Question about Max Loads on Hodgdons Load Data

[Eb1]

On the site it lists 29.2 of IMR 3031 for a 170 Grain bullet in a 30-30 WCF. Is this really the MAX load?

To start a new session with some Hornady 170 Interlocks I added the Minimum and the Maximum from there website, and got 28.4 as the load I am going to start at. I loaded 20 rounds upping the powder .2 each 5 bullets. Leaving me at 29.0 grains of IMR 3031. That is .2 from the MAX load listed on Hodgdon's site.

I read a lot of users using 30+ grains of IMR 3031. Is that from a different Lot of powder?

Any advise would be appreciated. I have been loading for a few months, but just got my dies and I want to start keeping "good" data. I was using my Lee Loader. Which did give me a lot of knowledge. Enough to know that I needed more uniform loads. LOL It also created some good bullets, but just not calibrated enough.

Thanks.

 

[dmickey]

Why worry about what the maximum load is? For my rifles, I seek out the load with the most accuracy and stop there. I'm sure that the deer isn't going to miss a few feet per second!

 

[Eb1]

That is good information, but I wasn't specifically wanting to load the max. As you can tell I mentioned that I stopped .2 under from my post.

My post was about the published load data, and if it was the "MAX" or are people pushing the limit.

 

[steve4102]

Nosler lists 30.0 for their 170gr bullet.
Hornady lists 28.5gr 3031 for their 170gr bullet.
Sierra 29.8.
IMR 29.7 with Hornady bullet.
Speer 29.5.

 

[Eb1]

Thanks, steve4102.

I guess you could just add up all the listings and then divide them for you low/high averages. From the data you posted it looks like the average between Hornady and IMR will be 29.1 for the MAX load.

Looks like my starting load of 28.4 working up to 29.0 with .2 increments for 20 rounds was pretty good. Even though I might have started a little hotter than the minimum.


I appreciate the data. My next purchase is at 3 books to get my comparisons. I have been using the dippers. So I wasn't all that worried, but now things are coming together, and I am starting my log books.

 

[steve4102]

Manuals are a must, but don't forget about all the free data available as well.
http://www.ramshot.com/powders/
http://accuratepowder.com/data/Accurate v322 web publication.pdf
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/RecipeList.aspx?gauge=&gtypeid=2&title=Centerfire Load
http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp
http://www.lapua.com/fileadmin/user_upload/esitteet/VihtavuoriInternationalReloguide2008.pdf
http://www.norma.cc/sortimentladd.asp?doc=Sort&Lang=2
http://www.reloadersnest.com/rifle.asp
http://stevespages.com/page8a.htm