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Factory Loads

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Just curious. How do factories (Barnes/Winchester/Hornady/etc) determine loads for their ammo? Do they have R&D teams that try different combinations of powder/primers and pick the most accurate for them? Do they use the same primers/powders that are available to us?
 
Well for sure each factory loads and fires an awful lot of rounds before the production line is turned on. All the factory ammo I have ever measured hit the SAMMI length exactly or within a few thousandths of an inch.

Non-cannister powder I thought was powder that is not commercially available....`mixing gunpowders you have to have so much testing for settlement and mix-ability and unwanted side effects. I know the big boys brag about their proprietary powders but I can't see how they mix them.

Doesn't the Navy do this for their big guns?

As an aside....I loaded Superformance into my 22-250 and to my complete surprise it got the promised 200 FPS (Well, 185or so) increase and no pressure signs at all. The problem is the burnt gunpowder odor. Holy smokes rotten would be a compliment. I had to leave shot rounds of 22-250 brass first in the garage and then on the back porch and then at the far corner of the yard.
About two pounds back the odor problem got resolved and I kept that FPS bump.
 
I also have purchased factory Brass pull downs Got them off some guy in Idaho (IIRC) on Gunbroker.

This was ammo that had been loaded (even has sealed primer) and for one reason or another, factory unloaded.
So yeah, they must be doing some kind of test firing.

Bullets had been in the brass because I had to resize every last piece.

These were about 75% nickle brass, all Federal Cartridge, and pretty sure Federal 210M primers.
 
I know someone who accuses a certain manufacturer of lying about their ballistics (fps), and the sole reason is because he can't match it himself. At the time I didn't know about "non-canister" powders, but I did know that they had equipment far above his (for testing). Didn't matter....they were liers.
 
Funny you mention this! I JUST NOW got done ordering FACTORY AMMO from Midway! Typically, I HATE factory ammo, being able to beat its performance with handloads of my own, but Ive got a 22-250 that LOVES the browning factory ammo so much that I dont think I can handload and beat it!
Now with that said, who knows if the stuff I ordered will shoot like the stuff Ive got. Thats my problem with factory ammo, you never know for sure if this new box will shoot like the old box.
 
Yes they have proprietary blends best I can recall. I remember folks trying to use superformance powder trying to match Hornady factory ammo performance, and found out that Hornady didn't even use Superformance in their ammo, at least the powder they sell to the public. 😅
 
Huntaholic said:
Ive got a 22-250
Click to expand...
43 grains Superformance Powder, R-P brass, Federal 210M primer, Nosler 60 gr partition.

The SAAMI spec for OAL is 2.350.

Hmmmmmmm

In my Browning rifle (22 inch barrel) I started off at 2.420 and had to back down to 2.415

I was getting 3595 to 3615 FPS. At 420 the group was kind of large and I fidgeted with the length quite a bit....charge weight also. I finally adjusted the length down to 415 with 4 charge weights and BINGO everything went into .88 inch with the max load. I was pretty happy.


Please note........
Deer Assassin
Deer Assassin says get your velocity first and then adjust jump to get the accuracy you want. He is not kidding.
 
DaveB said:
43 grains Superformance Powder, R-P brass, Federal 210M primer, Nosler 60 gr partition.

The SAAMI spec for OAL is 2.350.

Hmmmmmmm

In my Browning rifle (22 inch barrel) I started off at 2.420 and had to back down to 2.415

I was getting 3595 to 3615 FPS. At 420 the group was kind of large and I fidgeted with the length quite a bit....charge weight also. I finally adjusted the length down to 415 with 4 charge weights and BINGO everything went into .88 inch with the max load. I was pretty happy.


Please note........
Deer Assassin
Deer Assassin says get your velocity first and then adjust jump to get the accuracy you want. He is not kidding.
Click to expand...

What is the twist rate of that barrel, if I might ask?
 
1:14

Yeah, I know. Old. I looked it up. Browning A-Bolt Medallion manufactured in 1987.

Several thousand rounds down the barrel, most around 3600 FPS or better
Still day 1 Accurate with anything 60 grains and under. It will not stabilize above that...even keyholes at 25 yards with 70's.
I want a fast twist rifle but that isn't working out so good. Browning's is over $2K, most others are 1500 range. I may go ask Mr. Lilja what a barrel would cost. They already make the best .22 barrels in the world if you go by Olympic records, which seems a reasonable standard. Few changes here, there, maybe?
 
Last edited:
DaveB said:
1:14

Yeah, I know. Old. I looked it up. Browning A-Bolt Medallion manufactured in 1987.

Several thousand rounds down the barrel, most around 3600 FPS or better
Still day 1 Accurate with anything 60 grains and under. It will not stabilize above that...even keyholes at 25 yards with 70's.
I want a fast twist rifle but that isn't working out so good. Browning's is over $2K, most others are 1500 range. I may go ask Mr. Lilja what a barrel would cost. They already make the best .22 barrels in the world if you go by Olympic records, which seems a reasonable standard. Few changes here, there, maybe?
Click to expand...
You can get a fast twist tikka pretty reasonable.
 
DaveB said:
1:14

Yeah, I know. Old. I looked it up. Browning A-Bolt Medallion manufactured in 1987.

Several thousand rounds down the barrel, most around 3600 FPS or better
Still day 1 Accurate with anything 60 grains and under. It will not stabilize above that...even keyholes at 25 yards with 70's.
I want a fast twist rifle but that isn't working out so good. Browning's is over $2K, most others are 1500 range. I may go ask Mr. Lilja what a barrel would cost. They already make the best .22 barrels in the world if you go by Olympic records, which seems a reasonable standard. Few changes here, there, maybe?
Click to expand...

Good to know. My 1:14 works decent with that 60 NP. I'm always looking for another decent load that might work in mine. Thanks.
 
Lost Lake said:
Good to know. My 1:14 works decent with that 60 NP.
Click to expand...
You are welcome. I picked up quite a few 60's back 9 or 10 years ago, still have @400 left. So accurate I can neck shoot with complete confidence inside of 200 yards. The 60's also work wonders in our 223 bolt guns. Same goes for the 70 A-Bonds but velocity suffers and that is not good. Its why I want a fast twist 22-250.
 

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