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Old 10-20-2006, 02:33 AM
montdoug montdoug is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Bozeman Montana
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Default Rifle to rifle differences in load data a cause for caution.

I got my new Small Caliber News yesterday, good issue. Lot's of small caliber stuff. (Great article Alex).
In reading some of the articles as well as letters to the editor I was again struck by the same thing I find on the internet, rifle to rifle load data varies hugely and caution is always in order no matter what the source.
Two examples were, one the letter where an individual was getting 3,848fps with a 30 grain bullet in a .17 MachIV when in my MachIV 3,850ish is all of it with a 25 grainer.
The other was in Todds data on the VarTarg with a 32 grain bullet using N120. His top load was 19 grains and while I've only used N120 a little in my VarTarg I've used it enough to know 19 grains of the lot I have would be "way" over the top with a 32grainer in my rifle.
Lot to lot powder varience can't be overstated it would appear as are rifle to rifle variances.
As a long time reloader of bigger stuff it is obvious to me the smaller cases and smaller bores must be a lot more critical to such changes than I was used to in .223 and up stuff.
I can't get the image of Mntngoats rifle or Randy Mertas eye out of my mind.
The max load of my lot of H4198 in my Tact.20 for example using a 33 grainer is near three grains lighter than what I've seen published in a small caliber load book.

The stuff I read today just reinforced how different those writers experiences with their rifles and powder lots were from my own.
I guess we can't be too careful huh?
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montdoug

Last edited by montdoug; 10-20-2006 at 08:42 PM.
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