Duplicating factory load

[Fern]

Been trying to developement a load for my 22-250 with 55vmax but groups were less then stellar. Friend recommended trying some of the factory ammo I had 50gvmax and to my amazement it shot great.
Now going to start trying to find a load with 50g vmax that I have.

Any tips on trying to duplicate the load? Pull bullet weigh powder and guess type?
Here is the group i shot this past weekend. I pulled the one shot but other 4 were great

 

[Nealm66]

I’ve done it by copying coal and velocity if you have access to a chronograph. Some factory ammunition uses powder blends and slightly different bullets and are hard to copy.

 

[Fern]

Yeah I do have a chrono and that’s a good point to measure the coal

 

[Straightshooter1]

Yeah I do have a chrono and that’s a good point to measure the coal

Also, because I so often use the QuickLoad app, I'd pull a couple of the factory cartridges and weight the powder and couple those weights with chrono data then find a powder that produces something very close to the chrono data for the same powder weight.

 

[Bronsin]

I'm not 100% certain, but I do believe that they have been using Superformance in the .22-250.

 

[Murray Brook]

If you have a 14 twist in your 22/250 that is probably why the 55 V-max won't work. Even the 53 V-max is too long for a 14 twist. In 3 different 22/250's I've loaded for H-380 with 50-52 gr bullets shot great.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Every factory load is a powder blend to duplicate pressures. If you get the same type bullets that measure the same off the ojive and oal then just duplicate speed

 

[Ray123]

I don't shoot factory loads, ...ever, and always find excellent shooting hand loads. That said chronograph "the load" check velocity and S/D most factory loads have large S/D. Weigh several pulled bullets and charge weights, and check cartridge OAL. But even then factories many times use components not available to the handloader. So try to get into the velocity area with an available powder with the same or very similar 50 gr bullet at the same cartridge OAL....ladder test velocities below, same, and above if you can get there... a starting place.

 

[Fern]

It’s a cheap savage axis I bought on a whim cause of the price. I was unsure of the caliber now I’m really enjoy it.
Measured the barrel twist with a cleaning brush and has a 1-12 twist.
I have some 50g vmax and just located some h380. I was trying 55g with cfe223 but best group I got was with lowest charge pushing it at just over 3500. I also have imr4166 and a lb of 4350 but hope h380 works so I can load 200 to have ready

 

[Fern]

Well measured the 5 remaining cases of factory in the box for cbto and coal as well as pulled one bullet to take a look at the powder and charge weight. The projectile was indented like it may have had a crimp on it but I’m not sure.
Next will be to chrono these last 5 shots and compare to the 3800fps that the box claims

 

[SSL]

It’s a cheap savage axis I bought on a whim cause of the price. I was unsure of the caliber now I’m really enjoy it.
Measured the barrel twist with a cleaning brush and has a 1-12 twist.
I have some 50g vmax and just located some h380. I was trying 55g with cfe223 but best group I got was with lowest charge pushing it at just over 3500. I also have imr4166 and a lb of 4350 but hope h380 works so I can load 200 to have ready

Since you have the CFE223, don't forget to try it. In my 1-14" twist Ruger .22-250 it shoots amazingly small groups with both 50 and 52 grain bullets at top velocities. 52-grain AMax bullets go 3,800 fps with 38.5 grains of CFE223 and the 50-grain VMax run just short of 3,900 fps with 39.0 grains. Though not maximum loads, be sure to start low and work up. These loads are from a 26" barrel.

 

[MSS]

Every factory load is a powder blend to duplicate pressures. If you get the same type bullets that measure the same off the ojive and oal then just duplicate speed

Can you elaborate? Are you saying factory load powder type is not important as long as it falls within the burn speed and desired pressure range?

 

[Fern]

Since you have the CFE223, don't forget to try it. In my 1-14" twist Ruger .22-250 it shoots amazingly small groups with both 50 and 52 grain bullets at top velocities. 52-grain AMax bullets go 3,800 fps with 38.5 grains of CFE223 and the 50-grain VMax run just short of 3,900 fps with 39.0 grains. Though not maximum loads, be sure to start low and work up. These loads are from a 26" barrel.

Yeah I did load work up with 55g and right at max charge (per loading data) of 38 with cfe223 got heavy bolt lift. The best group I got was at the lowest charge of 35 but that was also this rifles first shots ever fired.
I might give 50s a try with cfe as well as 55 with h380

 

[DANNY-L]

15 or so years back I copied factory 50gr vmax with 50gr Ballistic tips, it was by accident but was exact and made 1 small ragged hole and same poi. Mixed fire brass, cci200,35.8gr imr4064 oal 2.350. I still use this load today with both 50 and 55 and between the 2 there is only about an inch poi change.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Can you elaborate? Are you saying factory load powder type is not important as long as it falls within the burn speed and desired pressure range?

Yes. If it did though youd have a blend of powder exactly like theirs. They blend powder because what they need isnt made. Can you imagine them changing lots of powder and not adjusting their blend, just going with it?

 

[Bill corney]

Hello I just started reloading.i'm loading 308s.using speer 165 gr. grand slam bullets.i'm seating my bullets close to the oal length of a 308.about 2 or 3 thousands below.using new hornady cases that don't nead to be trimed.my case is not meeting my candelure. Is that ok or not?

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Bill, Where does 2.685 cartridge overall length in relation to the cannelure? Grand slams loads tend to be "shorter" . If you are crimping the bullet, case mouth should be on the cannelure.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Hello I just started reloading.i'm loading 308s.using speer 165 gr. grand slam bullets.i'm seating my bullets close to the oal length of a 308.about 2 or 3 thousands below.using new hornady cases that don't nead to be trimed.my case is not meeting my candelure. Is that ok or not?

Bullets with cannelures are seated and crimped into the cannelure without any regard to accuracy lengths

 

[MSS]

Yes. If it did though youd have a blend of powder exactly like theirs. They blend powder because what they need isnt made. Can you imagine them changing lots of powder and not adjusting their blend, just going with it?

Blending same powders of different lots is not something I’ve done. Blending different manufacturers powders of the same relative burn speed is also something I have not done. What I am intrigued with is using pressure vs weight as a barometer of measurement of powders with similar relative burn speed.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Blending same powders of different lots is not something I’ve done. Blending different manufacturers powders of the same relative burn speed is also something I have not done. What I am intrigued with is using pressure vs weight as a barometer of measurement of powders with similar relative burn speed.

Dont blend powder without a pressure lab