One Rifle One Load?

[Armored farmer]

I pretty much screwed up a hunt by accidentally switching loads in my .30-06.
One load for me from now on.

 

[HoosierQ]

So much to learn! I am trying to do the same thing with factory ammo. I am going to stick with 55 grain in my 5.56 and zero in at that bullet weight. I realize that I will achieve only moderate results with factory ammo but my hope is that by standardizing on the bullet weight, my variation will still be more or less "minute of coyote" out to 200 yards or so.

I am changing my thinking on my .243. I bought it during the big ammo shortage. The only thing I could find were 100 grainers here in Indiana because you can't hunt deer with a .243 in Indiana...so the varmint rounds were all bought up. I zeroed my scope in with 100 grainers.

Since then, coyotes are eating us alive here. Your pets, your livestock, and God forbid, your kids are not safe (so far we have not had a child injured). But the coyote population has become dangerous. They've grown in numbers due to the prior infestation of raccoons and feral cats among other things. The numbers of those are down. So while I can most certainly shoot a coyote just fine with a 100 grain bullet I think I will want to move down to maybe 55 grain bullets or something in that range and, to help out my FIL who's getting eaten alive by these things, re-zero my scope to handle varmint loads. Again they'll be factory but there I may just stick with one weight AND one brand since the .243 will not be fired nearly as much or as often as the 5.56.

 

[osprey176]

That's not a bad plan with factory ammo,sight in and keep one brand and bullet weight on hand for one purpose. I handload and often find myself working up several loads for each rifle I own. This way,when I find that my chosen components are hard to find,I have other options. I try to have a couple close substitutes to my best accuraccy load to keep me shooting.

 

[1948CJ2A]

I'm curious if anyone else thinks of one cartridge, say for example the .308 Win, as a 'one load' gun. Meaning you only shoot 150 grainers or something like that. Perhaps the .270 Win only shoot 130 grains. In this way you grab the gun and the one size every time. If you need something larger you pick a larger caliber; if you need something smaller you pick a smaller caliber. And, you'd always know where that bullet was flying because you always use that bullet with that gun.

Of course the opposite could also be done: 168, 180, & 200 for the .30-06 for example. Not saying it can't or shouldn't (esp if you've only got one gun-but that isn't a prob I think most people here have...).

Realistically, if you did this you'd only 'need' 5 calibers or so and you'd cover 'everything'. For example: .22 lr, .233, .257 or 6.5, .30-06, .375 (and of course a 12 ga, a .357 and a .40 S&W).

I'm not saying you wouldn't 'want' more than that, but that would serve...

Just thinkin'
Greg

If you do it this way, you can justify more rifles. Or add to your list of justifications.

 

[ExAgoradzo]

Where in Central IN do you live? Next time I visit my dad I'd love to help you with the coyote problem!

The drought here is so bad there aren't any coyotes to hunt let alone deer or pig. Last time I went to my fav turkey/quail/dove spot we literally came home empty handed. Very depressing. Lots of ECDoves here in town, but none in the hills... The trip wasn't wasted though, my friend got a #1 in .45-70 and another friend loaded some shoulder busters and we had fun blowing up stuff...

Anything it takes to justify a new rifle, right?

Greg

 

[Corn-Picker]

I usually rely on two loads per rifle. The "hunting load," which is the most accurate lead free ammo that I can find, and the "practice load," which is the cheapest ammo I can find that shoots reasonably well.

For example with my 308 it's a mixture of Remington Premier Copper and TulAmmo FMJ. Let's be honest; for most of us, if you're practicing from field positions (especially off-hand) it doesn't matter if the ammo is 2 MOA+, that's a lot steadier than you're going to hold the rifle anyway.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

If you do it this way, you can justify more rifles. Or add to your list of justifications

True. For example, in .30-06 I could load 110 to 130 grain bullets for coyotes, crows and groundhogs, 150 to 180 for deer and elk, and 220 grains for grizzly and not need a .22 Hornet, a .223 Remington, a .6.5X55 Mauser, a .30-30 and so on.

But where's the fun in that?

 

[Dr.Rob]

I still have a bunch of 220gr .30-06 bullets I intended to load up for moose/bear. Then I inherited an 8mm Mauser and bought a .375, no need for a 'heavy' 30 cal load.

Probabaly sell them to someone with a 300 AAC supressed or save for making my own.

 

[Andrew Leigh]

Hi Greg,

I started out with a 30-06 in the belief that I would only possess one hunting rifle that I could load up and down on. The truth is that my 30-06 can shoot varying weights but it does some weights much better than others. So like what rcmodel says I got irritated with having different trajectories on one rifle.

So I developed a "get the right calibre to shoot the weight and distance at the right animal philosophy". As I belong to the slow and heavy club (no offense to those who wish to shoot a grain of rice at the speed of sound) my rifle and loads are selected according. Although from a hunting perspective there is crossover between the calibre's (one calibre can take the same animal) I have a policy of taking the rifle for the job at hand. so the firearms I load for;

6.5X55mm - 130gr. Accubonds (Springbuck, Impala, Blesbuck, Black Wildebeest, Bushbuck, Hartebeest) I will be moving to a 120gr Barnes.

30-06 - 180gr. Accubond (Gemsbok, Blue Wildebesst, Kudu, Waterbuck). I will be moving to 165gr Barnes.

.375 - 300gr. Accubond (Zebra, Eland and hopefully one day Buffalo when my ship comes in). Will be moving to a 270gr. Barnes.

Cheers

 

[Art Eatman]

One pet load for my .243, and one for my '06. Mostly on account of laziness. Lord knows, I've tried all manner of different loads through the decades, mostly from curiosity.

But that's because most of the hunting with them is only for deer and coyotes. If I go for prairie dogs or jackrabbits with the .243, I'll go lighter. Same sort of thing with the '06.

It's not something I ever worry about.

 

[ExAgoradzo]

Andrew,
Is the quality of the Barnes so superior to the accubonds that you go from 180 to 165 grs?

This gets at my whole question here: not only will a caliber but also a rifle shoot one load more effectively, but also there will be bullet construction (as well as BC and SD) facts that make that rifle/caliber 'best' in terms of accuracy and effectiveness. Therefore moving up from my Swede for example from lite deer and pig to say a .30-06 for an elk--(I'm not arguing Bell couldn't kill an elk with a swede, I just don't trust myself to do it) makes sense because you're doing what that caliber and rifle is best at. I'm shooting 129s from my Sako 6.5 and at the range am reliably hitting the knock down target at 254 yards (my .270 win I 'inherited' does the same. I wish it were an M 70 .30-06!). So, the question is: is it 'best' to take the time to learn one load. I suppose if you didn't have the .375 you could also find a 200gr load along with the 165 Barnes. But since you do, why bother?

Anyway: as pointed out above, I just want an excuse for more rifles . I'd really like to find a great med bore and I'd like to get a .30-06 that is reliable (I've put cash into an old Rem and it just doesn't cut it--very frustrating since it was my FinL's...) then besides a good varmint rifle I would be satisfied...

Thanks again everyone:
Greg

 

[Andrew Leigh]

Andrew,
Is the quality of the Barnes so superior to the accubonds that you go from 180 to 165 grs?

I do believe that the Barnes holds together better, penetrate better and are more accurate. It is more however a function of the length that creates the need to drop a bullet weight, the Barnes being copper are proportionately longer.

 

[AJumbo]

My Reminton 760 in .30-06 gets fed 180 gr. Core-Lokts, and while some may say 180 is too heavy a bullet for deer, I've never needed a second shot to dispatch a muley or an elk; there are no grizzlies in Arizona, and hunting one is the only reason I'd consider changing bullet weights.

Likewise, my .270 just loves "red box" Federal 130's. If I could ever draw a pronghorn tag, the .270 would be my go-to rifle. I don't feel undergunned with it when going after elk or deer, either.

I enjoy reloading, but I take a lot of comfort in knowing that I can walk into any sporting goods shop in the state and find ammunition that I can drop in the rifle and just roll with after a couple of sighting shots.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

With all respect to Elmer Keith (peace be on his name) the heavy bullet rule is pretty much superseded by more modern bullets.

In the .35 Brown-Whelen, for example, I favor the 225 grain Nosler partition jacket (a design, come to think of it, that's about 70 years old) instead of heavier 250 and 270 grain bullets. In .30-06, I believe the 165 grain bullet is the best balanced bullet for that cartridge, and you give up nothing when selecting a premium 165 grain over a 180 grain bullet.

 

[StrawHat]

...With all respect to Elmer Keith (peace be on his name) the heavy bullet rule is pretty much superseded by more modern bullets...

Correct, modern bullets are much more advanced than the simple cup and core technology of his day. Even cast bullets were better performers, and still are.

Elmer had to rely on weight to accomplish good penetration because the lighter bullet available to him would not perform consistently.

 

[StrawHat]

I work up one good load for any Once the sights are set, they do not get fiddled with as they are specific to that rifle/load combination.

 

[wanderinwalker]

The one rifle, one load is part of why I picked up my Marlin 336 in .30-30. It's a cartridge that will do anything I need out of a rifle at ranges I can use with "just bullets." All I've ever fed it is 150gr ammo. Factory Remington, Winchester or Federal, or reloads with Sierra FNs or Hornady RNs. They all shoot to the same sight setting and group about the same. Good enough for me in a 200-yard rifle.

Now my AR-15 match rifle, I almost always have 3 or 4 loads on hand for that. Short line ammo loaded with 69gr bullets at magazine length, 600-yard ammo loaded with 80gr bullets .015-.020" off the lands and a 100-yard "practice plinker" load with ball powder and little 52gr bullets. Oh, and odds and ends of loads with substitute powders I used during the last shortage. (Pretty sure I have small counts of 69gr and 80gr bullets loaded on top of RL-15 still, though my go-to powder is Varget.) I need to gather up the cast-offs and use them one of these days...

 

[DM~]

I'm curious if anyone else thinks of one cartridge, say for example the .308 Win, as a 'one load' gun. Meaning you only shoot 150 grainers or something like that. Greg

This is exactly what I do for "most" of the guns that I have.

For example, my "go to gun" is an 8x57jrs, I use 200NP's in it and they work good on everything I hunt, from coyotes to moose. In fact I've shot coyotes, moose, blk. bears and many other animals with that gun and that load, so I'm not guessing here.

I also hunt with a .240Wby., and I only shoot 100NP's in it, as it's used for deer 99% of the time.

Same with 44 mag. handguns, they get a 250 grain cast bullet that I cast, all loaded the same way. I've used that bullet/load on moose, deer and other animals for years and years...

Rather than switch loads/trajectories all the time, I just work up a load for THAT gun, that will do it all and learn what that one load will do....

DM

 

[Robert101]

I'm going to say yes, one load to one rifle. Its not just the rifle but the scope adjustments, range card, etc. that require new parameters. You've got to know point of impact with each load at varying distances. Not complicated but I want to feel comfortable about my equipment and only have to manage the "field" or range conditions. So when I change a bullet (and load) I really change everything on that gun.

 

[rskent]

You guys really need to think before posting crazy ideas about 1 rifle being able to shoot multiple loads,

Browningguy . I like the way you think man.

 

[M1GarandDeerHunter]

30-06 150 grain Core lokt bullet. Works for me.

 

[RAT807]

I handload and often find myself working up several loads for each rifle I own. This way, when I find that my chosen components are hard to find, I have other options. I try to have a couple close substitutes to my best accuracy load to keep me shooting.

Years ago I had a good bullet, powder combo that was pretty accurate in my .280. But as the component shortage hit, I had to find other loads that would work in my gun. After many different ladder tests and OCW tests, I found a load for a Hornady 120gr Hp to shoot coyotes, Berger 140gr BTHP, Nosler 150gr B-tip and a Sierra 150gr Gameking. All of these are .6 - .8 MOA loads at 200 meters
It didn't take long for me to get tired of re-zeroing the scope for different loads. One day while looking over old targets, it hit me. I could adjust the powder of a few loads and the point of impact would all group in the same area!! Back to the reloading bench and more testing.

This is an 8" steel plate and at 200 meters. This is the first string shot with the four different loads. I started with a clean bore and fired 3 foulers. two on paper targets and the last fouler is on the far right side of the steel.

I don't have the load data but this is close
120gr Hornady HP @ 2.705" to ogive, H4350 @ 57gr, Rem brass 196.X wt., length = 2.086" to datum line, primer = GM210M

140gr Berger BTHP @ 2.700" to ogive, H4350 @ 53.7gr, Norma brass 194.x wt., length = 2.085" to datum line, primer = GM210M

Nosler 150gr Btip @ 2.700" to ogive, H4831SC @ 56.8gr, Rem brass 195.x wt., length = 2.084" to datum line, primer = WLR

Sierra 150gr Gameking @ 2.700" to ogive, H4381SC @ 57gr, Rem brass 195.X wt., length 2.085" to datum line, primer = WLR

I moved the POI over to the left to center the group. Game on!!