Reloading to replicate another caliber?

[TR1Hemi]

SO TRUE!

We have already covered this, I apologize to all those who were triggered by my common but wrong use of terminology. Again, can an admin change my title from caliber to cartridge. I have also noticed that you had no comment on the actual topic.

 

[ARlife4me]

We have already covered this, I apologize to all those who were triggered by my common but wrong use of terminology. Again, can an admin change my title from caliber to cartridge. I have also noticed that you had no comment on the actual topic.

Post #46

 

[highfinblue]

We have already covered this, I apologize to all those who were triggered by my common but wrong use of terminology. Again, can an admin change my title from caliber to cartridge. I have also noticed that you had no comment on the actual topic.

Pretty sure most knew what you were talking about.

 

[ARlife4me]

We have already covered this, I apologize to all those who were triggered by my common but wrong use of terminology. Again, can an admin change my title from caliber to cartridge. I have also noticed that you had no comment on the actual topic.

Many change caliber for cartridge, but usually figured out. I wasn't making comment about that. I just go up a cartridge level (example, 7-08 to 280win) for more power to propel heavier bullets within same caliber.

 

[Will.284]

I didn't even notice far as I'm concerned I understand

 

[Littlehud]

Over the years I have read many stories about people hurting themselves, a bystander or destroying their firearm in pursuit of the absolute maximum velocity for that caliber and a particular weight bullet. If a published or slightly over, X caliber and X bullet weight at X velocity is not cutting it and you push it, why? Why not just buy a firearm in a cartridge that does that at published loads? IE, pushing a 308 to risky levels, when you could just get a 300WM?

On the flip side, I have been shooting pistols at a range and had people comment on a load that has a bit of a "bark", and asked what load I was shooting. And when I tell them it is a published but below MAX (Hodgdon, Nosler, Sierra, Speer, Hornady manual load), they ask why I load so hot for practice. Well if I wanted 380 performance out of a 9mm, or 40S&W performance from a 100mm, or 38special performance out of a 357, I would have just bought one those calibers. Also, you should practice with what you are going to use to defend yourself.

So why do we load trying to duplicate a caliber that already exists?

I reload for the savings (not $ wise but in rounds fired), which are not as great as they once were, the enjoyment of it, or for accuracy that I am not getting from shelf ammo.

There are legit reasons, your modern gun is much stronger than those that the caliber originally came in (45 Colt). Or the original chambered guns had a chamber blueprint error, hampering pressure levels, but factory loads have to be loaded to be safe in the short freebored rifles that exist (6.8 SPC I vs II). Or you are restricted by platform (AR15).

Yes there are other reasons to reload. Years ago I worked with a guy who had an eye disease that required new corneas. He had just had one replaced and wanted to go elk hunting. The doctor OK'ed the trip but we were concerned with recoil. I found the minimum energy needed for elk, and calculated a load for his "06, and loaded ammo for him, and told him to keep it inside of 200 yds.. He shot an elk at 70-80 yds, and put it down just fine It went about 25 yds. We found his 2 bullets just under the skin on the opposite side. can't get much better than that with every bit of energy being expended inside the elk. recoil of course was very mild.