Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles What was the hardest load development you ever did?

I have two. The first was 150gr Sierra FMJ out of an Aut6. From top to bottom the smallest group I got was 1.5 inches. Not wanting to give up, I purchased another box. This time I failed to see the text on the box "SP". They were mixed up on the shelves. That load that gave 1.5 inches, gave me .5" from 5 rounds at 100. I called Sierra. They admit that their FMJ is a challenge to load. I probably would have gotten better results using the load that gave the tightest group and then working the OAL.

The second was trying to come up with loads for the 270WSM and 300WSM. At first the Hornady dies were just pieces of junk. I sent those back to Larry Potterfield in exchange for some RCBS. With the new dies and a pound of MagPro, the best I could get was 1" at 100. Scratching my head I thought OAL? Powder? Bullet? Primer? Shooter? Well neither of these were my rifles (but they are in the family) so I tried the simplest and easiest trick. I scrubbed the barrels with bore form and a brush and low and behold, sub MOA. Hey what can I say, I thought everyone cleaned their barrels after a day of shooting. Apparently these two had been cleaned in a while.

Finding the proper Extreme powder to get a fast enough velocity in my US Model of 1917 Eddystone. I needed to have the POI height match with the sight graduations.

I will tell you my easiest! Sako TRG 42 in .300 mag. Ran about 5 different charges of H4831sc with a 180 Acubond. ALL produced groups <.5" Ended up using 76 grains. I couldn't believe how consistent all the loads were.

The most frustration I ever experienced was trying to get cast bullets to shoot out of several .458 Win. Mags. Got nothing but keyholes no matter what I tried, so after only 20 years of trying, I gave up.

I loaded up a 35 Whelen and 250gr. cast bullets to 2,550; the bore needed some work and getting sustained accuracy was kindy tricky.

I gotta say getting cast bullets to jacketed standards with bullets that don't fit a gun's throat worth a hoot can seem almost impossible...but there are ways.

.250 Savage in an well worn 1899 with a 14" twist. Wanted a 100 gr. bullet, and went through all the major manufacturers before deciding on the Speer Hot-Cor (it's the shortest one) Tried 748, 760, 4064, 4320, 3031, and a few others, and three different primers (CCI, FED, WIN) and two types of brass. Finally read Mule Deer's 'Loads that work' article and bought some 4895, tried 33gr. with Winchester brass and the CCI 200 with the Speer bullet and got a consistent 1.5" for three shots at 100 yds. gun. good enough, but I probably tried 200 combinations including with lighter bullets before finding the one that worked. The gun would also shoot the 90 gr. Sierra HP with H4895.

7mm STW and the 154 Horny IB.

Of all things, it was a Wby Vanguard in .270 Win[one of the early ones]. I couldn't for the life of me to get that damn thing to shoot with ANY type of load! Any other .270, no problem. But that one, geez! Down the road it went; and then obtained my Sako Finnbear in .270. Ahhh, now that rifle shoots!

Most elusive reloading goal I ever attempted?

I tried to achieve the mythical 3200 fps from a 26 inch 264 win mag with 140 gr bullets. (especially elusive with Nosler Partitions) RL25 did really scary things with the 140 partition when loaded beyond 3050 fps, or when going from a 30 degree spring day to a 110 degree summer afternooon, or even between the first shot in a string and the third.

Then I figured out that top MV really did not matter as long as the rifle shot little bug hole groups, and settled with the 140 Sierra spbt over 67 gr of H1000 at 3000 fps.

280 Rem and 154 Hornady IB (and 270 Win and 130 IB).

A factory Ruger #1 with a heavy barrel in .223 of all things! I couldn't find a combination to save my life. Finally got bugholes with 4198, Rem brass, Win primers, and a 50gr V-max.

.257 Roberts and the 90 grain original Barnes X bullet. That thing like to drove me to drink before I found a load that would shoot.

Just finished it. Frustrating accuracy and inconsistent cold barrel shots, and frequent fliers that would make delta airlines cringe, I finally bedded my Weatherby MkV in 30-06.

Then, realizing that she just doesn't like to be pushed, regardless of having the "strongest factory action in the world" I settled on 58.2gr of H4350 and 165 SGK's just to get me through deer season.

Here is my last 4 shot group at 120 yards.

Ruger #1A in 7x57. The rifle, as it turned out had an unusually deep throat, over 2" as determined by my gunsmith via chamber cast. Sent the gun back to Ruger and aver what seemed like forever, actually seven months, I finally got my gun back. Not a true tackdriver but at least most 5 shot groups can be covered by a quarter which is good enough for hunting.
Paul B.

Savage left hand 7-08. I worked off and on for three years trying several powder/bullet combinations. I finally gave up and swapped barrels to a .22-250. As I was putting the action back into stock, I realized the bolt handle had been rubbing the stock. It seems that Savage took a right hand synthetic stock and filled the right hand cut out and then cut a new slot on the left side. Problem was the cut was too far toward the rear.

I didn't change the barrel back until this last weekend. The fouling shot hit high and right from the .22-250 zero. The next two shots went into one hole. Shot another group with two shots almost touching and then ruined the group with a called flier. Both groups still measured under and inch- that is with a fouling shot and a called flier. This weekend it gets another chance to do better.

using H 4895 in about ANY caliber...

Ruger M77 Hawkeye .223. It shoots good but not as good as ANY of my big rifles. Just don't like little cartridges I guess

Ive got two. One is My Rem 700 ADL 243 that I just settled with yesterday evening after trying loads since early this summer. Never could get a group less than one inch and I know it will shoot better. But I ran out of time and settled for the combo that was the most consistant with 1"groups. Antelope season opens tomorrow so I had to figure something out. Went with 95gr Btip, Win brass, CCI 200, and 34.5gr Varget. Ended up having to sight it in this afternoon in the 30mph wind and pourning rain but Im ready!

My second is my new Model 7 7mm-08. I still havent found a handload with 120Btips or 140Accubonds like I want. It shoots 140gr Fusions into about 1.5" so its sighted in with those to use this season and Ill work with it a bunch this winter/spring/summer and figure something out with the little devil.

My 300 Wby Encore took 450 rounds fired to find its sweet spot (desired load combo). Now, it'll put 3 consecutive in a perfect triangle measuring 1/2".

Now I'm happy. I wasn't until the last three shots out of that 450.

Seems to work pretty well in my 700ADL .243. I inherited 2 lbs and didn't have s decent .243 load yet, so I figured what the heck, try what I have on hand. 44 gr with 55 gr Ballistic Tips, 38 with 75 V-Max and 33 with 100 Interlock. So far, it's decent...not great, but around an inch with each of em.