Confirmation Please

[mike21]

Can someone owning a loading manual with the following combo please confirm the start/max powder charges (+ velocity) please.

.243 cal..........95g bullet (Berger VLD)........with Hodgdon Superformance

START = 39.7g & 2700 fps
MAX = 44.4g & 3000 fps

I've been to Berger, Hodgdon, Hornady, Google and our search area. This is the best I have come up with, but still don't feel "warm and fuzzy". Yes, I need a more current manual, but I'd like to get started tomorrow. Appreciate any help.

[adammiddagh]

Looks like your data is from a hornady book. My berger book does not show that combination, but the hornady book lists Reloader 19 with similar starting and max, but .2-.4gr less charge accross the board.

That being said, the data in my berger book for "RELOADER 19(NOT SUPERPERFORMANCE)" is Starting 39.5gr/2779fps, Max 43.4gr/2984fps.

My Berger book seems less conservative than my Hornady book.
Berger is using 24" barrel with 2.710" col.

I also looked at burn rates. RL19 is a signifigant amount slower than Superperformance, so my thoughts are that Superperformance will spike in pressure signifigantly faster that RL19 will. You may want to find a slower powder for that bullet.

If you do use Superperformance, I would start at the Hornady books starting load and work up cautiously. Watching for primmer flattening and sticky extraction.

Whenever I start working up a load, I compare data from multiple sources to decide where to start from.

Also, with that combination, I would suggest starting .010" jump and possibly working up to .010" Jam. The Berger VLDs I have loaded for seem to like a slight Jam. My 308 likes .006-.008" of Jam.

Hope that helps,
Adam.

[adammiddagh]

I just checked against Hodgdon's data. The Superperformance in 243 is listed for 65-80gr bullets. Superperformance may be just a touch too fast for that bullet.

[mike21]

adam, thanks for the response. Funny you mention the Hornady manual. That's what the Hodgdon folks said to use & even looked up the above figures for me. The Berger folks didn't have any data at all and referred me to Hodgdon.

Like you, I prefer several confirmations of start/max figures.....hence the original post. Perhaps someone on the forum has an edition that contains Superformance data and will be along in due course.

I'm coming up with differing burn rates than you mention here. Below is the link to the Hodgdon burn rate table which shows Super. quite a bit slower than RL19.

https://www.hodgdon.com/PDF/Burn%20Rates%20-%202015-2016.pdf

Thanks for the jump data also. I'm familiar with Berger's method of determining the best jump following load development, but have found no consensus on what to use during load development.

Thanks again,

PS......scope eye my friend, if you read this, I'm looking for book data first. I might try some of your rocket stuff later.:p

[adammiddagh]

I double checked my burn rate charts. Found that the Hornady manual was the odd duck. All the others listed it as slightly slower burning, or didn't list it at all.

After seeing that, I would give it a go starting at 39.5gr and work up in a reasonable increment.

Book/Burn Rates:

SP faster:
Hornady 9th Ed 2013 / lists 1-146 / SP 107 / RL19 123.

SP Slower:
Lee Pre 2nd Ed 2011 / lists 1-67 / SP(Superperformance) 56 / RL19 55 (book uses same # for multiple powders, presumably same burn rate).
Nosler 7th Ed 2013 / lists1-178 / SP 156 / RL19 147.
Hodgdon's 2014 / lists1-146 / SP 127 / RL19 121.

SP not listed.
Berger 1st Ed 2012 / lists 1-142 / SP not listed / RL19 118.
Barnes 4th Ed 2008 / lists 1-126 / SP not listed / RL19 103.
Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th Ed 2013 / lists 1-114 / SP not listed / RL19 101.

[mike21]

Wow adam.....didn't mean to use up your entire Sunday. Really appreciate the time you spent and info generated.
I owe ya one somewhere down the line. Unless someone shows up with something really different, I'll probably run a OCW around the above parameters.

Much thanks,

[adammiddagh]

No problem. I started reloading 2 years ago this January. Now I am up to 10 calibers plus shotshells, cast bullets for 3-5 of them, and drop my own lead shot. My only problem is that I only have 400-450yds to play with.

I am also a numbers / statistics geek, so that is just a bonus.

Needless to say, it is an addicting hobby.
Have fun, Adam.

[Balljoint]

Looked up on my faverate web site http://ammoguide.com/cgi-bin/ai.cgi?sn=fsjULNCbLP&catid=122&pg=2 it's a pay site, you can log on as a guest it lists four for 243 95 gr Berger none that powder.
They list a total of 405 loads for the 243

[mike21]

Well thanks for trying Balljoint. The Hodgdon folks responded by email that they used the Hornady manual to come up with the figures above. Starting to look like I'll have to invest $40. for the latest edition to confirm that.

[Crockett221]

I Know this is an older thread but I was going through and looking at the 243 reloading post and thought I'd throw this in.
I'm new to reloading and doing some research on the caliber I'm going to be loading.

Hornady lists 95 gr SST

superformance
2700/ 39.7
2800/ 41.3
2900/ 42.8
3000/ 44.4 this is MAX

[mike21]

Thanks for that confirmation Crockett. I did go with those figures and found a good load at 43.5g SuperF. The thread on the OCW work is in the "At the Range" subforum. I'll try to update it this weekend with the finished info.