Reloading data

[Grovenik46]

Hi all.
I’m new to reloading and about to do my first rounds.
Where’s the best place to look for load data?.
I’ve looked at the powder load data but can’t find the bullet make or weight on there, I looked at the bullet load data and could not find the powder make on there.
Am I missing something?. Is there a website/ book/ data sheet that covers all that I can use.
Thanks
Paul

[bradaz11]

What caliber / chambering, bullet and powder are you trying to use? Usually if you can't find a powder against the bullet you want that means that powder isn't well suited.
Lyman is one of the better manuals, think it's edition 50 atm. That is usually regarded as the best all rounder manual

[DavidRees]

Paul,

Can I suggest you don't assemble any rounds of ammunition just yet? There are considerable risks to your firearm, to yourself and to others if you assemble and fire an unsafe round. This is one of those times when "winging it" is not a good idea.

You've asked for advice, and you will find plenty on this forum. A search here will reveal a great deal of useful advice, and there are also many resources on the internet which can help you.

To answer your questions:
Is is often the case that the precise bullet you wish to load isn't listed in the load data published by the powder manufacturer. Sometimes another publication might give you the starting and maximum loads. You've checked both, hence your query.

In the absence of a precise bullet/powder listing in the published data, a bullet of the same weight and general type may be listed, in which case it is POSSIBLE (but not always wise) to use that data as a starting point. If doing that, be aware that a load for a lead bullet will normally differ a good deal from the load for a jacketed bullet of the same weight -- don't mix the two.

You cannot just take the alternate data though, and put that amount of powder under the bullet, load up, and start shooting. That would be highly risky. The reason is that the overall length of the assembled cartridge matters a great deal, as does the amount of space (to be occupied by the powder) under the seated bullet. Unless these will match very closely to the published bullet data, it would be foolhardy to use that load.

You ask about a book/website, etc, which covers everything. There is no one source which covers all the data you might ever need, but truthfully, that's not your immediate need. Instead, I do recommend getting hold of a reloading manual--the Speer/RCBS one is very good, and there are no doubt others. You want something which goes into great detail about the dos and don't of reloading, so when you finally do assemble ammunition, you are confident you are doing so safely.

Those of us who reload take on an additional responsibility over that of being safe shooters -- to ensure our handloaded ammunition is safe. If we don't do so, the shooter and those on the range may be hurt (perhaps fatally), but the sport (and even reloading) could be under threat as a result. So please don't rush to make ammunition until you know you are doing it correctly.

To provide some more immediate help, can I suggest that you let us know what calibre you are considering loading for, and what your chosen primer, powder and bullet is? There are some combinations which are good; others are so-so, and some are dangerous. Before you go any further, it would be wise to get the view of the community as to your chosen components.

David

[Alpha1]

What weight of bullet are you trying to hand load? What caliber are you loading for? What make is the bullet.
This is the basic information needed before any help can be offered.

[dromia]

What handloading manual do you have?

[Grovenik46]

Hi, thanks for all your reply’s,
I’m reloading for target shooting using a lee single press.
Im reloading .308 and I’m using cci large rifle primers, alliant powder reloaded 15 and lellien & bellot fmj147gt heads.
The reloading manuals that I’ve got and read are the lee reloading manual, shooters bible guide to hand loading and the precision long range shooting book. I’ve also got the Swiss reloaded data book and I’ve downloaded the alliance data sheets.
Thanks paul

[rox]

Hi, thanks for all your reply’s,
I’m reloading for target shooting using a lee single press.
Im reloading .308 and I’m using cci large rifle primers, alliant powder reloaded 15 and lellien & bellot fmj147gt heads.
The reloading manuals that I’ve got and read are the lee reloading manual, shooters bible guide to hand loading and the precision long range shooting book. I’ve also got the Swiss reloaded data book and I’ve downloaded the alliance data sheets.
Thanks paul

In this game it's important to be precise and use correct names and terminology. Are these what you mean?

lee single press.

Lee single-stage press?

alliant powder reloaded 15

Reloder 15

lellien & bellot

Sellier & Bellot

heads

Do you mean bullets? The head is part of the case.

Swiss reloaded data book

Reload Swiss?

alliance data sheets.

Alliant?

[Grovenik46]

Hi Rox
Yes that is what I ment. Mixture of predictive text and myself getting a bit confused sorry.
I wrote that for the bullets as that is what’s on the box, it did come up with sellier & bellot when I typed it into the internet, have they changed their name or been rebranded?
Thank you

[rox]

I wrote that for the bullets as that is what’s on the box, it did come up with sellier & bellot when I typed it into the internet, have they changed their name or been rebranded?
Thank you

The script font used in the logo is somewhat continental. Some of the logos have a more Anglicised 'S'

[Grovenik46]

Thank you Rex