Caribou Gear

Pondering factory loads vs starting loads

Piss poor factory ammo is the reason I started reloading. This is especially true of all the "old" magnums like 357, 44 mag, 7mm rem mag. Those all came out a long time ago and I think manufacturers are scared those older guns out there might blow up so they've watered ammo down. My reloads, within book specs mind you, are substantially more powerful than any factory ammo in those calibers. I think more modern cartridges like creedmors etc are not watered down, there was more accurate modern pressure data and all the guns made are new and no worries of handling the pressure.

All that said, I don't waste my time or money starting at the lowest "starting load" and working up in super small amounts. I dont worry my gun will handle the book max load so i start somewhat closer to it than starting loads. My 7mm rem mag load is something like 74.5 grs of 8133 under a 162 gr pill. I probably started around 73 or 73.5 and bumped up half gr at a time. I also will stay lower on a powder charge if more doesn't equal higher velocity. Highest velocity with good accuracy is the goal of reloading, well to me anyhow. Revolvers it's either balls to the wall power loads, or dirt cheap plinking loads. Factory ammo is right in the middle and expensive.
 
Ive had pressure signs with factory ammo on a warm day with nosler 308 ammo.

A lot of legal responsibilities lead to warnings in reloading books - but theres more margin than some might think. Not an excuse to chew into the margin unsafely though.
 
I agree, sure seems factory is loaded to what we reloaders would consider middle node. Fired out of a 24” in a wind tunnel, of course it goes 3,050fps which is proudly printed on the $63 box of 20.
 
Back
Top