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TEXASforLIFE

TEXASforLIFE

SAINT
for those who reload and don't know why not just certain ammo, but certain bullets designs don't work in their firearm. for the factory ammo buyers this doesn't apply to you. if you have a favorite factory ammo choice go ahead and post away, just give info on what you use it for and firearm info. i don't shoot any matches only shoot for fun and riddance of varmints. bullet weights range from 55 to 350 grains in 22cal to 458cal. fmj is what i use most of, but do have gummy tips, match and bthp also for reloading. barrel lengths from 8.5 to 32" and so far no favorite weights of bullets. bullets from many manufacturers, but no favorite brand either like most do (reference from other gun forums). nosler and barnes are the most expensive per bullet which is my reasoning to not buy any more when price per is over $1. i do have a decent collection from both before covid pricing got involved. with the different barrel lengths and cartridges that are for them dictates weights i choose (in most cases) and types.
 
Factory 9mm I like 124-147 for practice. For Duty/CCW 135 Critical Duty plus p 124 or 147 Gold Dot/HST not picky they all have great documented results.

45 any 230 ball and I run 5.9 WSF with either 230 ball or 230 Molly coated RNL or 200 Molly SWC WSF is pretty versatile

Duty/CCW 220 Critical Duty or 230 HST

38 special I try and reload and my favorite is 3.7 gr Green Dot and a 158 Molly SWC or RNFP. However I am running Federal plain Jane 130 gr Ball when I go to the East Coast revolver round up next weekend.

For carry in my 3 and 4” I like 125 Remington SJHP, 135 Gold Dot or 158 LSWCHP in a Snub 148 wadcutter or 135 Gold Dot
 
For most practice sessions with my EDC (SA Hellcat), I load 124gr RN (usually Berry). Sorry, don't have the powder charge right in front of me, but I use TruBlu, about middle of the road charge. In that same gun for defense carry, I use 124gr Sig V Crown factory loads. I also load quite a bit of .38/.357 mostly for target shooting ... very seldom, if ever carry either of them. When I load either, I use 125gr FL-TP (again Berry). For powder I typically use Win AutoComp and/or Unique when I can find it. And again I don't have the actual powder numbers right handy. When I do on occasion load the .357mag for hunting, I typically load a 125gr Hornady HP relatively warm, and use them in a Thompson Center Contender 10" bbl.

I also reload some for .270Win, 30/30Win, 30/06. I can't tell you what the loads are for either of them right off but the 30/30 and the 30/06 will eat most anything I feed them. I have one 30/30 Mod94 and two 30/06's, one is a 1950's vintage Sako FinBear and will drive tacks with almost anything factory with 150-180gr bullets. The other is a Browning semi-auto that too will drive tacks with most factory fodder in that weight group, just not quite as well as the Sako. The 30/30 seems to prefer Federal from the store, but I have a 150gr hand load that it does a little better with. Of my two .270's, one is a Mod 700 Classic, the other a Thompson Center Encore. Both prefer my reloads over anything from the factory, but they do not like what the other one likes. My Mod 700 will shoot <2" 5 shot groups @100 yds all day long with not much effort, some better with a lot of effort. That same reload in the Encore will shoot around corners at the same distance. Go figure! The Encore likes my handload built for it and will match or better the Mod 700 with a little less effort, but also does real well with "Norma" factory loads (130-140gr). Both rifles are capable of better than the 2" groups I've mentioned, but I can count on at least that on any given day, any given temperature, and any given weather.

Don't know if any of this last paragraph is helpful, just threw it in based primarily on memory. I haven't loaded any hunting ammo in more than 7 years. And I can't get any actual records and/or loading info tonight since the wife is already in bed, the records are in the gun safe, and the gun safe is in the bedroom.

On Edit: When loading for either of the .270's my choice of bullet is usually Sierra. For either of the 30/06's, Hornady and/or Sierra. And for the little 30/30 almost always Hornady. I generally use Norma factory brass for all my rifle loading and a compilation of brands for the handguns. But I'm very particular on my brass for reloading, I rarely if ever use range pick-ups for anything.
 
my trusted 264wm load for my dad's pre64 has been 61.3gr imr4831 w/140sbt sierra's @ 3.220". i have many other newer loads for many other cartridges, but haven't tested any yet due to need more time with each of those guns. factory 6.5creed hornady 123sst/123a-max have been excellent in 3 AR's (aero precision 18 and 22", 22" criterion).

any handloads i do are considered as range ammo, but good enough for precision work.
 
TEXASforLIFE said:
for those who reload and don't know why not just certain ammo, but certain bullets designs don't work in their firearm. for the factory ammo buyers this doesn't apply to you. if you have a favorite factory ammo choice go ahead and post away, just give info on what you use it for and firearm info. i don't shoot any matches only shoot for fun and riddance of varmints. bullet weights range from 55 to 350 grains in 22cal to 458cal. fmj is what i use most of, but do have gummy tips, match and bthp also for reloading. barrel lengths from 8.5 to 32" and so far no favorite weights of bullets. bullets from many manufacturers, but no favorite brand either like most do (reference from other gun forums). nosler and barnes are the most expensive per bullet which is my reasoning to not buy any more when price per is over $1. i do have a decent collection from both before covid pricing got involved. with the different barrel lengths and cartridges that are for them dictates weights i choose (in most cases) and types.
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well, on another gun website, i cruise the reloading threads.

one reloader of many years (i cannot recall how many) said he seats his 9mm at 1.135 OAL. no matter the maker of the bullets and this applies to RN....

i was setting the OAL to what the Lyman book said, and in fact, the other books i have, were very much alike.

so the seating/OAL was much shorter that the 1.135 the guy said he does.

as a result the 2 CZ 75 B's that i have, will not load up at the book OAL

once i started setting the OAL at the 1.135 depth..??

perfect loading, chambering, and shooting in those CZ's.

i'll stick with the 1.135 OAL on my 9mm reloads...although in future reloading of the 9 mm, i can try increasing the OAL a tad more, maybe closer to the factory OAL?

now, a lead cast bullet measures at .566 and a Berrys copper coated measures at .554.....

but, i get the lead cast being shorter OAL, due to the wax ring. Berry's there is no wax ring.

this explains too why when i used to buy my reloaded ammo, they would not shoot out of my CZ's, the OAL was much shorter.

i checked my Federal 9mm FMJ, and Blazer and OAL is at or about, 1.152......

the Lyman book calls for an OAL for lead cast at 1.045

even for a 147 TMJ Lyman calls for an OAL of....1.115.......way too short for my CZ's to load, chamber and shoot.
 
In a perfect world you could have one load for any same caliber gun. Unfortunately, some are very picky about OAL, bullet shape or nose profile. SD for me is factory ammo and usually select a top brand for a given caliber. I like 124 gr. for 9mm and 185-230 gr. for .45 ACP.
I shoot more cowboy guns/ammo than any other and you must use all lead bullets, though they can be coated. We have several lightning rifles that are very picky about OAL and will cause issues if you don't stick with those lengths. Since we shoot lower power ammo, it is helpful to use lighter for caliber rounds. Less recoil and lower cost. Most of those bullets are RNFP, 100 gr. 32 Mag., 125 gr. .38 Special, 180 gr. .45. Colt/Schofield and 200 gr. SWC & 230 gr. RN .45 ACP.
 
Old_Me said:
well, on another gun website, i cruise the reloading threads.

one reloader of many years (i cannot recall how many) said he seats his 9mm at 1.135 OAL. no matter the maker of the bullets and this applies to RN....

i was setting the OAL to what the Lyman book said, and in fact, the other books i have, were very much alike.

so the seating/OAL was much shorter that the 1.135 the guy said he does.

as a result the 2 CZ 75 B's that i have, will not load up at the book OAL

once i started setting the OAL at the 1.135 depth..??

perfect loading, chambering, and shooting in those CZ's.

i'll stick with the 1.135 OAL on my 9mm reloads...although in future reloading of the 9 mm, i can try increasing the OAL a tad more, maybe closer to the factory OAL?

now, a lead cast bullet measures at .566 and a Berrys copper coated measures at .554.....

but, i get the lead cast being shorter OAL, due to the wax ring. Berry's there is no wax ring.

this explains too why when i used to buy my reloaded ammo, they would not shoot out of my CZ's, the OAL was much shorter.

i checked my Federal 9mm FMJ, and Blazer and OAL is at or about, 1.152......

the Lyman book calls for an OAL for lead cast at 1.045

even for a 147 TMJ Lyman calls for an OAL of....1.115.......way too short for my CZ's to load, chamber and shoot.
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They way/angle it gets fed into the chamber makes certain types and weights of bullets feed or not feed as well. Wadcutters that are completely cylindrical can plague feeding with issues if not short enough or if soft enough to smash it enough to feed? I don't own any cz's, so no knowledge about them. Since you've on the feeding issue, some military designed rifles will only operate with fmj's in certain weight range and pressure.
 
TEXASforLIFE said:
They way/angle it gets fed into the chamber makes certain types and weights of bullets feed or not feed as well. Wadcutters that are completely cylindrical can plague feeding with issues if not short enough or if soft enough to smash it enough to feed? I don't own any cz's, so no knowledge about them. Since you've on the feeding issue, some military designed rifles will only operate with fmj's in certain weight range and pressure.
Click to expand...
yes in fact, when i was buying reloads from the mom/pop store, i would by semi wad cutters...those would not run in my CZ 97 B (45 ACP), and nearly all my 1911's.

as a result, for my reloading purposes, i will use only RN, now that i have tried Berry's copper coated 9mm in 115 grn, and Badman Bullets poly coated 45 ACP (in 230 grn), that's what i will try to stick to for my semi automatics..

as for my revolvers, i have lead cast 45 Colt FN, and lead cast 38 specials RN

when it comes to .22's, any lead or FMJ factory seems to work just fine in those guns, as neither gun seems to have a special dietetic needs
 
I'm gonna order some moly coated bullets for .45 ACP. They seem to be the least expensive for 230 RN compared with the poly coated ones and they have free shipping over $150. I'll peruse other costs with other calibers online before ordering those. Going to make a Costco run and Sportsman's Warehouse is pretty close. I'll check on primers, wads and shot since I have a bunch of credit to use. May hit one more gun store, we'll see.
 
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