days before electronics but there was, I suggest, much guessing of figures. One of the unintentional byprod-
Powder dispensers and programs speed up the reloading process.
purposes of comparison. You have to be aware that the pressures generated and the attained velocity in a single rifle may not be matched in another rifle of the same make and calibre. In fact, I would suggest that it would be highly unlikely. Whilst the experience of others can prevent extensive experimenta- tion and thus the waste of powder and components, if suggested techniques are not normal you should proceed with caution. The old, prudent reloading practices should be adhered to if there is any doubt. They are, after all, your safety net. The Internet can be a very valid tool when it comes to reloading
Vibratory tumblers clean and shine brass quickly.
obsolete or obscure cartridges. However, you must back up the data obtained from another source such as an old reloading manual or perhaps a reloading computer program. Whatever you use to develop a load, it is necessary to proceed with caution … particularly when reliable data are scarce. There is a list of some sites at the end of this article, and there are plenty of others. Reloading techniques are in a con-
stant state of change and many new, bet- ter ways of tackling particular problems first see the light of day in these forums. Reloaders as a group tend to experiment in their practices and it is possible to learn a lot with a bit of research. Some forums have a “help” section whereby you can seek archived questions and answers, and these can be very useful. This leads us into the next elec- tronic tool, the chronograph. Probably this is the best device, in terms of safety, available to an average reloader over the past 25 or more years. There are some quite sophisticated types around that will print out multiple details but the one that counts is just velocity. Such a device need not have all the bells and whistles; as long as the velocity is ac- curate the rest of the information is a bonus. Load development without a chronograph is simply an exercise of groping in the dark. Yes, you can de- velop a safe load and many did in the
Page 14 Spring 2013
ucts of cheap chronographs was the destruction of many wildcat cartridges that were claimed to be at the ultimate edge of cartridge development in terms of speed. When shot over the then new instruments they did not live up to their claimed performance and simply faded into obscurity. Others claimed the performance of cartridges with similar powder capacities; in most cases this was not proven to be a valid compari- son. The 250 Savage and the 303/25 are a case in point. This cartridge is noth- ing more than a 303 British case necked down to accept a 25 calibre projectile. However, its performance in SMLE rifles is less than what the Savage round is capable of. A number of computer load de- velopment programs are available, and some are free. A quick search on the Internet will give you a good idea of what is out there. Usually, such pro- grams allow you to compare powders. They also will show internal pressures, although the average reloader has no way of measuring these figures. Most computer reloading pro- grams cover both internal and external ballistics. Depending on the individual program, you may extract all manner of useful data to assist you in developing a safe load for your particular rifle. In any particular cartridge you might find that a heavier projectile with a lower muzzle velocity has better down-range perfor- mance. It can be an enlightening process. Conversely, depending on the expected shooting distance, you might find that a lesser weight projectile at greater muzzle velocity is a better option. What is certain is that you can look at various combinations of pow- der charges and projectiles to ascertain the likely result. The good thing about this process is that it costs you noth- ing in components. Most of the larger programs have extensive data bases for cartridge cases, powder types and projectiles. In my experience most of the computer-based programs are reasonably conservative; it is a useful exercise to compare the results that they offer with reputable reloading manuals. With wildcat cartridges this is usually difficult, if not impossible.
Once you have shot the test loads
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