I know that this may belong somewhere else - but this is a thought that I was having that goes along with the other threads present here.

I have been as many know reloading for some time now and here is how I do it.

I pick a load that best approximates factory carry ammunition specifications for overall length (adjusted at the time of loading) and velocity - adjusted at the time we shoot over a chrony - all of my loads are based upon factory ballistics as compared to known data. (Bullet weight is going to match - velocity is going to be as close as I can manage to get it.)

That is how I pick a load - the one that best approximates factory ballistics without getting creative. This is how I ALWAYS shoot ammunition that best approximates the recoil - and function of any given factory ammunition. I cannot think of better practice for a real encounter.. Shoot what you carry. I tend to like to shoot for practice the same profile bullet as my carry ammunition to ensure 100% function.... I am not going to spend the coin to go out and get 100 rounds of Federal Premium ammunition to go to Front Sight - not in the budget.

I offer this - a 155gr .40 S&W Federal Hydra-Shock fired a XXXX fps... Will feel imperceptibly* different than a 155gr. over the counter JHP loaded to the Same Velocity. (* - OK yeah there may be a difference as we don't often know what type of powder that Federal uses - there may be a difference in impulse - but it is so slight that you would be hard pressed to notice - if you do - you are snobbier than I my friend )


I know that all of the manufacturers state that the use of hand-loads will void a warranty - that is a CYA deal from the legal department and we all know it - but this also serves as a reminder - DONT GET CREATIVE and where a load calls for 6.0gr. of any powder - don't load 8 and say "well that ought to do 'er" then don't be shocked when something goes way wrong - like I have said before - you may get away with it once - twice - or more - but your luck will run out and the gun or the shooter will get ruined.

Does anyone honestly think that any ammunition caused problem would be looked at with a raised eyebrow at the warranty repair center? Certainly it will. Would the gun manufacturer like to blame you instead of them for a problem? Perhaps, but LUCKILY as a whole gun manufacturers are pretty good about repairs and stand by their products. This is a GOOD thing.

So I think IMHO that using carefully reloaded ammunition that approximates factory loaded ammunition (using published data from a powder manufacturer - or even a bullet manufacturer) is more than acceptable.

Here is the kicker and data is listed using specific components - primers - and cases and even bullets of specific manufacture - DONT GET CREATIVE follow the recipe listed using the starting data as not all guns are alike - and not all bbls use the same specifications for throat, leed, or overall chamber dimms.

Start slow - work up and never exceed published data and you and your gun will be just fine. Another thing that we all fail to remember - sometimes even the factory fodder has problems - I had a Squibb with Remington Ammunition (UMC) something felt wrong - I stopped and inspected the firearm and sure enough - there was a pill lodged in the bbl.... Imagine what may have happened if I had just treated this as a type 1 and shoved another one in behind it?

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As some of you may know I am a big fan of the Blue Collar Crew - there is a certain logic there - BUT shooting reloaded ammunition is not evil - but there are some people out there that make "Hold My Beer and Watch this" their personal mantra....

A load calls for 23 gr of powder - you say the hell with the powder manufacturer and increase - OR decrease the load (H110/296) and KABOOM bad stuff happens fast.... 44,000 PSI is a HELL of a lot of pressure to try to contain and any more than that is basically taking a risk that you need not take.

This is what the gun manufacturers are afraid of. the hold my beer and watch this mentality. This is a significant problem everywhere we look.

I do not and have not shot factory ammunition for some time now - say 23 years - hummmmm my guns are still fine.... BECAUSE I am careful and diligent - and when in doubt PULL THAT AMMUNITION - don't take a chance. I have done that a few times

Question:

How much additional velocity do you think that you are going to gain by overloading the casing?

Is there a real economy to pushing the limits?

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Another aside

I only overloaded ONCE - doing some testing on some NIJ4 Materials - I needed to launch a .30 projectile at 2850 fps with a max of 2910fps - here is the kicker - my 30-06 has a 17.5" bbl and that's all folks.

Load called for 58 gr powder - we wound up using oooh 64gr to meet 2910fps... That was my only HOLD MY BEER AND WATCH THIS moment of my hand-loading career.

Lets just say that those casings went into the hall of shame - we are not going to be ever using those again..... Recoils was shall we say ABUSIVE and flash was just INCREDIBLE...