Newbie Questions

Tensaw · Oct 7, 2019

I've been reloading 9mm and .45 ACP now for a couple of years now but I feel like I still have a lot to learn. I've loaded fmj, plated, and now coated round nose bullets for both calibers. I've pretty much used the same powder for both calibers (W231) ever since I started reloading. I refer to the loading specs published by Hodgdon. The rounds I load function in my pistols and seem accurate. I should say that I am purely a recreational shooter.

In several reloading forums that I follow I run across the phrase "work up a load" and I'm not sure I know what this means or if it's something I need to do. I assume it's determining the optimum combination of components and specs for the round I'm loading. If that's not correct then what does it mean? How do I know if I need to do it? How do you do it? How do you know when you're successful in working up your load?

Another question is if I want to use a projectile with a profile that's not listed in the load data publications I'm using, how do I find the suggested data?

This is all information that I probably should know at this stage of my reloading life and I'm a little embarrassed to have to ask. Any input will be greatly appreciated.

fpgt72 · Oct 7, 2019

In any hand gun I do pretty much what you do....follow the book, if the gun runs I am done.

Rifles I do "work up loads" How far off the rifling I am, different powders, different weights of powders....I have a friend that loads to max on everything he does....that is not the best way to put little holes in things right where you want to.

In playing with different types of powders, bullets, weights of charge, I have gone from a basket ball group to wow this shoots really nice.

I would imagine hand guns are the same, I just don't have interest in that area like I do with long guns.

If you want more then that I guess we can go into it.....currently "working up loads" for 30 remington for use in an old model 8.

Walkalong · Oct 7, 2019

It means start low and work up to max assuming nothing makes you think you should stop before max. Never start at max.

Along the way we either find something we like or we don't. For autos like 9MM & .45 ACP I pick an OAL that functions 100% and work up. I don't tweak OAL there much once I find the bullets happy OAL for function. Some people do.

Tensaw · Oct 7, 2019

Walkalong said:
It means start low and work up to max assuming nothing makes you think you should stop before max. Never start at max.

Along the way we either find something we like or we don't. For autos like 9MM & .45 ACP I pick an OAL that functions 100% and work up. I don't tweak OAL there much once I find the bullets happy OAL for function. Some people do.

I started at the low point and increased to the mid point and stopped. I figured that if the weight wondered a little, it may still be in the range. I had some .45 rounds that I loaded for a Sig P220 that I sold. I recently acquired a 1911 in .45 and these rounds didn't feed real well. I increased the OAL slightly and the feeding issue cleared up. So, I guess basically I have been working up loads. I may have over complicated what I was understanding as working up a load. And I can see where it would be a bigger deal with rifle rounds.

And btw, hello from Baldwin county.

Paul Toms · Oct 7, 2019

I reload my wife's ammo also. I have always started her @ book minimum & worked up to Max. A couple weeks ago she determined that she liked Power Pistol @ max in her 124 grain 9mm & complained when I purposely downloaded it just a little bit. This past weekend, she found that a starting charge of WST wouldn't reliably cycle her little tiny Kimber 45 ACP and she needed something closer to midrange. SHE has to be happy with HER load & SHE has to find it accurate for HER

I use the chronograph when testing near the edge, but I don't bother when nearer the bottom.

lordpaxman · Oct 7, 2019

Tensaw said:
In several reloading forums that I follow I run across the phrase "work up a load" and I'm not sure I know what this means or if it's something I need to do. I assume it's determining the optimum combination of components and specs for the round I'm loading.

I'd add "for the intended use of that round in a specific gun (or guns)". My goal for a competition round is different than a hunting round, but the load work up (that is process) is the same. Also, for those cases where multiple guns exist in a single caliber, you need to decide if you want one load to shoot in all if that's possible or specific loads for each gun.
@Walkalong is right - start at minimums and see where you are first. I've had minimums actually be too much for a specific component combination. This may happen for different reasons, such as the specific bullet you're loading isn't listed in the published data, but is close to a published load. Eg., I load RMR 9mm 147gr FN MWs, but haven't found them in any published data, so I use Hodgdon's 147gr FMJ data.
Keep good notes both for the load work data and results and you'll be referring to that in the future, guaranteed. You may want to invest in a chronograph as that can give you additional datum points on the work up. I do have one that I use all the time but some of my loads need to meet or exceed specific values.

bersaguy · Oct 7, 2019

Yup, good advice above. I was in a similar boat as you when I started. When I got going, components were a bit scarce, so all I had to work with was range pick up brass, Titegroup powder, and Berry's Plated 230gn RN projectiles for 45. I found near max with Titegroup worked fine and ran about 1200 rounds of it. Very accurate, fairly mild recoil. After I got a chronograph, I found out why, they're only doing about 700-750fps. So I started working up a load with power pistol to get something closer to factory....in the 850fps range. In 380 I found a nice combo that gets me up to 900fps, but I'm right at max if not a a tenth or so over

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Tensaw

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fpgt72

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Walkalong

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Tensaw

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Paul Toms

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lordpaxman

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bersaguy

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