Load Data Inconsistency

For starters, "working up a load" is a key phrase. Why don't you start at the highest MINIMUM load suggested by these two sources and use this as a determination of what works best in your gun? Work up from minimum in increments. Absolutely no reason to start at max load.

Does your wife & ant make biscuits the same way?

This question seems to be asked 5 or more times a week. a quick search may find you a lot of info most is probably useless but will probably end about the same as this thread.

Go ahead & start at your lowest then work to your heaviest. You may find a few good loads along the way.

If you pop primers then that is way to much powder but hopefully you can tell before you get to that point.

Riceman98 said:

Working up a load for my .270 with H4831sc, 130gr Hornady SP, Remington Brass, CCI #200 printers. My hornady book says max load is 62gr. Hodgdons website says a max load is 60gr. How do you guys handle this? Do you load up to 62gr and watch for pressure or do you stop at 60gr?

I stopped at 60grs because I dont think 62gr would have fit in the case.

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Different firearms or test barrels, different lots of powders, different components, different atmospheric conditions, different folks doing the testing, different lawyers reviewing the data, and a bunch of things I have not thought of all affect the end results.

As already recommended, start at the minimum and work your loads up stopping before pressures get excessive. I prefer to not operate near maximum loads to give me a safety cushion but if the maximum loads are safe in your rifle, that is your choice.

I would work up my load and as I work it up, I would check for over pressure signs and what not. As I go up on the charge and all is well, I would move on to the next charge if I needed/wanted to. I would then work up to the lowest max charge and see how it worked out before moving up anymore. If all is well, You can move up some but with a huge amount of caution.

I am not a lawyer. What you do and with your equipment and self is your responsibility and yours only. I, nor the members or THR.ORG will not be held responsible for your actions regarding reloading and yourself and your firearms.
Proceed with caution.

I'm guessing the differences are :
A different Lot Number
different Pressure test equipment
different bullets
and finally, different lawyers.

How do I handle it?

Start low & work up until I either get good results, or see no difference.

"I asking what people do when there is conflicting data. "

I'm certainly not telling anyone what I do about conflicting data because, IMHO, those who ask that question don't yet have the experience to deal with it properly so stick with the book you're comfortable with. (Unless you experience signs of over pressure BEFORE reaching book max! Then it doesn't matter what the book says, it's WRONG and that does happen from time to time so don't think any book's max charges are safe for every rifle ever made, amen.)

There are various slow buring powders that do take you into compressed charges, but as long as you've properly worked up to those levels, your good to go.
GS

Hodgdons data is for a Barnes TSX bullet while Hornady uses its own. The mono-metal bullets are known to run a little high in pressure compared to std cup and core bullets.
You`re not comparing apples to apples

Do you have a need for a max load?
Do you a chronograph so you can determine what your max load produces?
In my short time reloading (just a bit over 45 years), I don't know if I have ever loaded a max load other than on purpose (see below). I load up from the LIGHTEST starting load I can find and work up in no more than 5 and no less the 3 intervals to the lightest max load I can find. That light max load has never shown any signs of being a max load, but it hasn't mattered. By that time, accuracy is dropping and I know if that bullet/powder is really of any promise. If it is, I then work up a couple of loads in the most accurate region, then play with COL. As I said, I just have NEVER needed to worry about a max load as it simply has never been the ACCURATE load in any of my pistols or rifles.
I wish for rifles I could do a quick ladder test, but it appears that 300 yards is optimum and 200 yards is the minimum and I only have 100 yards available.
I watch case expansion, case head expansion, and recoil impulse compared to factory loads of the same or close bullet weight. If primers, with rifle rounds in the 45+ksi region, show severe flattening, piercing. or flowing into the firing pin hole, I know to stop and back off. This has only happened a couple of times with powders that were not the best choice to begin with (though there were certainly plenty of loads in the manuals).
The only times I may have intentionally gone over max loads were in open guns (1911s and CZ75s) made for hot .38 super loads. Even at that, I got the performance I wanted with no signs of over pressure to the case or primer. Those loading 9mm Major in appropriately made guns will probably know the feeling.

I have had bad loads from manuals, and just recently one from the Hornady 7th. The listed max for 10mm with AA7 and 155gr if I recall was 15.1 (I stopped at 14.6)and several other sources max was between 12.5 and 13. For what it's worth I finally ran across the 8th edition Hornady and they backed down to similar max as others around 13. They after several weeks emailed me and replied that at the given time with tested components they achieved safe pressure with that combination. I did not see any obvious pressure signs until trying to re-size my brass and it was way over sized from pressure I had to throw out 50 cases. My practice more so now than then is find multiple sources and work to what seems to be an average and be suspect of the ones that seem high. Hope this helps as it was one of those I think I really got lucky my pistol stayed together.

I asking what people do when there is conflicting data.

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Did you read the Hornady FAQ's?
http://www.hornady.com/support/faqs/ballistics-data

Working up a load for my .270 with H4831sc, 130gr Hornady SP, Remington Brass, CCI #200 printers. My hornady book says max load is 62gr.

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Start low, work up, is how I handle it. There are always variables, even in the testing bullet companies do. That is why I start low.

I stopped at 55.6 with 4831 powder and 130 Gr. Hornady SP bullet. This was at the point that any more would be compressed. Makes a nice load.

I think 62 Gr. is a casing full. They had to stop there. I see no need to push it that far.

I have had bad loads from manuals,

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Yep! Me too. Another reason to start low and work up. Also good reason to consult several sources.

"Yep! Me too. Another reason to start low and work up. Also good reason to consult several sources. "

Ditto. But, doing load work up correctly sorta negates any special value to consulting other sources doesn't it?

Point taken. I started loading many years before internet, and had only one manual. (Lyman) I used only that data for many years, no problems.

Ive shot .270 with 55.5 grains of h4831 for years over any 130 bullet with excellent results. As others have said before why push a max load when you don't have to?

"Point taken. I started loading many years before internet, and had only one manual. (Lyman) I used only that data for many years, no problems. "

We have walked exactly the same path. I started in '65 with a single Lyman manual on the advice of a wise ol' dude in my gun club. It was 5-6 years before I bought my second and never felt I needed any more until a lot of new powders and cartridges came out. By the time I got my second book I had enough experience to deal with differences (meaning I knew how to 'start low and work up' properly no matter what the book said).