Hornady Load Data Book
Lola Maroun
Lengthening the OAL over the published load data does two things. It reduces pressure and velocity. Decreasing OAL from published increases velocity and pressure. For max and +P loads, be very careful. .025" shorter OAL in a max 9mm load is a significant difference. In a PCC or a gun with an unsupported chamber, I would quit well below max (.3-.4gr).
I have read about H335 at 25.3 gr. to duplicate xm193. I have measured the OAL for this round which is at 2.21, close to the minimum spread of 1.20 - 1.26. What I don't know is how the OAL will be affected by this Hornady bullet which is less pointed and how the OAL relates to the powder charge.
Do you have to start at 24 gr. with an increase of .5 gr. increments and chrono 5 rounds at a given OAL that looks good for this bullet? I will have to imagine that a less pointed bullet would load at a slightly longer length like 2.23.
I did not notice any signs of too much pressure. I decided to add another 0.2 grains to equal the 26.2 H335 that you had tested. I feel that your data with the HBAR barrel and my data with the Noveski 16 inch barrel allow me to settle on the 26.2 grains and not exceed 3100 fps. The results posted in the manual for a longer barrel do yield higher values, but it would appear that the value of the NATO ammunition in that barrel would yield even greater values.
Looks like you had similar results as mine. 26.2 gr doesn't show any abnormal pressure signs in any of my ARs. I did some testing with LC83, LC87, LC 89 and LC01 brass and didn't find any great difference in velocity. I got best accuracy across several AR-15s with 26.2 gr H335 and Remington BR primers. Worst accuracy came with the CCI #41 primers. I plan to chrono this load throughout the winter into the heat of next summer to see if anything unusal pops up at the end of the temperature extremes. As it stands the Hornady 55gr FMJ bullet, any LC brass, 26.2 gr H335 and Rem BR primers is my "General Purpose" load.
Does anyone have a link to load data for the 178gr ELD-m with Varget and CCI BR-2 primers. I went to Hogden web site and they only listed 4064 power for the 178 ELD-M. If I have to buy another new book I will if it has this data. I really would like to see several different loads. I know that I need to reduce the starting load because I am using LC once fired brass to build this load. Thanks for any help.
Thank you. The ELD-X bullet is very hard to find. That was what I was trying to get when I got the ELD-M. I will see if I can get some Accurate 2495 and some of the ELD-X in 178 gr. I have a Remington 700 CDL Tactical heavy 20 inch Barrel Rifle that will shoot small one hole groups with 150 gr. Hornady bulk 150 gr. FMJ and CFE-223 powder at 100 yards. Don't know the speed of the bullet out of that rifle. I am going to try the EDL-M in my factory original DPMS LR-308 18 inch heavy fluted barrel rifle.
Hornady 11 Manual lists 178 ELD-X under .308 Winchester, and in Service Rifle, it lists 178 ELD-M - Varget loads for both. Shoot the ELD-X with the same charge, and work up. The Hornady manuals are always about 10% low, in their recommended max charges. From what I've see in real life. You won't see pressure signs until you cross 10% above what they list for a max charge, or more.
Better overall BC in both G1 and G7 drag models. Just putting the two of them in JBM Ballistics software, the X outperforms the M at distance. Bonus that the X is a very viable hunting projectile, which just happens to outperform their target round...
I know I'm a bit off topic and apologize in advance. I've been thinking about getting into reloading and have a friend who has a fair amount of experience and is willing to show me the ropes. Problem is, said friend is poor and lacking supplies. Namely powder and primers. I don't mind purchasing supplies. But don't really know what I'm looking for. We'd be working up 308 loads. I briefly looked at Midway, which is my go to for lotsa stuff, but they seem to be out of all powder and CCI primers (the stuff mentioned in this thread). If someone could give me a shortlist of appropriate powders, primers and reputable sources, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Hornady Custom Die set uses different seating seating stems for each bullet. I now have 100 each eld 187 gr. Match and X. I also now have both seating stems. They fit slightly different on the bullets. I will have to keep them separated in my reloading storage bens.
I don't have a source for powder on line. I buy local to keep from paying HSAmat charges. I just bought the Hornady 11 edition reloading book. I tried to get it on my Kindle Reader or my I Phone 6 but both versions were not available for purchase at this time. $20 per year with updates or $50 for the book. O Well. Nobody ever said these things were inexpensive. ???
Think I'm just going to have to put reloading on the back burner. Powders and primers are simply unavailable locally. And, by my limited math skills, it looks like a # of powder is only good for about 150-175 rounds anyway. So, I'm just stocking up on the factory ammos, which I've tested and work well for me, and which I can get hold of. I will keep an eye out for powders and primers, but I'm done searching for them - for now. Flippin' hunting for unicorns in this economy. FJB
Have found some decent factory ammo prices at budsgunshop.com lately. Some of their offerings qualify for free shipping if you order at least $199. Among these are Fed Powershok 150g, which does fine in my gun, and is fine for deer hunting at $23.45/box ($1.17 per round). Also, if you've ordered from them within the last 30 days, they give you a coupon code for $5. There are also some quality (IMO) target and match rounds that qualify for free shipping. Options are good - and these guys are whipping my local guys in choices and and price at the moment.
I don't know if this will help you or not. But this off Hornady app for service rifle loads for 308 using 178 bullets. Its a screen snap shot I took of only the high end of the loads, didn't think you want to shoot them real slow.
I usually find myself about 10% over the max load in any Hornady reloading manual, have for years, for my best load. They're gonna be conservative, because they don't want someone brand new to reloading -blowing themselves up from a mistake. It's a liability issue.
Barnes reloading manuals are a little different - if you're shooting the exact same barrel length and twist as what they tested, they straight tell you what the most accurate load was, right in the book and load data.
If you have no pressure signs (pierced primers, cratered primers, really flattened primers, ejector swipes that leave a GROOVE not a slight mark - loads so hot that it blurs the case head marks and makes them hard to read...) - then run the load.
98Z5V i would normally agree, until GRT displayed the skull and crossbones with that load, lol.. i will find a lower node and take it easier on my rifle. will post results when i get them.. just got a Frankfort powder dispenser, talk about time saver. no more dump, trickle wait trickle wait trickle wait.. so im having a lot of fun reloading and shooting.
your right about this rifle liking the pressure, most of my loads are towards the top of manufacturers recommendations. With the Gordons Reloading tool I could see what pressures im producing, hopefully. the fpsit gives me is usually within 20fps to my Magnospeed.
my fps actual differed from GRT, it was less. need to find which variable needs adjusting. thought it would be the volume, but had to add 1-2 grains of capacity to get actual fps. measured a couple of cases with water and the opposite was true. had less volume, which should equal more fps
The variable that needs adjusting is going back to your old load that worked great, and showed no pressure signs. The variable you introduced was this GRT tool. I don't see why you're relying on it so heavily, and changing everything just because of it. Get rid of it.
c80f0f1006