Reloading for a new rifle

[orchemo]

When you are reloading for a new rifle and you have multiple bullets you would use. How do you work towards a good load. Primary variables being powder and bullet

Choose the bullet first and then various powders?

Choose the powder and the the bullet?

Always trying to learn new tricks. Thanks for the input

 

[DrMike]

Determine what you will use the rifle for. If punching paper, choose a match bullet. If hunting, consider the game you will hunt and choose a bullet to match the game. Consider the type of hunting you will primarily do, and again select the bullet to match the conditions. With a firm idea of what you will be doing, now look for a powder.

 

[Guest]

I generally have a "purpose" in mind when I pick up a new rifle. It's not always a realistic purpose, but it's a purpose. For instance, I want a 9.3x62 in a particular configuration so I can hunt elk with it, with open sights. Never mind that I've never hunted any further west than Arkansas. I intend to hunt elk one day, and that's enough reason, isn't it? So, for that gun, I'd consider either the 250gr AccuBond or the 286gr Partition, or some such similar bullet. Being open-sighted, I'd likely opt in this case for the heavier slug. So now I have a bullet, an intended purpose, and a sort of ball-park idea of ranges I might need to be able to shoot this combination effectively. So now I'd look for a powder that is well suited for that combination, and preferably one I have on the shelf currently. I've long since passed the need to acquire new powders to try. I'm going in the opposite direction, looking for good loads in multiple chamberings that use the same powder, so I can buy in bulk and not have to re-work loads due to lot changes so often. Now, the above example is purely hypothetical, but it is how I operate. I bought a 270Wby with very fast, very flat 130gr bullets for white-tails in mind. That's what I worked with until I found a good load. I picked up a 30-06 lightweight rifle with the idea of making a good, medium range, lightweight rig out of it - and I've worked up the 168gr Nosler BT in that one, to good effect. I have a Remington 700 Classic in 8x57 (the 2004 edition) in which I shoot 180gr Nosler BTs for deer and eventually perhaps for elk or some such. I found it on a deal and bought it to turn it into a 280, but after doing some homework on the round, decided I needed to leave it be. I didn't have my -06 yet, so it filled the "utility, do-all, medium range" niche just perfectly. It still does, though it is definitely at home on larger deer. It may well get a chance at hogs if I can ever find time to get out and hunt the dadgum things. I bought a 300Wby with the idea that there really is only the 180gr bullet in that chambering. There are others, but the combination of speed, sectional density, and terminal performance of the 180gr in the 300'bee just really seems to be "it" for that one. So I bought it with the idea that it would shoot 180gr bullets at 3200fps. And it does.

I guess I ran through all that just to say, every rifle has a purpose when I think of it. And that's what drives my choice. I will say I look to Nosler, Hornady, Speer, and Lyman for their commentary about which powder is the most consistent, accurate, or "best" for a given bullet weight in whatever chambering I'm working with. Nosler's recommendation for "most accurate powder" is usually a pretty good place to start, as are Hornady & Speer's respective recommendations for choice powders in a given cartridge. I usually try a couple of powders under the bullet I want to try, and unless I don't find something workable (it occasionally happens...) I end up shooting some promising combination from that first few workups.

 

[Elkman]

I agree with Dub and Mike. Your use and objectives drive the discussion!!!!

 

[orchemo]

125 partitions or 130 accubonds in a 6.5 Rem Mag....both will do the job on a mule deer and black bear.

JD is send me some 130 gr Accubonds. I am buying some Barnes and Partitions from WVchevy3

Three great bullets...although I have never really played with the barnes bullets very much. But keep thinking about using the 200 gr Barnes for my 350 RM.

I think I will start with Accubonds and Partitions using 4831 per JD and Ramshot Hunter powders.

Great spring project. Spring bear hunt is 7 weeks away.