Thankfully, the internet didn’t blow up my gun, but some things don’t go as planned… much like this article.
This started as an overview of recreating some 45-70 loads Jay and I tested over a year ago. We planned to get into the weeds with powder selection, burn rates, Brinell hardness, gas checks, you name it. As handloaders, we love to overthink these things, spending countless hours pondering the “what-ifs” of making small tweaks to our loads. It’s a favorite pastime of most handloaders I know, and once in a while, you stumble across something cool.
This got me thinking: how many of you are either new or relatively new to reloading your own ammunition?
When you’ve been in the hobby as long as I have, you see a lot of ideas and fads come and go. This is especially true in the last 15 years or so. The internet has had a dramatic impact on this hobby, some of it good, some of it bad, but its influence is undeniable. We see many so-called “new and exciting discoveries” that are neither new nor particularly exciting because we’ve already been there, done that, years ago.
Information is easier to access than ever. What used to take hours of searching through old reloading manuals and handwritten notes now resides in a couple of apps on my phone.
But this is where we must be cautious. A tremendous amount of load data online is suspect at best. Anyone can post literally anything, right or wrong. A lot of this information is just regurgitated from somewhere else, with no vetting or actual experience behind it. Just because someone used XX.X grains of XX powder in their 6.5 Superboomer load and got away with it doesn’t mean it’s safe, or even advisable. They may have just gotten lucky that day. Pride often keeps people from mentioning the part where their bolt-action rifle turned into a purely decorative item because of dangerously high pressure.
The majority of people don’t like to admit their own mistakes.
This was driven home for me while working on the original 45-70 article. I needed to check a load value and quickly Googled it because it was convenient. The varying charge weights for a particular 405-grain load were shocking. The misinformation surrounding this “famous” 405-grain load really caught my attention.
Remember, the 45-70 started life as a black powder cartridge. As firearms evolved over the years, the loadings for them changed as well. There are different load levels depending on the strength of the firearm in use. In the wrong rifle, some of these loads could cause a catastrophic failure. Many online sources also lacked context and an understanding of how components have changed over time. This is critical to consider when developing a load. The components of yesterday may carry the same name, but they don’t necessarily behave the same way today. Even small differences can matter.
Let’s be honest: best practices are boring, but they’re essential. Working up a load properly is a tedious and often mundane task, but it’s absolutely necessary. Sure, there are some interesting moments along the way, but for the most part, it’s a lackluster chore.
Components are expensive. Your time is valuable. The temptation to just use some guy’s load from Reddit is strong—he’s getting dime-sized groups at 8 miles, so clearly he’s an expert, right? Why not just use his data and be done with it?
Unfortunately, that’s not how it works.
If you’re new to handloading—or have limited experience—the risk of using questionable data is very real. Without the knowledge that comes from loading thousands and thousands of rounds, your spidey senses might not tingle when you stumble across Mr. Eight-Mile’s load data.
It worked for him, you think. I want the same performance he’s getting. And voilà—you’ve innocently created a bolt-action pipe bomb that could maim or kill you on your next range trip.
So, what’s the answer? What should you do?
Research is your friend.
Don’t settle for just one reloading manual, grab a couple, they will have different powders, bullets and they usually have pretty good sections on “How to Reload”
I have loading manuals and handwritten notes going back 50 years. You probably don’t—but that’s okay. There’s more credible loading data available now than ever before. Nearly every major bullet and powder manufacturer produces loading manuals. Many also offer good apps, and while they usually cost a few bucks, they’re typically a worthwhile investment. These apps often update automatically when powder or bullet designs change, which is a big plus.
The big names in the industry spend a tremendous amount of time and money vetting the data in their books and apps. This is a huge advantage for us as handloaders—it gives us a safe, solid foundation to work from. Occasionally, you may find slight differences in load data for the same cartridge, especially when comparing older manuals to newer ones. This is normal, as component compositions change over time. When in doubt, always default to the most conservative data.
Once you’ve gathered a couple of apps, maybe a manual or two, and some good online resources, you’re ready to get serious.
This will give you the tools you need to evaluate a load you found online or heard from a buddy and decide if it’s actually usable or not. Cross-reference. Cross-reference. Cross-reference. It only takes a minute to look up a load. Doing so will give you a solid idea of whether a load is safe and reasonable. If the data you find aligns across your sources, you’ve got a good starting point.
This brings us back to the boring part: you must start at the bottom and work your way up. There’s no better—or safer—way to develop a load, especially without specialized programs or gear.
The surprising part? You’ll end up doing a lot of loading and shooting along the way. This process builds your skills at both the loading bench and the range. You’ll learn a great deal about precision loading and gain valuable experience with your firearm of choice. There’s a real sense of satisfaction when you finally find the perfect load for your rifle—and know you have the testing and experience to back it up.
Handloading is a deeply fulfilling hobby. When done safely, it’s an enjoyable, rewarding pursuit. But always stay mentally focused on the task at hand. A small lapse in judgment or a momentary distraction can cause big problems. Stay diligent, stay safety-minded, and you’ll have years of successful shooting ahead.
I hope this helps some of you. Next time, we’ll look at how a lowly Post-it Note could be one of the most important pieces of gear on your reloading bench.
—Marc
Links to Online Reloading Resources
Amazon.com – If you want to buy a dead tree version, you can find them all here. We recommend to sticking with brand name like Sierra, Barnes, Hornady, Lee Precision, Lyman, Nosler ect.
Using the link and purchasing something through the site will give us a small commission at no cost to you.
Barnes Bullets – Barnes is known for their copper solid “X” Bullet but they also produce a line of tradition lead core target and hunting bullets. They offer reloading data online for their bullets.
Hodgdon Reloading – Hodgden distributes powders under the following brands, IMR, Winchester, Accurate, Ramshot, Hodgdon – Load Data with these powders and technical data on how to reload can be found here.
Sierra Bullets – Sierra makes some of the best bullets in the world, known specifically for their line of Sierra Match King target bullets, they also offer load data for their bullets free of charge online.
Vihtavuori Powders – Often considered a premium powder brand, Vihtavuori publishes load data for their powders on their webpage
Western Powders – While they are now owned by Hodgdon powders, they still have a link to an excellent loading guide with data published for their powders.