Berger reloading manual; which load is most accurate?

[Lee in Texas]

It seems strange to not mention that .

 

[ShtrRdy]

As I understand it, many of the loads published in the Berger reloading book were obtained with Quickload. Not a shot was fired.

 

[Krogen]

@ShtrRdy is correct. Last time I looked, they stated in the book that the loads are from Quickload simulations. No pressure or accuracy tests. That may have changed in more recent editions, but I don't know that with any certainty.

 

[60723]

Everything I have loaded for from the Berger book seems VERY safe. I don’t hotrod loads. It seems to me like their max loads is a good place to start! Do your own testing.

 

[BHP9]

I was speaking to a gentleman at Berger (Nammo) and was that they are working on the second edition of the manual and it's about 1 year out.

 

[Gary in MD]

I like as many manuals as I can get my hands on but got rid of the Berger. The loads listed barely made a starting point.
Regardless of that, your rifle will tell you which load is more accurate, not the manual.

 

[6.5 forever]

Good information. Thanks for posting

 

[std7mag]

Wait!!!

You're telling me that the figures in the Berger manual were taken from Quick Load?

Who themselves state that they are NOT a reloading manual and to use a proper reloading manual?

 

[Webster]

As I understand it, many of the loads published in the Berger reloading book were obtained with Quickload. Not a shot was fired.

Just checked my 1st. Edition of the Berger Reloading manual published 2012. It states loads were developed with Quick Load and actual firing. P. 112-113 talk about quick load. They state that with all the calibers, powder and bullet combinations it isn't practical to spend the money to fire all the possible combinations. This statement makes me wonder if the other manuals actually fired every load in their manuals. 50 calibers, 25 different powders, 100 different bullets? Sounds like over 100,000 combinations.

I think any manual provides good info if you use common sense and you are aware of all safety related issues.

To many guys on this website talk about trying to get the max FPS possible. Being somewhat mechanically inclined, always trying to learn and a lot of common sense can keep you safe.

 

[jackieschmidt]

What load is accurate in their test rifle has little to do with what load is the most accurate in your rifle.

 

[Janeau]

There is no magic load in any manual. Every gun is a case by itself. Whats working in one would probably not working in another. Seeking the easy way out - already made solutions instead of putting the work to test and develop the best load possible is a trait of many. A flaw that make getting the best out of a rifle very difficult of

 

[Killing Time]

With any new load I start with, I, like most anyone else want a safe starting point. I will test and figure out the rest on my own. To me, that is one of the great things I enjoy since I’ve gotten into the precision shooting side of this sport. I get a lot of joy of taking a new to me cartridge and finding out where it’s happy place is with what ever bullet I’m shooting and whatever powder, seating depth, etc, that particular bullet likes. Plus, it gives me more opportunities to just go shoot, and that’s the best part! I have gotten a lot of great information from this forum on subjects just like this, and I trust what you guys say here as much or more than what any manual states because I know that it has been tested and proven.

 

[Webster]

What load is accurate in their test rifle has little to do with what load is the most accurate in your rifle.

Some guys never catch on. I'm glad I did most of my testing when supplies were cheap. Under 1/2" is all I need for varmints.

 

[CF Junkie]

Please recognize that all the manuals that publish actual test data are using a particular rifle with a particular length barrel. That makes the data just as questionable as the QuickLOAD data shown in the Berger manual and only specific to the particular barrel that they tested. They are all reasonable guides but they are only guides. It is up to the reloader to determine what works for their particular rifle.

Just compare the multiple load manuals and look at the variations in the load tables. Good luck in randomly picking anyone of them that is perfect for your individual rifle.

I have used QuickLOAD as a loading tool for at least 10 years. To use it correctly, you have to enter the barrel length and twist, pick the bullet you are using, pick the powder you are using, pick the seating depth, the trim length, and the powder charge and temperature. You even have the option of entering the brass water capacity and a myriad of other conditions.
Berger already knows all of that and provides only a general idea of load range, by using a general set of specs for all but varied powder charge with a given seating depth, and cartridge trim.
Since your rifle will almost always have different parameters for all the other specs, the Berger data is as reasonable a starting point for load data as for a particular rifle used by another manual for their actual load tests. Whether you have a bias against computer simulated data, or a preference for data gained shooting a rifle that has a barrel length probably different from yours, the data is basically not specific to your rifle in any case.