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Starting load questions?
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 3:13 am
by TEXAS222
Hello. I've got some questions I'd like to ask about from some of the experienced reloaders. The questions will be pertaining to SMALL CALIBER, .204 & .224, ONLY & IN QUALITY MODERN FIREARMS ONLY. Using current reloading manuals, what is the highest starting point under max you feel comfortable with? My reason for asking is I start low & work up but I feel I'm just wasting a lot of powder, bullets, & time because I never find a load that I'm satisfied with in the lower 50%. I've been loading these small calibers up to max for 5 years & only once, one time, did I have a blown primer & sticky bolt and that was in a Swift. With these small calibers and loading to max by the manual, can you have worse things to happen other than ruined brass, blown primers, and a sticky bolt? Thanks much for any of your opinions. I'm just asking trying to find a better starting point to save some money, time, & aggravation. Thanks,
Jim D 
Re: Starting load questions?
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 7:54 am
by Bill K
Texas JD. I start in the midpoint area, personally, and have never ran into a issue working up from there. Thinking along the same lines as you of wasting powder and bullets, when most always my final load is in the 3/4 to max area. Bill K
Re: Starting load questions?
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2016 1:47 pm
by TEXAS222
Thanks buddy. That's about where I'm at, the upper 75%.
Jim D Bill K wrote:Texas JD. I start in the midpoint area, personally, and have never ran into a issue working up from there. Thinking along the same lines as you of wasting powder and bullets, when most always my final load is in the 3/4 to max area. Bill K
Re: Starting load questions?
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 1:43 pm
by MZ5
TEJAS JD wrote:...can you have worse things to happen other than ruined brass, blown primers, and a sticky bolt?
I had a CZ 527's bolt face cut up badly when a 223 primer let go. Kinda messed up my sunglasses via the 'stuff' that came back at me, too. I debated whether to replace the bolt, but ended up sort of 'shelving' the rifle for a while, and later sold it after getting a replacement part or two.
So, yes, worse things can happen than sticky bolts and wrecked brass.
I find that Nosler's manual is often a great way to find out where the very best load range will be. They put an asterisk next to the load in that powder's range that worked best for them, and that's been right much more often than not, for me.
Where I'm comfortable starting has to do with a whole lot of things that only I can know about my rifles, so I don't think that a more specific answer is appropriate or helpful here. Sorry.