New guy questions ....

[Blue Avenger]

short version
4350 burns faster, building pressure faster, but probable completes its burn before the bullet exits the barrel.
the magPro burns slower and is still burning and building speed when the bullet exits the barrel.
when you get some different powders on hand, put out some spoon full piles. light them with a long grill lighter to keep your hairy knuckles back and observe the speed it burns. ever seen an old movie where there is a trail of black powder leading to a keg of powder? there slow. firecracker powder is as fast as gasoline vaper. reloading power fits different speeds inbetween

[Blue Avenger]

Thanks again , and I ordered some 4350 .

IMR, Hodgden or ACCURATE, There is Different load data for the 3 different powders.

[Dave Hoback]

Oh boy….:distant: This thread had nothing to do with 4350. LOL!

[CRJR]

Thank you CFJunkie !
That does give me a lot of insight and you explained it so I can understand what you're trying to say , good job . That what I'm after and I appreciate you taking the time to type it out .

I have two different rifles in 7mm Rem Mag I'll be loading for , one 26" barrel with a 1/8 twist and the other is a 24" barrel with a 1/9 twist .

They both shoot the Hornady Hunters Choice 162 ELD round better than anything else I've found , for factory loads . My thought was just to replicate that round when I started thinking about reloading . I hadn't even thought about fine tuning the round for each rifle , or for better accuracy , at that point .

Thanks again everyone else also , I appreciate your time and effort to help me .

[charlie b]

You don't have to tune the load. Fire the same load in each rifle and see how they do. If they are accurate enough for you needs then just leave it as is.

I had a 7mm-08 that I used for deer hunting in my younger days (1980's). I just loaded it up with something that duplicated the factory load and shot it. Groups weren't all less than MOA, but, I never took a shot that was over 300yd. Heck, most were less than 100yd and one was near point blank.

I could have used up a lot of powder fine tuning that load for that rifle (Rem 788), but, I did not. It served the purpose.

I have done the same with my Garand loads. They copy the service ammo performance so the sights have the same settings. Again, not a 1/2MOA rifle (especially with me and open sights). I am lucky if I get less than 2MOA with it, but, I can hit a silhouette target at 500yd with it. Good enough for a battle rifle.

OTOH, my current .308 and .223 bolt rifles both have several thousand rounds through them. The .223 had almost 1000 before I settled on the 'final' load for that rifle. Each of them have over 4000 rounds now. I still do some load development on the .308 when I get a new cast bullet mold for it. But, it is a paper puncher and I LOVE seeing small groups :) or hitting 6" plates with the cast bullets at 500yd. Also took me a while to find the 'perfect' jacketed bullet loads.

[PhilC]

Excellent post CF and thanks for clearing the muddy water!!!

Nothing to do with "4350"? Then why did you bring it up in your initial reply Dave?


There is a reason 4350 is used extensively in mid-range high power calibers. Learn why.

CRJR ordered "4350" because of your statement, and then cancelled, when you said "won't work" in 7RM.

My comments are not hypothetical, they are from first hand use in my 7RM with IMR4350 and 150 - 160gr bullets obtained from "pre-internet era" load manuals. While I might choose a different powder today, I also would not hesitate to use IMR4350 or any of the other 4350s with their respective load data.

Hornady #4, published in 1991, has load data using IMR4350 and H4350 for the 7RM and the 162BTHP Match bullet .

CRJR it's my humble opinion when first starting out handloading to follow a reputable manual and stick to the recipes. When I started handloading 35+yrs ago, there was no internet and because of that, feel I learned more from reading as there were no instant answers. I bought manuals published by manufacturer of the bullets I used and stuck to the published recipes. Over time I learned to expand and broaden my skills. Despite the availability of online data and load software like Quickload (which I also have) I still buy and read manuals. :cool:

Your intention of duplicating the Hunter's Choice 162gr round is ideal and learned folks here can help you obtain that goal!

[CRJR]

Excellent post CF and thanks for clearing the muddy water!!!

Nothing to do with "4350"? Then why did you bring it up in your initial reply Dave?



CRJR ordered "4350" because of your statement, and then cancelled, when you said "won't work" in 7RM.

My comments are not hypothetical, they are from first hand use in my 7RM with IMR4350 and 150 - 160gr bullets obtained from "pre-internet era" load manuals. While I might choose a different powder today, I also would not hesitate to use IMR4350 or any of the other 4350s with their respective load data.

Hornady #4, published in 1991, has load data using IMR4350 and H4350 for the 7RM and the 162BTHP Match bullet .

CRJR it's my humble opinion when first starting out handloading to follow a reputable manual and stick to the recipes. When I started handloading 35+yrs ago, there was no internet and because of that, feel I learned more from reading as there were no instant answers. I bought manuals published by manufacturer of the bullets I used and stuck to the published recipes. Over time I learned to expand and broaden my skills. Despite the availability of online data and load software like Quickload (which I also have) I still buy and read manuals. :cool:

Your intention of duplicating the Hunter's Choice 162gr round is ideal and learned folks here can help you obtain that goal!

I purchased a Rock Chucker Supreme kit , got it for $276 off Amazon , and it came with a Speer Handloading Manual . I'm in the process of reading it now , while I assemble the rest of the stuff I'll need .
I see Hornady has an app for my Iphone and plan on downloading that also .

Hunters Choice 162 ELD is going for $4 a round , if I can find it , so I thought why not reload ?
But , down the road , I would like to take it long range , just for fun .

[Dave Hoback]

Great press! Will serve you for years & years to come. Speer manual is the same one I used when I started.

[Blue Avenger]

No, but it can be used as educational material. That number came up and started some confusion. Then add to it by there being 3 brands with that number.
reloading is not the place for careless words!

[Dave Hoback]

Here is a decent Powder Burn Rate Chart. This site is good for reading up on things as well.
https://loaddata.com/Article/BurnRateCharts/Powder-Burn-Rate-Chart-NEW/159

You can light off piles of powder to see the differences(we’ve all done it) I learned MUCH more from researching explosives online. Things such as TNT, Semtex, C4, RDX, they all follow the same basic principle as gunpowder. Burn Rate. Gaining knowledge by researching that was like a lightbulb clicking on for me in terms of understanding burn rate/pressure and velocity of expanding gases.

But light off piles of powder is pretty fun. Even more fun filling a canteen bottle with Pyrex & lighting it off.

[PhilC]

I purchased a Rock Chucker Supreme kit , got it for $276 off Amazon , and it came with a Speer Handloading Manual . I'm in the process of reading it now , while I assemble the rest of the stuff I'll need .
I see Hornady has an app for my Iphone and plan on downloading that also .

Hunters Choice 162 ELD is going for $4 a round , if I can find it , so I thought why not reload ?
But , down the road , I would like to take it long range , just for fun .
Bought a similar RCBS kit in '86 which also included a Speer manual, guess now it's a vintage Speer manual. LOL.

Initially I just wanted to make ammo for less than box store stuff plus have the ability to pick and choose bullet. Has been a long road since then. Enjoy the journey. :cool:

[CRJR]

Bought a similar RCBS kit in '86 which also included a Speer manual, guess now it's a vintage Speer manual. LOL.

Initially I just wanted to make ammo for less than box store stuff plus have the ability to pick and choose bullet. Has been a long road since then. Enjoy the journey. :cool:

The kit was such a good deal I had to buy it , LOL ! But , now I have to build a bench , and close in a screen room to have a place to reload . The Grand kids stole my den , LOL

[Blue Avenger]

counter top scrap on a kitchen cabinet works well if you want an economy buy. you have a back splash and a slight swell in the front to keep primers and other rolley things on the bench. may have to trim the swell for the press to sit flat. how ever you proceed, you want a flat, closed surface to keep things from falling through. some of mine sit on Menards ProForm benches

[Robinhood]

I like to route a slot for flush mounted t-slots. Everything can be bolted to the t-slot with t nuts or similar designed/ suitable fastener.
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fultimatereloader.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F08%2FHornady-366-bench-track-system-600.jpg&f=1&nofb=1

[charlie b]

I reload in half of a closet. Fitted part of a solid core door as a bench.

I also make oak 'adaptor plates' for my presses. I drilled a standard 3 bolt pattern and use Tnuts under the bench top to attach the presses. Makes it easy to move presses to different bench tops, or, to swap them out at my 'closet station'.

My first press was a Lee Turret Press when they first came out. It came with a maple box for carrying it and the box could be opened up and put on it's side with the press bolted to it. I could reload in the living room on the coffee table with just one clamp holding it. Something similar could be put together.

[CRJR]

Robin that is a slick setup . All good ideas guys , my other problem is carpet in all the bedrooms and my den . I bought Impact glass sliders and Windows and I'm going to enclose the screen room , gives me another room and has cement floor . I want a bar height work station , I think I'm going to buy a butcher block tabke blank and put pipe legs on it , threaded on both ends so I can adjust it to floor , it slopes away from the house .
https://www.lowes.com/pd/The-Baltic-Butcher-Block-4-ft-Natural-Straight-Butcher-Block-Birch-Kitchen-Countertop/50437226?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-kab-_-ggl-_-LIA_KAB_233_Countertops-_-50437226-_-local-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286981&gclid=CjwKCAjw46CVBhB1EiwAgy6M4vkma7nV7Ozhwo84f7zD iUtePgFLAZFuCH6J9WuhQWIrSR5VBdG4SBoCsQQQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[PhilC]

I like to route a slot for flush mounted t-slots. Everything can be bolted to the t-slot with t nuts or similar designed/ suitable fastener.
I did as well but only for my accessory bench items. For presses I went with an Inline Fabrication flush mount and made a plywood base similar to yours. Nice having the ability to swap presses in less than a minute.

Charlie b I used a small closet for many, many years, bench was so short I couldn't clean anything but handguns. Moved to the big time a few years ago by converting my son's former bedroom for my own use and now have a 7' x 3' bench made from a slab of reclaimed bowling alley set on 4x6's - rock steady.

[GaCop]

Adding something to brass cleaning. Citric acid does a fast cleaning of brass I use one half gallon hot water and about one ounce of Citric acid. Cleans the brass in minutes. I then rinse it a couple of times and oven dry it.

[charlie b]

I did as well but only for my accessory bench items. For presses I went with an Inline Fabrication flush mount and made a plywood base similar to yours. Nice having the ability to swap presses in less than a minute.

Charlie b I used a small closet for many, many years, bench was so short I couldn't clean anything but handguns. Moved to the big time a few years ago by converting my son's former bedroom for my own use and now have a 7' x 3' bench made from a slab of reclaimed bowling alley set on 4x6's - rock steady.

yep, i've used a closet many times when in military quarters. I do most of my messy stuff in the garage. Just too hot or cold in there to do reloading and fly tying. That room in the house also has my sewing machines (4 of them, as opposed to my wife's 4 machines in her sewing room :) ) and it has a murphy bed when kids come home for a visit.

[South Prairie jim]

I rarely clean brass beyond a wipe down with paper shop towel, after resizing and just prior to seating bullets I lightly brush the neck ID with a nylon brush of the appropriate caliber.