Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Hornady reloading manual correct?

Got a 7th edition of Hornady reloading manual and on page 448 in the manual for a Winchester 308 it shows the 165-168 bullets.....the #30459 IB (Interbond) C.O.L is 2.750 and the #3040 SP C.O.L. is 2.750 also. I have loaded the #3040 SP, which is the Interlock, for years and the 2.750 I know is correct, but the C.O.L. for the #30459 IB (Interbond) has got to be wrong, and I believe it should be 2.800. The bullet is much longer than the #3040 SP and when you load the Interbond #30459 with with your powder you cannot get the bullet to load that deep (2.750) without crushing the powder if near a full load. I loaded some of the #30459 Interbond (165 grain) this morning and at 2.800 C.O.L. shot some excellent groups. Someone chime in with your thoughts on this, I believe this listing is wrong until I see different.

It is more important that the rounds cycle through your action and give the best accuracy than what a manual says. Some loads compress the powder and that is not a problem unless the powder pushes the bullets out of the cases or compresses to the point where ignition is inconsistent.

Thanks Blacktailer, every reload rounds cycle and eject fine, check every round as I reload. All the Hornady 165 grain Interbond, and have shot several rounds....all group fine and no pressure signs. Loaded at 2.800 and the manual says C.O.L. 2.750 and no way I can load that deep in my Winchester brass with a full load of powder. Only round in this manual that I reload for that I have ever questioned the data on. Only one thing that may be why it is listed as 2.750 is the test brass they use are Hornady/Frontier, and my brass is Winchester.

Most likely they crushed the powder a bit, so as to fit a short action magazine. I would just make them to fit my chamber and magazine. I try to avoid crushed powder, but not radical about it. miles

I have plenty compressed loads.

As long as Bullet isn’t pushed back out. All is fine.

Jerry

It is a matter of what ever works for you, we reload to fit our needs a manual will give us a starting point, the custom part is up to us !!!!

Hornady 9th and 10th editions both list the COAL for both bullets as 2.750". I think if it was a typo or incorrect they would have found and fixed by now. They do list their Match bullets #'s 30501, 30502 and 30506, all 168 grainer's as having 2.800" COAL. For bottleneck rifle cartridge reloading I've always used the number they provide as a guideline, or a "do not seat deeper than this without precautions". Longer is fair game up to magazine or chamber restrictions.

This^

WyDave, thanks for that info on the 9th and 10th editions listings. I agree, looks like would have been corrected by now. With that being said, I cannot load the #30459 165 g. Interbond with a full charge of powder down to 2.750, it will absolutely will not go that deep...have dearly tried and invite anyone that loads that bullet to chime in if they can. I am in process of contacting Hornedy concerning this now. Like I said, I load it at 2.800" and will shoot excellent groups. Now, if you load a lighter charge you can probably go to 2.750 C.O.L. but not with any charge approaching MAX in the Hodgdon Reloading site, and I do not load anything at MAX, believe me would not even try. But look it up yourself, it there in black and white, and it will not accept that bullet at 2.750 C.O.L.

I'd let the rifle tell ya what it likes or wants vs letting a reload manual giving generic information, with a one size fits all attitude...

reload manuals are best used as references, not Bibles...

I've had multiple rifles in my life, that anything above a starting load of one combo would blow a primer every time..
then the next load next line down, the same rifle would easily take the max load and then some...same bullet, same COAL
and just different powder...

i don't try to figure out the reason why, I just let the rifle tell me what works in it...

I agree with what you are saying, but you cannot take this bullet and load it at 2.750 with a load of powder and seat it.....bullet would probably crack case, swell case, split mouth,whatever, it will not go down in the case 2.750. Not questioning what happens when you shoot any other bullet, what happens to primers, anything.....just saying you cannot load this 165 Interbond in a full load of powder and seat it at 2.750 C.O.L. Works find in my Model 70 at 2.800....have shot around 15 rounds loaded as said. Waiting for a response from Hornady about this,

Hey Bluboy- not giving you a hard time but see you haven't posted much, the reloading forum might be the place for this question or others like it- ya know ? Might get more visibility.

308 rounds loaded with 150 gr. Sierra bullets wouldn't cycle through the magazine of my rotary magazine Savage 99 when loaded to 2.800", but worked fine at 2.750", which was also the length given in the Sierra manual. It was pretty annoying that I hadn't checked that until I was hunting. I haven't made that mistake since.