Do you load/shoot the same stuff all the time?

[someguy2800]

I always intend to find the perfect load and stick to it but it never seams to work out that way. Either the powder or bullet or primer I want becomes unavailable or I find some super deal on some bullet or powder and I have to try it. Never know what your missing out on unless you try it right? I have at least one go to load for each gun that I usually keep a stock of loaded ammo on hand and reload the same load multiple times. My 444 marlin only has one load and I've no interest in further experimenting. Load development for my 25-06 has come to an end with one varmint and one deer load. My 45-70 has only ever had one kind of bullet and powder down the barrel.

 

[cfullgraf]

I tend to settle on a bullet/load combination that meets my criteria for the moment.

I take a 204 Ruger bolt and semi-auto rifle with me for prairie dog shoots. Both shoot sub 0.75" at 100 yards with the same load and I deem that acceptable for my needs. I may be able to do better or tailor the loads for each rifle but I'm happy.

I'm building a bolt rifle in 22 Bench Rest and I'll work for a load that will match or better the above 204 Ruger loads. Hopefully, that will happen quicker than slower but we will see.

I want to take the 22 Bench Rest rifle with me next summer to South Dakota so it will have some priority over the next few months. I also have a 22x6.5 AR-15 that I'd like to take but I'm not sure I can spend the development time on it between now and June, 2018.

For handgun, I do not shoot any competition any more, so working up loads with the ultimate accuracy is not a priority. Except for gauges like hitting a 4" plate at 25 yards 100% of the time, I do not work on loads to meet some specific criteria. If I get reliable hits during testing, then my big runs of ammunition production are all the same.

Over the years, I have found loads to my liking with acceptable accuracy in 9x19, 45 ACP, 38 Super, 45 Colt, and 357 Magnum. I do ot vary much from my established loading data.

I've kind of been dabbling with 38 Special defense loads. These have been waiting for me to cast bullets with an alloy more conducive to expanding but I'll take the powder data from my earlier "too hard to expand" cast bullets and apply it to the softer bullets.

 

[Bartojc]

Is this what all the really experienced reloaders end up doing?

I have not been reloading enough to qualify as a really experienced reloader. That said I have "good enough" loads that I either have ready to go or I have the needed components to make enough quickly. For 9mm pistol and .223 rifle I have range loads in bulk that I keep a decent amount of stock on hand. I still experiment though with some different loads so I have backup choices to work with. For my hunting rifles I've got a hunting load that is my current go-to load, but always seem to be looking for something better. It can get out of hand quickly as the number of powders and components seems to stack up. Also started experimenting with 45 Colt in a SA, price is a concern here but anything handloaded beats store prices.

-Jeff

 

[25-5]

35+ years now. I stick with W231, W296, and Titegroup for pistol. For my rifles the 4895's and Varget. All work very well. Same goes for the bullets I use. I'm not real fond of 9mm so I just buy it for the Walther P4.
I enjoy a lot of shooting and reloading, from 38S&W to .30-06.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

When I started reloading, in the late 80's, I did it to shoot more on the same money. I had one type of bullet, and one powder. A Lee handloader, scoop, and dies completed the equipment.

As time went on, and more firearms made their way into my possession, more equipment and different types of supplies came into inventory.
I play mostly with handguns, but .223, .30/30, and .30-06 are in inventory.
I have set loads for certain calibers, but still do quite a bit of testing and tinkering with different loads, powders, and guns.

I suppose my answer to the original question is "both". I load certain loads in quantity, but still try other recipes.

Sometimes I wonder if I still reload to shoot more, or shoot to reload more. I suspect the latter.

 

[Axis II]

I wanted to reload for a few years but we had the issues with finding components and when I first started reloading I couldn't find certain stuff so I began buying cci, S&B primers cause that's what local, 3 different powders for 223rem, fmj, sp, v max, HP, Hornady, Nosler, etc. all for 223rem. When I started 9mm I found the cheapest powder I could find locally HP-38 and ran with it. When I realized I had 3 powders for 223rem and 2 of them weren't useful I quit messing with the powder and primer testing and just purchased a lot of them so I wont run out for awhile. I then started loading 44, 9mm, 38spl, and 45-70 and said once I find something that works I'm running with it because it cost me too much money for trying new stuff that didn't work just because it was fun. I am always finding new ways to save some money like using S&B primers for all pistol, cheap pistol powders, cheap pistol bullets. I broke down and tried 50gr Z max for 223rem and they shoot well so ill be stocking up on them even though I thought about trying a 60-62gr FMJ to achieve cheap accuracy.

Ive learned check on here and other sites to see what guys like, try it and if it works stock up. too much wasted money experimenting even though it is fun.

 

[groundsclown]

Sometimes I wonder if I still reload to shoot more, or shoot to reload more. I suspect the latter.

Ding ding ding ding....

I started reloading in 1990. At first it was to be able to shoot more 9mm & 223 At the time I used a single stage rock chucker but over the years I've upgraded to progressives.
When I first started reloading I had an inkling that I liked reloading more than shooting but that's just silly....Sorta like saying I like doing the dishes but not cooking or eating. It just didn't make sense.

So when I got my first progressive (the green kind) I knew I had a problem but kept it to myself. Then I upgraded my press again (the blue kind) and now, with authority & a firm step, I'm clearly on the other side of the fence....The kind that shoots to reload. There. I'm now outta the closet!

I use to fill a 50cal ammo can with 9mm or 45acp but I found I wasn't fulfilling my need to reload. So now I have my favorite loads but only keep 300-500 (pistol) on hand at any one time and maybe 200-300 rifle....Just so I can run the press more often.

Same deal with casting. I cast for all my handguns. Made the mistake when I bought some really nice MP molds and cast several 30cal cans full...Now I don't have any reason to play with them until I use up my stock.

So my advice is take a hard look at what comes first, reloading or shooting. If reloading is a chore, then I'd say find your favorite load & stack it deep.
Me. I'd rather run my press every 2 weeks for my fix.

 

[WVsig]

I load 9mm, 45 ACP, 38 Spl and 380 auto with HP-38. I have a set standard load for each caliber for plinking. I have a "match" load for particular guns but honestly 90% of the time I am loading the same load in each caliber for multiple guns.

I use a Lee Classic Turret and have a turret, die & powder measure setup for each caliber on the tool head dialed in so I can change calibers in seconds.

 

[Charliefrank]

When I get a new gun/cartridge I do a lot f experimenting until I feel I've got the best I can get. Then I tend to stick with that load.

 

[ray15]

Me. I'd rather run my press every 2 weeks for my fix.

You mean you skip a week? What is wrong with you?

 

[rocirish]

I pretty much use the same loads for my rifles, so when I retired a few years ago, I bought a couple of autoloader pistols to continue the search.

 

[GBExpat]

Once I find a load that does what I want, I stick with it. Took some experimentation. But I have no need to experiment further.

This, generally. Other than specialty loads, I will have no more than 2 "standard" pistol loads per caliber, usually light bullet/heavy bullet.

For my SD calibers I also maintain each load with both FMJ/Plated and HP, the former for practice so that I am not burning thru the high-dollar HPs during range time.

 

[bullseye308]

I have some that I have found “the load” for and don’t deviate from. My Ruger GP-100 loves 158 ww swc over 5.0 grains of Bullseye and has had just over 4100 through the barrel since it was last cleaned, and I have absolutely no leading and she is self cleaning. For my S&W 67 the standard 148 Lee soupcan wc over 2.7 grains of Bullseye does what it always has for over 50 years. Those do not change and get loaded by the ammo can.

In 9mm, I load for 6 of them and want the best load for each accuracy wise. I did find “the load “ for one of my Range Officers with 2 different RMR bullets and BE-86 and that gun will have a good supply of that load. I also found 2 that work fairly well in my Glock 9’s but are still being refined. The others are still a work in progress, using cast, powder coated cast, plated, and fmj but all with BE-86. I have gone through 4# of BE-86 this year working on load development in 9mm, testing cast, PC, plated, fmj, and different OAL for all those looking for just the right load for each one.

Load development is great, and sometimes frustrating. I enjoy the process and will probably never stop, but at times I just enjoy chilling at the range making lots of bullets go through the same hole over and over. Then I can reload all that brass and do it again. It’s a cycle that never ends.

 

[Doublehelix]

It seems like a lot of folks are always chasing the "perfect load", and I have found myself guilty of this at times as well.

In reality, it does not exist, there are always trade-offs, but that does not mean it is not fun to experiment, right?

Reloading is a hobby that produces much better rounds than I could buy off of the shelf, so there is a lot of pride in trying to find something better than my current load.

But... when it comes down to it, when does "good enough" become "good enough"? I am pretty happy with my 9mm recipes for now, but I am in the midst of a new workup for .45 ACP which involves some coated SWC's which I have never used before (spoiler alert: I love them!).

When something new comes out, it can be fun trying out new things. I know I tried out BE-86 based on all of the good stuff I read around here, and as it turns out, I did not care for it as well as my current loads, so after experimenting, I went back to my trusty loads that have been so successful.

 

[Kaldor]

For ammo that I shoot alot of like 9mm, 45, 223, I have established loads that Ive run for years, that I load about a 1000 at a time. For other calibers, I have a couple loads that I like, but I tend to play around more with them. Pistol calibers I tend to be less picky, rifle i tend to expect more.

 

[brewer12345]

It's funny what people optimize for. Manglumitis ( more velocity is always better) is ever popular. I tend to try for the lowest recoil, lowest cost load that is very accurate, a few big game loads aside. Heck, I am going to cast what amounts to wadcutters for the 30 06 today.

 

[Sam1911]

But... when it comes down to it, when does "good enough" become "good enough"?

Right! I remember working up some loads for a .35 Remington Marlin 336. Everything I tried went into 2" groups. A bunch went into 1.5" groups. About three were even better performers. So in an hour's loading session, and then probably 1/2 hour at the range, I had multiple 1-1/4" loads for a lever-action rifle that every shooter would understand to be a no-more-than 200 ... maybe 250 yd.... deer rifle.

What would be the possible point to trying to keep hammering away at that to find THE LOAD? Maybe, yeah, there's one exact combination of bullet A and powder B at charge C and seating depth D that will drop that average group to 1" or maybe 7/8"! Wow, wouldn't that be something? But so what? I'm never going to shoot this rifle at anything with a vitals zone so small, or at a range so long, that I'll have any chance of legitimately blaming the load's potential accuracy for a miss. And if I DO? I'm the dumb-butt for trying it.

I picture someone saying, "I want to go to Pittsburgh," and someone else looking at him quizzically and replying, "Hey man, this IS Pittsburgh. You're there!"
First dude comes back with, "No, I can do better! I can be even more in Pittsburgh than this! I've got to keep trying!"

When you're there, you're there!

 

[Dudedog]

Somewhere in between. I have certain loads I repeat, but I also experiment some

I'm right there with Walkalong.
I have my favorites, but still like to experiment.
Started shooting matches so a lot of reloading goes to make match ammo (generally practice with the same load I am shooting in matches)
Still fun to try new loads.

When something new comes out, it can be fun trying out new things. I know I tried out BE-86 based on all of the good stuff I read around here, and as it turns out, I did not care for it as well as my current loads, so after experimenting, I went back to my trusty loads that have been so successful.

Same thing for me as well. I got great vels out of BE86 in 9mm but accuracy for me was just average.
My current favorite for 9mm WSF was something I tried during the last shortage, where it was (for me at least) are there loads listed for it in 9mm, ok I will buy it.
Tried 7625 then and I liked it, sorry to have seen it get discontinued. 4756 sort of the same but I miss 7625 more.
Tried/using a lb of Win572, ok but I wouldn't buy it again if I had a choice of some others. CFE-P was a win for me,
TAC was a win for me, so some winners and some losers, there's an adventure in every new flavors jar.

 

[Blue68f100]

I have my favorites, but still test other loads form time to time. I keep a good supply of my favorites loads. And any load I test is compared to my go-to loads. My favorite hand gun loads are WSF for 9mm, WST for 45acp and my 357 plinking loads. These 357 loads are actually BE loads so they are very accurate too. WST has proven to be a very good BE powder, and burns very clean. I'm able to get < 2" groups at 50 yrds ( 14 rounds, 2 mag) out of my Custom 1911, if I do my part.

 

[DRAINSMITH]

We all have gotten into this crazy for one reason or another some want to shoot more rounds for the same money (save) some want a more accurate rounds. Me I got into to give me something to do with my grandkids.

Now I pay my grandkids for there help so I don't "save" any money. My rounds cost about double if I just bought pre-made. 40 years ago I couldn't stack four rounds together and have on illusions that I could do it now. So playing with my rounds to get them to be more accurate would be a waste of time for me.

Well, I'm like Mr. Morris. I got my loads Like Moma bear not to slow and not too hot but right in the middle.I haven't changed them in years and have no plan to do so.

 

[someguy2800]

I used to reload as a hobby and I would sit in the basement for hours meticulously loading on a beam scale and single stage. I also did not have anywhere to shoot nearby so reloading was how I extended out my gun hobby as I had limited time to shoot and lots of time to load. Now I have a great deal more things competing for my time and I really just want to shoot. I'm still addicted to hand loading and experimenting but now I want to make quality ammo in less time so I can actually shoot it. You know you love reloading when you start making your gun purchase choices based on what will be fun to load for. My latest kick is all the cartridges I want now are wildcats that I have to make the brass for. There are a couple things I would like to have that don't exist yet so I would like to I design my own chamber dimensions and get a custom reamer made for a couple things.

 

[roval]

i like loading a lot of the same stuff once i know what works even just because the press is already set up for a particular load.

at least for handgun , shooting more with a load that is good will do more for accuracy than fiddling around with different powders and charge weights... not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

[BigMacMI]

If I can make minor power factor and shoot >98 on a B8 target at 15 yards standing (slow fire), I am happy enough.

Over the winter, I may build some ladder loads to try out in the spring... but generally I find what works consistently at 135PF, and call it good

 

[blue32]

My automatic loads stay the same when I get satisfactory results. Revolvers see several loads just for fun. My 223 needs to maintain cycling and get reasonable accuracy at 300m+/- so not much experimenting. My 260 sees continual load development due to cast bullets, jacketed loads, and the inevitable chasing of the lands.

 

[Varminterror]

I enjoy experiencing new things, but when I take on a new cartridge, my ultimate goal is to find a single load which I can run forever for the cartridge. I typically pick an application, which drives my choice in cartridge and bullet, so when I want to try something else, it's an entirely new cartridge. I have a handful of loads for some cartridges, while I have ONE load for some. But at any given time I'm loading for two dozen cartridges or so, with more than 40 different cartridges in my stable.

I do like to try new bullets when something comes out which fits my applications. I enjoyed working up a charge for the 73 ELD this summer, the 200 and 208 ELD in 300wm last winter, and the 178 ELD in .30-06 last spring. When the tipped SMK's came out, I really enjoyed breaking down my old loads and trying them out.