I believe Clint Smith has said more or less the same thing, on a smaller scale, with regard to loads for service rifles. It’s not necessary to tailor ammunition to every single one, you just need good reliable loads that function well and let you hit what you want to hit.
That’s pretty much how the military operates it seems, and those poor schlubs who rely on factory stuff.
Ditto. For my collection of U.S. milsurps I have a standard load built upon IMR-4895, 46 grains + 150 Sierra spitzers (either SP's or FMJ's), to duplicate pre-war Ball, Caliber .30 ammo. Guaranteed MOA or a wee bit more out of a decent barrel, a standard equaling half of what the Ordnance dept. designated for those rifles 80+ years ago. For loads meant to really make the rifles sing I substitute the 168 Matchking, but the en-bloc clips and stripper clips stuffed into the "rainy day" bandoliers carry the 150 grain loads.
I'll agree with Venturino re: 5744 powder with cast bullets, but I don't have to entirely switch over to it yet as I have an ungodly supply of SR-4759 which trumps any other powder for that application. My go-to load for .30-06 cast bullet shooting is a mere 18 grains + 180 gas checked bullet - a load which is my predictor for if a gun is worth further messing with. If/when my stash of 4759 dries up it'll be 5744 as a replacement.
