include all of the Barnes brand bullets, the Hornady GMX bullets, Nosler e-Tip, and a few others. They are generally significantly more expensive, so it's unlikely you would have them and not know it. They tend to penetrate like a heavier conventional (copper jacket, lead core) bullet, so in theory you can use a lighter bullet, increasing velocity and therefore max effective range, or keep the same effective range and get a slight reduction in recoil.

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Ok got it. At this point I'm loading to lessen the cost of shooting my .308 AR. I'm a sucker for living animals, so I'm not a hunter. I keep defense rounds for all my guns. For the AR (5.56 and 7.62) that's the Hornady AMAX rounds. For the Sig 9mm it's critical duty. For the 12ga, well... I'm still working on that one.
 
A note on the primers:
As for the primers, I had assumed that so long as the primer is the right size for the cartridge that it would be suitable for the task. In Alliant's recipe they call for CCI 200 primers.
Click to expand...

If you look at some older loading manuals, for example the Speer #12 at .308 Winchester load data you will notice that when using ball powders such as AA2520, H335, Win748, H414, and BL-C(2) they suggest the use of a magnum primer to make sure of uniform ignition with the slightly more difficult to ignite ball powders. So rather than for example a CCI 200 a CCI 250 is suggested.

Looking at your Hornady 9th Edition at .308 Winchester notice that under regular load data they call out Federal 210 (Standard Large Rifle) primers but when we look at 308 Winchester Service Rifle loadings they call out Winchester WLR (Standard Large Rifle). Does it really matter? I doubt it. Does it hurt to try magnum primers with certain ball powders? I doubt it and you may find a combination that groups well.Consider we always start low and work up a load.

Bullets have been pretty well covered. Keep in mind a reloading manual is a guideline. You will find variations between loading manuals. I do like the Hornady service rifle loads but they pertain more to my M1A than my AR 10 loads,

Ron
 
All of the above is well stated, Ill simply add that subbing simular bullets is fine but not lead bullets, the loadings can be quite different for lead.
 
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