New Hornday Reloading Manual

Of recent I picked up a 2016 edition of the Hornady reloading manual. My previous one was some 10 years olde or more.

I also still have my much older manual from some 25 or so years ago.

Since then there have been a multitude of powders and new calibers which have come onto the market.

I decided it would be prudent to have some reference materials in this arena which were not dependent on electronic technology for access.

I like to keep books an manuals on much of my gear if I am going to try to keep it going...refregerators, stoves, heaters, Cars, scooters and the like.

I enjoy my time out in the garage where I am rolling my own ammo. A cup of coffee or a cold drink in the summer and I am good to go for hours. Just leave me alone and I am fine.

I reload for a number of calibers and of late have been downloading some special calibers as I don't like the factor loadings in .40 S&W and .41 Magnum. I find factory loadings too hot for my tastes.

I generally don't like to load hot with which to begin...as it is hard on the brass and hard on the tools.


But these two calibers are noticeable hot from the factory.
That is one of the nice things about rolling your own...you can adjust as needed.

You just have to be aware of loading too light to where you get a squib load.

Nonetheless...It is what I enjoy doing from time to time ...and this manual should bring me up to date.


One caliber I did not find in this book is the .408 Cheytac.. This seems to be a special calibration and brass for it is also expensive. But I believe this information can be found on the web.
I am sure there are others not mentioned or covered but this one came to mind after reviewing the table of contents.

Thanks,
Watcherchris.

 

With some powders a light load can actually be more dangerous than an overload. I've only had it happen once but when there is too much room in a case you can have detonation. I had this happen with some Winchester 296 one time. I unloaded all of those rounds and used the powder for something else. No more Win 296 for me.

I generally am still loading with the same old powders that I've always used and so my older manuals are fine. I use a lot of H110,Unique, H 2400 for handgun ammo and various IMR powders for my rifle rounds.

 

What TexDanm said.

If loading down, think about using filler. With the case upright, load what powder you are going to use -- this will be up against the primer. Now fill case with your favorite filler before seating bullet. You'll get greater accuracy and reduce immensely the odds of over-pressure.

The greatest reason that the .308 is so accurate is that it is often a compressed or near-compressed load. There is nothing "magic" about the .308 round. Use filler in a 30-06 and you can get much better accuracy ... like a .308. It has to do with burn patterns within the case during ignition -- don't ask me about that stuff. That's for the scientist-level engineers at the cartridge companies. When you get into the realm of ultra-high-explosives, that's when the really strange science begins. Got a friend working that industry now -- may God protect him. I'd like to, however I can't relate stories from that realm.

 

I had not thought about using a filler. I found out that H110 does not download well. It is very easy to get a squib load with H110 being downloaded. I was trying to download a 41 magnum. I wound up using Bullseye and IMR 4227 in downloading it...and stopped using H110. H110 is best used at max loads..not downloads.

I have not thought of using fillers. Thanks for that idea Olde Geezer.
Also TexDanm...I have never used IMR2400 but I am aware that this seems to be a very popular powder and for many years now.


Watcherchris
Not an Ishmaelite.

 

In certain loading I will load just under factory specs...for better control. Here I am talking mostly about Magnum loads.

Factory specs are easily manageable in ...let us say...Colt Government..in 45ACP...or .38 Special.

But this 41 Magnum I find to hot for my tastes in factory fodder. Hence I am learning to download. I am staying away from H110 powder unless I need full power loads. My reduced loads are using IMR 4227. I am thinking about trying that H 2400 of which TexDanm mentioned in his post.

I plan to reload another 50 rounds of 41 Magnum this weekend to lowered specs. Bullets will be a 210 grain semi wad cutter.

I do have some 250 grain wide flat nosed gas checks for this calibration but use them for special loadings...heavier loadings needing significant penetration. But these are not shot very often in lieu of the 210 grain semi wad cutters.

Thanks,
Watcherchris

 

Alliant's Hercules 2400 works real well for high powered loads in part because it is a pretty large powder load and as Old Geezer said, having a full or nearly full case makes for a more consistent burn. That is the thing that you have to realize about smokeless powder. It, under normal circumstances, does not explode. It burns at a very specific rate. Unique for example burns pretty fast while Hercules 2400 is a slower burning powder.

IMR stands for Improved Military Rifle and the only reference that I could find of an IMR 2400 is that Alliant's Hercules 2400 was used at one time in some M1 carbine load which makes sense. a 30 carbine is loaded much like and has a case size much the same as a 357 mag.

I use and like 2400 because it has given me excellent accuracy in handguns with barrels 6" or longer. It works well for 4" but because of its slower burn rate it doesn't get a completed burn. The other thing I liked about it is that for production runs below absolute max it works real well in a powder measure device. I have both a Lyman and an RCBS powder measure and they both throw an almost perfect weight load every time.

Another powder that worked well for me in a 357mag, and 44 special loads was Herco. It is basically a 410 powder and has a burn rate similar to 2400. My only gripe about it was that it is a dirty powder and required a lot more cleaning after shooting it.

In general I like the ball or small flake powders for handgun and assault weapon rounds. It goes through a powder measure well whereas IMRs stick powders need to be thrown low and then topped off on a scale for dependable weight loads. That is fine for hunting ammo. You don't go out and shoot several hundred rounds of it in a day like I often did with assault rifles or handguns.

 

I did not know that Herculese 2400 was used in the M1 Carbine loads. That would explain why it works well in the .357 magnum of which I have read a lot of people like this particular powder in that calibration.

My go to powder for M1 carbine is IMR 4227 which ironically is also what I load in .357 magnum. But your explanation about the M1 powder fits naturally with the reason...logic.

Also I did not know IMR stood for Improved Military Powders. Thanks for that update.

I use a measuring scale when I need more precise loads...and just scoops for others. Once in awhile I will measure my scooped powder on my powder measuring scale to see that I am close. And on occasion I use the small weight set to cross check the settings on my analog powder scale.

Thanks,
Watcherchris

 

I have a set of Lee scoops that I use when working up loads to toss the start and then fine tune the load on a scale with a powder trickler to a perfect weight load. for loads that are below max for just plinking I throw the load with an adjustable powder measure and weigh out a load every 15 oe 20 rounds to make sure it is still throwing the right amount.