Factory ammunition powders?

[bdlesh]

Maybe I am missing something. Why not just use factory ammo if you like the way it works? I understand cost is one factor, but unless you shoot 1000's rounds, it shouldn't be that much. I reload as a hobby and to tune a load for my rifle or pistol. I do buy a lot of cheap factory ammo to burn holes thru paper in ar's and handguns. But I still load precision ammo for each. But what do I know....

 

[ar10ar15man]

just not true.
my ammo is tuned to my gun, not mass produced generic.
your lack of skill and leading foes not apply to the rest of us.

An out of state hunt, the best would be, always use factory ammunition paying or not. The ammunition companies do all the testing and have all the data. We as reloaders can't come close to what these companies produce. They use the best of powders, we get like second if that. It like store-bought coffee, seconds. In my thirty years of reloading not even close to the factory stuff. Good luck.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Nosler also use canister powder in their factory ammo, the info you require is just an email away.

Just remember that what works in one rifle seldom works in the next.

Cheers.

 

[MTGEEZER]

Hornady Superformance is a factory powder now available for sale. Of course, published loads are minimal as they have Superformance factory ammo which loads would have to compete with. Excellent powder if you can find what works with it.

I have some experience with the Superformance powder available to us and found out the hard way (i.e.-STUPID!) that it is not the same powder they use in their Superformance line of ammunition. I have been reloading for many years now and the more I read this forum, the less I really know. I am, however, learning a lot from you who know so much more than I could even imagine. Thank you all! Now, on to my stupid experiment. Had been trying to find a good load for my 300WM but only have a Magnetospeed chrono and had read somewhere that they don't work well for ladder tests so have never really done one. Had a decent load worked up with RL26 and the 178gr. ELD-x but decided to compare it against the factory Superformance 180gr. SST. The factory stuff shot way better than my load soooo.....This is where "Dumb and Dumber" came together. I already had the identical components so I took a factory load apart, copied it and took it out back to my test pit. The only thing I did right was to secure the rifle in a cradle, tie a 20 foot long cord to the trigger and back off 19 feet before letting her rip. And rip it did! Ended up with a chrono reading of 3400+FPS, total case-head separation,a bad carbon ring in my chamber, and the feeling of being a total idiot! SO, my experience is that they are not the same powder,and, to quote MR. Bill Dance, "DON'T DO THAT"! 1 lucky MTGEEZER

 

[Caveman0101]

You can not buy the same powder large manufacturers use in their ammo. They are proprietary blends. You can buy similar powder made by the same companies that others use. It is not true that Weatherby uses Norma MRP, Norma does make some powder for WBY but it is again a proprietary blend not available to the public. Get a powder that shoots well in your gun and stick with it.

 

[Bravo 4]

Remington uses Alliant powders in their rifle ammo, that is from a guy who has worked at the ammo plant for several years.

 

[xsn10s]

I think they used some Western powders in their 308 win for awhile.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

I have some experience with the Superformance powder available to us and found out the hard way (i.e.-STUPID!) that it is not the same powder they use in their Superformance line of ammunition. I have been reloading for many years now and the more I read this forum, the less I really know. I am, however, learning a lot from you who know so much more than I could even imagine. Thank you all! Now, on to my stupid experiment. Had been trying to find a good load for my 300WM but only have a Magnetospeed chrono and had read somewhere that they don't work well for ladder tests so have never really done one. Had a decent load worked up with RL26 and the 178gr. ELD-x but decided to compare it against the factory Superformance 180gr. SST. The factory stuff shot way better than my load soooo.....This is where "Dumb and Dumber" came together. I already had the identical components so I took a factory load apart, copied it and took it out back to my test pit. The only thing I did right was to secure the rifle in a cradle, tie a 20 foot long cord to the trigger and back off 19 feet before letting her rip. And rip it did! Ended up with a chrono reading of 3400+FPS, total case-head separation,a bad carbon ring in my chamber, and the feeling of being a total idiot! SO, my experience is that they are not the same powder,and, to quote MR. Bill Dance, "DON'T DO THAT"! 1 lucky MTGEEZER

I did the same dang thing, with a 130gn 270win load. Blew the primer out as well as my Tikka extractor. If I had my say, there'd be a clear disclaimer noting the powder disparity but also, make some published loads available. That is the only blown primer I've experienced.

 

[L.Sherm]

Its alot safer to just work up a load not knowing or think you know what powder factory rounds use.

 

[MTGEEZER]

I did the same dang thing, with a 130gn 270win load. Blew the primer out as well as my Tikka extractor. If I had my say, there'd be a clear disclaimer noting the powder disparity but also, make some published loads available. That is the only blown primer I've experienced.

Hey CO_Guy, I am totally with you on the "disclaimer" request! I even put some of each of the Superformance powders side by side and could see no difference even with a magnifying glass. Hodgdon and Hornady really need to add that disclaimer you mentioned before someone gets hurt or killed! We can't be the only ones who have tried that or may be thinking of doing it. It is, however, the only time I've tried some thing like that because unlike IMR, Reloader, and a host of other powders, there seems to be only one "Superformance" powder available to reloaders. Glad you didn't get hurt! (I, too, was shooting a Tikka.)

 

[g0rd0]

Ok,
remember rule 1,,, never start at max and never take anyones word. Rule 2,,,,, when starting with new lot numbers back off 5% and work back up.
A couple of years ago I got a box of primes, brand is not important, I did not check the lot# and loaded up a box, (with my goto load). Got to the range and bang, stiff opening of the bolt and a blown primer and pitting on the bolt face. I did fire 2 more same results. So yes same brand differant lot can be devistateing. As it turned out useing just those primers with the same bullet / powder combo did jump the preasure into the *** section. After restarting a load development I ended up with a 62.0 grn load to get my 3100fps down from 67.0grn of powder

 

[Country Bumpkin]

I would recommend the Barnes 139 LRX with RL26. That is what the factory VOR-TX LR load is. Great bullet performance with stable powder.

Agree, I have a 7 mag, shot both these and the factory Barnes TTSX 150's at identical accuracy. I made handloads for both bullets with RL26 and was able to duplicate performance (only slightly better than factory).

I really wanted to settle on the TTSX 150's because I want to shoot as heavy as possible in the barnes. Ultimately, since the 150's and the 139's shoot identically, and since my handloads are only marginally more accurate, I decided to save myself a lot of time and just shoot factory. With that, the 139 LRX's are almost $10/box cheaper than the 150 TTSX.

I shot a black bear with handload 150's last Spring, then switched to factory 139 LRX and killed a Sitka BlackTail, a 6-pt elk and a 4-pt mulie last fall.

Rl-26 mimics performance of factory loads and I get almost identical velocity with my 22" barrel.

 

[Rudolph Ferdinand]

I'm starting to load for a new to me caliber (7mm mag) and would like to do some load development that will duplicate some available ammunition, similar to the how hornady 6.5cm ammo was loaded with h4350. The thought being is that if I'm short on time or if I travel I can always find something off the shelf that will be close. I'm leaning toward a 140 or 150 barnes ttsx for my deer and elk load (if the gun likes the load). I'm open to other ammo but would like to stick to solid copper projectiles. so, are any manufacturers using non blended powders that are available to the public?

When I would travel out of state for a hunt, I never used reloaded ammo, I always used factory ammo. Some airlines would not allow the ammo and firearm in the same case, separate. The problem with separate storage is the possibility of something getting lost by the airlines. I would also check the local areas for a gun shop where I could buy what my hunting rifle was already sight-in for. A $5000 + hunt with a reload? not me.

 

[Deleted member 107796]

When I would travel out of state for a hunt, I never used reloaded ammo, I always used factory ammo. Some airlines would not allow the ammo and firearm in the same case, separate. The problem with separate storage is the possibility of something getting lost by the airlines. I would also check the local areas for a gun shop where I could buy what my hunting rifle was already sight-in for. A $5000 + hunt with a reload? not me.

Makes sense for sure, but to take a pack of reloads just in case, if possible, lessens the problem with none found when you arrive.