How do I duplicate factory loads?

[memo43]

So I shoot competitive rifle both in ar service rifle variants, and palma. My buddy gave me some black hills ammo to shoot for both of them, and man those things shoot good.
I know the components they use but not the primers and powders.
So my question how can I copy the factory loads with out buying different powders and primers. I have varget, Reloader 15, as well as N135.
I don't want to go broke buying ammo when I can reload them instead.

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: How do I duplicate factory loads?

Try loading it to the velocity you are getting from the BH ammo. But why duplicate the factory ammo when you can work up a more consitant and more accurate round than factory in about 20-25 test rounds.

 

[Tomekeuro85]

Re: How do I duplicate factory loads?

I've always wondered this also.

Though I never did excessive testing with my rem700 .223, I had consistent .5moa groups with PMC match 52g SMK factory ammo.

The best I could consistently do with handloads was .7MOA or so.

Id love to get my hands on a similar load to that PMC stuff

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Re: How do I duplicate factory loads?

If you shoot like me you are trying to duplicate issued ammo. The 77 SMK's are loaded with TAC and a magnum primer, around 2810 fps. I haven't loaded with TAC yet as I couldn't get any and bought 8 lbs of Varget (I got lucky they were marking it up while I was shopping.), I've been told it's 24 grains but I'll use the I haven't loaded it yet so I can't prove it. I'm not sure what your palma load is. A little more description would help, caliber and bullet.

24 grains of Varget runs around 2700 fps, 24.5 is 2750. I haven't went above that yet and probably won't. I got a pound of TAC but probably won't load any until mid April.

Shoot a group over a chronograph to get average velocity, I shoot a 10 round for average velocity. Then load safely to that velocity.

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Re: How do I duplicate factory loads?

Forgot to mention, Varget and Reloader 15 are very close in 5.56 and 7.62 loads, not interchangable though because of slight weight differences. I haven't shot the N135.

 

[njlohmann]

Re: How do I duplicate factory loads?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> But why duplicate the factory ammo when you can work up a more consitant and more accurate round than factory in about 20-25 test rounds. </div></div>
my thoughts exactly

 

[Leaddog]

Re: How do I duplicate factory loads?

Pull the BH bullets and see what kind of powder they are using and weigh the charge. For primers, go with Federals.

Most folks load their service rifles with RL-15. Of course, just the duplication of velocity will get you what you want, regardless of primers or powder.

 

[xray9]

Re: How do I duplicate factory loads?

With Black Hills blue and red box ammunition, I found that this ammunition had a slight crimp, whereas my own reloads did not........you could mic & see if that was a factor.

 

[Fieldman_.308]

Re: How do I duplicate factory loads?

I've wondered the same thing a while back. I had ultramax factory ammo that always shot well out of my 20 inch BB Ar-15. The ammo gets hard to find and then your left with handloads(which isn't a bad thing in my opinion). This is what I did to determine components.

1-shoot the factory ammo through chrono and write down info

2-Pull factory bullet apart.(I recommend using an rcbs collet puller for obvious reasons)I weighed the charges out of 10 rounds to get an average weight. It'll surprise you how inconsistant they are.

3-look in reloading manuals to determine what powders(that are atleast the same shape;cylindrical, flake, ball) that produce velocities close to what you achieved.

4-the primer didn't give me as much of an issue, but I was still able to determine what is was by components. I also had quite a few different primers availeable to try and compare so that helped me a lot.

Results for AR-15 BB m1s 20 inch varmint rifle with ultramax 50 gr vmax bullets.

Bullets shot consistantly between 2950 fps and 3000 fps. When I took the bullet apart I was getting any where from 22.9 gr to 23.9 gr of a undetermined ball powder. I looked in all my reloading manuals to determine powder to velocity achieved and came up with H335. Went out after making loads from 23.8 gr to 24.1 gr in .1 gr increments and I was surprised! All loads shot under .5 moa! Just like the ultramax ammo. FYI I also noticed they loaded theirs to 2.25 oal and put a slight crimp on the bullet. I also tried loading that powder up because 3000 fps with a 50 gr bullet was slow, but I didn't get better accuracy. Hope this helps!

 

[Suasponte]

Re: How do I duplicate factory loads?

old post about duplicating Black Hills 308 ammo.

Terry

 

[gvanhyning]

Re: How do I duplicate factory loads?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Try loading it to the velocity you are getting from the BH ammo. But why duplicate the factory ammo when you can work up a more consitant and more accurate round than factory in about 20-25 test rounds. </div></div>Ditto ChadTRG42. You could already have rounds built to shoot with the time you spent here.

 

[Unknown]

Re: How do I duplicate factory loads?

The short answer is chrono the load you want to duplicate, then load your components until you duplicate the velocity. Seating depth will greatly effect your accuracy, so watch that too.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: How do I duplicate factory loads?

Did some load development for the .223/75gr HPBT Match (Moly) a few years back.

Came up with:

Mil brass, flash holes reamed.
Small Match Primer.
75gr HDY HPBT Match (Moly) loaded to 2.400" OAL for bolt gun single fed.
26.5gr(C*) Ramshot Big Game.

While this load was moderate for pressure signs, it was also fairly compressed. If you go for a mag length OAL, it should work, but you may need to apply a discrete crimp to prevent bullet creep.

From a box-stock Savage 10FP, this round was consistently 1/2" at 200yd, bipod/bench. It performed virtually identically to BH Reman. 75gr BTHP Match (Moly), and HDY 75gr HPBT Match (moly).

We also tried the laod with the longer 75gr V-Max, but results suggested stability issues with the 1:9" twist.

If you attempt to duplicate this load with the 77, back down the charge and work up.

For an AR, I can't certify the Big Game burn rate as being good for the gun. It may be a bit slow and generate higher than ideal port pressures.

Greg

 

[gunsnjeeps]

Re: How do I duplicate factory loads?

I used the BHA loaded M262 as my benchmark. The BHA has a 45 fps spread (10 rnd avg), mine is 35 fps (30 round avg). It was issued for Service Rifle so I know how well it shoots.

For .308 if you are loading 175 SMK's try 43 or 43.5 grains of Reloader 15. ATK redid their web loads and show Speer bullets with RL15 and Sierra 175 with 2000-MR now. 43.5 is 2.2 over Sierra's listed max load.