Shooting Big Iron!
Cast Bullets in the .44 Magnum Compact Pistols: The Cost of Going Small Classic Cartridge:
.280 Ross June 2012
No. 278
Rifle Magazine Presents - HANDLOADER $5.99
06
7
25274 01240
4
$5.99 U.S./Canada
Display until 07/7/2012
Printed in USA
6mm Loads for Benchrest & Varmints!
June 2012 Volume 47, Number 3 ISSN 0017-7393 Issue No. 278
AMMUN AMMUNIT ITIION REL RELOOADING JO JOUR URNNAL
8
Canister Powders Reloader’s Press Dave Scovill
12
Kimber 1911 .45 ACP Bullets & Brass Brian Pearce
16
A New Type of Shooting Event Mike’s Shootin’ Shack Mike Venturino
18
The Controversial .280 Ross Cartridge Board Gil Sengel
22
Hodgdon’s CFE™ 223 Propellant Profiles R.H. VanDenburg, Jr.
26
30
Compact Versus Full Size: The Cost of Small
Loading Lead in the .44 Magnum
40
The Realities of Alloys and Hardness
Velocity and Accuracy Potential
John Haviland
Pistol Pointers -
Matching Old Roundnose Factory Revolver Loads Mike Venturino
Charles E. Petty
28
Pancake Holsters
34
6mm Remington
From the Hip -
Handloads for Varmints
Brian Pearce
Stan Trzoniec
Big Iron When the aim is deadly, six shots are plenty. Terry Wieland
Page 48 . . .
Page 30 . . . 4
48
Background Photo: © 2012 Kenny Bahr
Handloader 278
On the cover . . . A Remington Model 700 Varmint rifle in back of 6mm Remington cartridges. Photo by Stan Trzoniec. Inset Ruger revolver photo by Terry Wieland.
Issue No. 278
June 2012
AMMUN AMMUNIT ITIION REL RELOOADING JO JOUR URNNAL Publisher/President – Don Polacek Publishing Consultant – Mark Harris Editor in Chief – Dave Scovill Associate Editor – Lee J. Hoots Managing Editor – Roberta Scovill Assisting Editor – Al Miller Senior Art Director – Gerald Hudson Production Director – Becky Pinkley
56
6mm PPC
Contributing Editors
Loads for a Benchrest Rifle
Ron Spomer John Haviland Brian Pearce Stan Trzoniec Charles E. Petty R.H. VanDenburg, Jr. Mike Venturino Clair Rees Gil Sengel Ken Waters Terry Wieland
John Barsness
62
Ray C. Thompson Cast Bullets
Advertising
Handloading a Classic
Advertising Director - Stefanie Ramsey stefanie@riflemag.com Advertising Representative - Tom Bowman bowman.t@sbcglobal.net Advertising Information: 1-800-899-7810
Brian Pearce
70
What’s New in the Marketplace
Circulation Circulation Manager – Luree McCann circ@riflemag.com Subscription Information: 1-800-899-7810 www.riflemagazine.com
Inside Product News -
Handloader® (ISSN 0017-7393) is published bimonthly by Polacek Publishing Corporation, dba Wolfe Publishing Company (Don Polacek, President), 2180 Gulfstream, Ste. A, Prescott, Arizona 86301 (also publisher of Rifle® magazine). Telephone: (928) 4457810. Periodical Postage paid at Prescott, Arizona, and additional mailing offices. Subscription prices: U.S. possessions – single issue, $5.99; 6 issues, $22.97; 12 issues, $39.00. Foreign and Canada – single issue, $5.99; 6 issues $29.00; 12 issues, $51.00. Please allow 8-10 weeks for first issue. Advertising rates furnished on request. All rights reserved. Change of address: Please give six weeks notice. Send both the old and new address, plus mailing label if possible, to Circulation Dept., Handloader® Magazine, 2180 Gulfstream, Ste. A, Prescott, Arizona 86301. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Handloader®, 2180 Gulfstream, Ste. A, Prescott, Arizona 86301. Canadian returns: PM #40612608. Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.
Clair Rees
78
Slugging It Out In Range Terry Wieland Page 62 . . .
Wolfe Publishing Co. 2180 Gulfstream, Ste. A Prescott, AZ 86301 Tel: (928) 445-7810 Fax: (928) 778-5124 © Polacek Publishing Corporation Publisher of Handloader™ is not responsible for mishaps of any nature that might occur from use of published loading data or from recommendations by any member of The Staff. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Publisher assumes all North American Rights upon acceptance and payment for all manuscripts. Although all possible care is exercised, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for lost or mutilated manuscripts.
6
Background Photo: © 2012 Kenny Bahr
Handloader 278
KIMBER 1911 .45 ACP BULLETS & BRASS
by Brian Pearce • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Q
: I read your article in Handloader No. 271 (April 2011) with great interest. I have had a Kimber Classic Stainless Model 1911 .45 ACP with a 5-inch barrel for some time. It was made in Yonkers, New York, with serial number K039xxx. I am wondering if this gun is as good as the gun you describe in the article? It seems to shoot well. I am in hopes of getting the one inch at 25-yard groups you describe. I have several Model 1911s but have not taken much of an interest in them.
I have been a shooter all my life, starting with a High Standard Double Nine .22 Long Rifle, then went to the Colt Single Actions. I shoot cowboy action, but your article has spurred my interests in the Model 1911. I am going to try some of the loads in your article.
With load development, most full-sized Kimber Model 1911s are capable of around one-inch groups at 25 yards.
Thanks for your great articles. I always come away with much food for thought and am better informed. – D.D., MO A: Kimber pistols are of consistently good quality. Certainly one may be more accurate than an-
other, perhaps due to a particular barrel, fit, etc., but generally all fullsized Model 1911s shoot very well, like a custom gun, if you will. With load development, carefully choosing components, taking care in assembling ammunition and testing, I would expect that your gun is capable of the one-inch, 25-yard groups you desire.
.357 MAGNUM PENETRATION Q: I enjoy reading your articles in Handloader magazine. An article that really piqued my interest was on the Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum Pro Series Model 627 in Handloader No. 267 (August-September 2010). I have recently started using my Model 586-3 (4-inch barrel) for black bear weighing approximately 500 to 600 pounds in our area and cougar protection around my cabin in Pennsylvania. You stated to the effect that cast bullets from Lyman mould 358156 solid (which I have) would be good for busting into the brain cavity of an irritated grizzly. What alloy would you use for this skull penetration? Would you stick
Alliant 2400, H-110 and Accurate No. 9 are excellent powders for handloading the .357 Magnum. with Alliant 2400 or use a different powder for this purpose? – J.T., Moorestown NJ A: Excessively hard alloys are often chosen, which can result in a brittle bullet. Using pure Lino-
type and similar formulas, I have had more than half the bullets shatter when striking heavy bone, effectively limiting their penetration and preventing straight wound channels that are so desirable. Lyman No. 2 alloy is al-
BrassMonkeyOnceFired.com
WE STOCK A LARGE INVENTORY OF COMMON AND RARE RIFLE AND PISTOL CARTRIDGE CASES
(281) 202-5303 12
ONCE FIRED BRASS -- LOWEST PRICES !
www.handloadermagazine.com
(281) 202-5303 Handloader 278
ways a safe choice at magnum revolver velocities, which consists of 90 percent lead, 5 percent tin and 5 percent antimony for around 15 Brinell hardness number (BHN). For your application, I have also had good results using wheelweight metal with 2 to 2.5 percent tin added for a BHN of 13.5 to 14. Linotype can be added to wheelweights to increase hardness, but the content of that metal can vary enough that results can vary. If you have Linotype, start by mixing one part to 10 parts wheelweights, then check the BHN. Adjust as necessary until around 14 to 16 BHN is achieved. Keep in mind, to get an accurate reading on the BHN, it will take approximately 30 days for the metal to fully harden. Alliant 2400 is a proven choice, but Accurate No. 9, H-110, Lil’Gun, Power Pro 300 MP and Ramshot Enforcer are also good choices. Which one is best is subjective, and testing them in your gun for June-July 2012
accuracy, velocity and muzzle blast is suggested.
signs that can be measured or are at least visible?
HANDLOADING ADVICE
I just purchased a Ruger Super Redhawk and am not really concerned about blowing myself up, but I have many other guns that are not as forgiving as that particular revolver. Any education I could receive via your extensive knowledge would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. – S.R., Port Orchard WA
Q: I have been subscribing to several gun publications for the past two or three years and really enjoy the articles in Handloader in particular. I have been reloading for about three years now and enjoy it very much. I have read all the information I can get my hands on about reloading but still find some areas perplexing. Without someone at my back to ask about all my queries, I often find myself guessing and not reaching the full potential of a handload, out of fear of going too far. My primary questions are: 1) How to perform a heavy crimp versus a light crimp? 2) What is the definition of +P loads? and 3) All reloading articles and manuals say to start loads low and work up watching for signs of high pressure. Since there are so many wives’ tales about signs of high pressure, what are the true
A: Regarding your “fear” first: Always use credible load data and use the components as recommended. Specifically, don’t substitute magnum primers in a load developed with a standard primer or even a different brand. Likewise, substituting a different bullet can cause pressures to increase. Pay close attention to overall cartridge lengths, as bullets seated deeply can likewise jump pressures. A chronograph is a great tool for handloaders, as it will indicate that something might
www.handloadermagazine.com
13
be wrong if velocities are notably greater than they should be. The subject of crimp could fill many pages, and since the only gun you mention is a Ruger Super Redhawk, I can only assume that you are wondering about the roll crimp as commonly used on bigbore revolver cartridges. When using slow-burning, magnum revolver powders, a heavy crimp aids in powder ignition, reduces extreme velocity spreads and generally increases accuracy. It also serves to prevent bullets from jumping or “walking” out of the case and protruding out of the cylinder, thus tying up the gun. You can learn something about crimps by studying factory ammunition, but there are many more bullets, both jacketed and cast, that permit a heavier crimp than found on factory loads. In these instances, I generally prefer a crimp that is as heavy as the bullet will allow without damaging the case or bullet.
enough to safely handle greater pressures (pressures that were of a specified limit). Although not officially adopted by SAAMI as such, many cartridges are loaded (by small ammunition companies and handloaders) to greater pressure and are commonly referred to as +P loads. Examples include the .45 Colt, .44 Magnum, .45-70, etc. Regarding reading pressure, the hobbyist handloader will have a difficult time accurately determining pressure levels. I have seen several different cartridges fired in test barrels and production guns, wherein cases fell out
of the chamber without sticking and without excessively flattened primers or showing any other indication they had just fired a proof load measuring up to 70,000 and even 80,000 psi! As I write these words, I am putting the finishing touches on a “pressure” article for this magazine that will hopefully better answer some of your questions. In the meantime, as previously mentioned, stick with proven loads from credible sources and start with powder charges that are below maximum, making sure those loads are safe in your gun before advancing to maximum charges.
POWDER POSITION
der-position experiment you refQ: A few years ago, I read an article about a powder position velocerence with the .38 Special, but ity experiment. It consisted of a having conducted many such exThompson/Center Arms Contender periments on my own, I would .357 Magnum with a 10-inch barrel not expect great results with light loaded with +P .38 Special handloads containing Another factor are the die sets, 110-grain bullets as they vary considerably on the and Unique powshape and depth of the crimp. der. The velocLight crimps are best when ity difference bemated to light target loads, such tween the powas found on .38 Special wadcutder back at the ter or similar target loads that primer versus on are charged with fast-burning, the base of the easily ignited powders, and these bullet was as- Alliant Unique is not overly position-sensitive in the only crimp slightly into the lead tonishing, about .45 Colt with standard and heavyweight bullets, such bullet or cannelure. (Keep read300 fps. I am not as cast bullet loads from RCBS mould 45-270-SAA. ing Handloader, as I will address a ballistics exthis subject in greater detail anpert, but it seems to me with that (110-grain) bullets in a 10-inch other day.) much variation it would cause barrel with that powder. Bullet misses and wounded game. Have weight can be a velocity stabilizer The “+P” designation stamped there been instances where you (but not always). For instance, I on various cartridges was adopted have seen the same? Specifically, suspect that if instead a 158- to by SAAMI in 1974, and in effect one of your many handloads for meant that the ammunition was 173-grain cast bullet would have the .45 Colt that contains cast bulloaded to higher pressures than been used with the same powder, lets from RCBS mould 45-270-SAA a standard or “non+P” load of the results would have been no(280 to 285 grains as you cast it) the same caliber. Thus identified, tably different. with 9.0 grains of Unique? these +P loads were specifically Regarding the .45 Colt load you A: I am unfamiliar with the powintended for guns that were strong mention, there are loads and powders that produce less powder position sensitivity, but this is a • Gas Checked & Plain Base Match Grade Cast Bullets We supply all of CorBon’s • Everything from 6.5mm to .500 S&W, 20-22 BHN cast bullets! reasonable load that is accurate, • Real Keith Bullets - .357, .41, .44 & .45 and in a precision revolver (with 440, 465 & 500 Gr. in .500 S&W, .460 S&W - 395 Gr. uniform chambers and throats) 349 NW 100 St. • St. John, KS 67576 extreme spreads are usually beTel: 620-549-6475 Website: www.proshootpro.com tween 40 to 70 fps. • 14
www.handloadermagazine.com
Handloader 278
Handloads for Varmints
Stan Trzoniec
W
edged between the popular .22 centerfires and the long-ranging .25s, the 6mm Remington offers much to both varmint and big game hunters. It can be dedicated to specific tasks just by handloading to individual hunting needs. Winchester introduced the popular .243 Winchester in 1955. Remington, seeing the potential of a mass-produced 6mm cartridge, brought out the .244 Remington shortly thereafter. Much to the chagrin of Remington, the .243 Winchester jumped ahead by leaps and bounds simply because of a better marketing strategy. For one thing, the .243 Winchester had more help on the consumer end. The cartridge was offered in the Winchester Model 70 bolt action and Model 88 levergun. Remington announced the .244 in a very plain Model 722 bolt gun, the Model 760 slide action and later the Model 742 semiautomatic. Not bad, but to further drive the .244 into a downward spiral, Savage chambered its Model 99 (already a well-liked gun) and Model 110 bolt action for the .243 Winchester. Not discounting the imports at the time and the none-toofashionable Model 722, the .243 Winchester was well on its way, outdistancing the .244 Remington by a wide margin. Remington also touted the .244 more as a varmint cartridge than a deer rig. That was probably its biggest mistake, because hunters liked the .243 simply because, from the onset, Winchester produced ammunition with bullet weights of 100 to 105 grains for rifles with one-in-12-inch barrel twists, which was agreeable to deer hunters. Remington’s idea of the ideal varmint The 6mm Remington has plenty of potential as a varmint cartridge when used with newer bullets and powders.
34
6mm Handloader 278
rig with a one-in-10-inch twist surely made sense to the dedicated varmint hunter, but the .243 was just too popular. It took awhile for Remington to realize its mistake, and around 1963, the .244 was repackaged and reintroduced as the brand-new 6mm Remington. With a new headstamp and a one-in-9-inch twist, the company was ready to butt heads with Winchester again. In the first year of production with both the Model 700 ADL and BDL rifles, 3,452 6mm rifles were sold. Although this sounds well and good, the cartridge never truly caught on. The most recent Remington catalog shows no rifles chambered for the 6mm Remington, but the .243 is chambered in 26 different variations in the Remington line. For Remington ammunition, one paltry 6mm load consists of a 100-grain bullet. Years back I purchased a Remington Model 700 Varmint in 6mm Remington, but it sat in the corner with nothing to do. Maybe it was the heavy barrel – something not on my list of favorites, as I like to walk around for varmints with a sporter-weight gun. Maybe it was the homely wood stock that was as nondescript as one could get. In any event, it just sat there. A few years back while reading up on the cartridge, I figured that with the right combination of bullets and perhaps a better looking stock, I could not only use it for a test rifle at the bench, but for long shots on larger varmints as well. Out the door went the plain stock with its RKW finish and white spacers; in its place I found a laminated stock more to my liking. I don’t know when Remington offered this particular stock, but with its black (ebony) tip, cheekpiece and a rubber pad, it had my name all over it. Placing the barreled action into the laminated stock seemed to bring this gun alive! The stock had real cut checkering around the forearm and pistol grip; and with a Monte Carlo comb for scope use, the rifle was looking better all the time. In fact, after replacing the stock, Remington factory ammunition printed .885inch groups at 100 yards. The action is highly polished and detailed, and it
sports a 24-inch barrel almost an inch in diameter at the muzzle. Even though the bolt rides on the follower, it is very smooth. Back then the trigger was fully adjustable, so with a bit of tinkering, I could lower it to a neat 2¼ pounds of pull without a trace of slack. I then mounted a Bausch & Lomb 6-24x scope with an extended lens hood in Redfield rings and bases. Older models of the Model 700 Varmint came with factoryinstalled scope blocks on the receiver and barrel, so mine must be a later variation. With the decreasing availability of factory ammunition, handloading was the way to go. Over the past few years, I piled up a ton of once-fired brass. Gathering it all up, the first thing was to neck size the whole batch, clean the primer pockets and check overall length. A new tool on the market trims cases back to factory specs with ease. Called the W.F.T. (World’s Finest Trimmer), all you do is chuck it into a drill, insert the case into the W.F.T. chamber and squeeze the drill’s “on” button. Feed the case in slowly, and as owner Dale Hegstrom notes, “Let the cutter do the work for you.” When you feel the cutter stop trimming, give the cartridge a quarter-turn to clean up the case. The trimmer is set up for a specific cartridge and can be adjusted for others that are similar. Now the 6mm was ready for load development with lighter bullets from 55 to 75 grains. Stats showed the 6mm Remington was indeed comfortable with lighter bullets when matched up to other cartridges of its ilk, using Varget powder and a 55-grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. cartridge
.243 Winchester .243 WSSM 6mm Remington .240 Weatherby
charge (grains)
velocity (fps)
45.5 47.0 47.0 51.5
3,941 4,125 4,002 4,095
Overall there really is not much of a spread among all the popular 6mm’s based on getting close to the 4,000-fps mark. The .243 Winchester makes it close, the .243 WSSM takes it about 100 fps over 4,000 fps and the 6mm Remington does it with the same amount of Varget but with slightly less velocity. The .240
Remington June-July 2012
35
6mm Remington Weatherby comes closest to the WSSM but with an increase of nearly 10 percent more powder. Bullet choices for testing included 55-, 58-, 65-, 70- and 75-grain weights for small to larger varmints. Manufacturers included Sierra, Nosler, Hornady, Speer and Barnes. Selected loads listed in the table were reduced one grain from maximums listed in representative manuals. Most of the powders filled the case with a good volume; W-760 and IMR-4831 showed compressed charges with 53.0 and 50.5 grains, respectively. Before loading, all Winchester cases were
The 6mm Remington has a long case neck. Blackening it (left) aids in proper adjustment of dies when neck sizing (right). a Speer 70-grain hollowpoint over 46.0 grains of IMR-4350 for almost 3,200 fps. For comparison, the “book velocity” is taken from Nosler’s reloading manual. This is faster than the results achieved with the Speer bullet, but Nosler’s chronograph is probably more accurate than mine. In any event, this load printed three shots in nearly one hole measuring .225 inch. The load is a few grains from maximum; although the heavier charge (48.0 grains) increased velocity, it also increased group size almost three times.
A number of different 6mm bullet designs were tried, including boat-tails. trimmed to 2.225 inches and primed with Winchester Large Rifle primers. Testing the rifle and cartridge with varmint bullets proved to be educational. For the initial rundown, the most accurate load was
The Hornady V-MAX over 44.7 grains of Reloder 15 hit 3,595 fps with a group that went .380 inch. Again, a slightly heavier charge of 45.7 grains of RL-15 gave groups over an inch. Finally, the Nosler 55-grain Ballistic Tip with 51.0 grains of W-760 almost hit 4,000 fps with three shots grouping into .455 inch.
Below left, Stan randomly checks primer seating depth. Below, a compressed load of 53.0 grains of W-760 with a Nosler bullet shot about .5 inch, but the brass indicated possible signs of high pressure.
36
www.handloadermagazine.com
In the lighter 55- to 58-grain bullets, the Nosler bullet with 53.0 grains (compressed) of W-760 produced an honest 4,068 fps. However, this load was the only one that sported a bolt lift with more resistance than usual, ejector marks on the cases and a slightly flattened primer. For the difference in velocity and group size, I’d either drop down a full grain or just stick with 51.0 grains of W-760 and be done with it. The Hornady 65-grain Spire Point with W-760 cleared the inch mark with 47.7 grains and went on to nick .75 inch with 48.9 grains of the same powder and a velocity of 3,609 fps. The 70-grain selections all grouped under an inch with the exception of the Nosler. The best accuracy came from the Speer hollowpoint at .225 inch but with a lower velocity than most. Two more grains of IMR-4350 boosted the velocity another 200 fps but the group widened. The pair of 75s Cases were trimmed to length with a W.F.T. trimmer chucked into a drill.
Handloader 278
6mm Remington
Above left, the best group measured .225 inch using 46.0 grains of IMR-4350 with a Speer bullet. Above, the next best group, from a Hornady V-MAX over 44.7 grains of Reloder 15, went into .380 inch. Right, Stan’s 6mm Remington Model 700 Varmint is polished to a high gloss and fitted to a laminated stock.
Lighter Bullets in the 6mm Remington bullet (grains)
powder
charge (grains)
book velocity (fps)
true velocity (fps)
accuracy (inches)
55 Sierra BlitzKing
Varget
55 Nosler Ballistic Tip
W-760
58 Hornady V-MAX
RL-15
65 Hornady V-MAX
H-4895
70 Hornady Spire Point
W-760
70 Nosler Ballistic Tip
IMR-4831
70 Speer hollowpoint
IMR-4350
70 Sierra BlitzKing
H-335
75 Barnes X-Bullet
IMR-4064
75 Hornady V-MAX
IMR-4831
45.0 47.0 51.0 53.0C 44.7 45.7 40.3 41.8 47.7 48.9 48.5 50.5C 46.0 48.0 39.0 41.1 41.1 42.5 46.0 48.0
3,831 4,002 3,875 4,077 3,700 3,800 3,500 3,600 3,300 3,400 3,473 3,620 3,455 3,596 3,300 3,400 3,300 3,400 3,280 3,447
3,663 3,976 3,903 4,068 3,595 3,672 3,246 3,407 3,499 3,609 3,325 3,544 3,193 3,426 3,181 3,316 3,245 3,398 3,084 3,191
1.100 0.770 0.455 0.535 0.380 1.210 0.790 0.665 0.990 0.840 1.075 1.290 0.225 0.610 0.600 0.700 1.390 1.775 0.620 1.300
Notes: C = compressed. All loads were fired at 100 yards, three-shot groups. All velocities measured on an Oehler Model 35P chronograph 10 feet from the muzzle. Be Alert – Publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors in published load data.
for the most part grouped over the one-inch mark, and why the Barnes XBullet went into almost 2 inches evades me. I did go back and shoot that bullet again, for a group measuring 1.155 inches. During range sessions, temperatures were in the low 50s with a bit of a head wind. Because of its hefty proportions, the barrel on the Model 700 kept an even temperature during the course of the afternoon, due in part to allowing the barrel to cool down for 10 minutes between each three-shot group. While it may be too late for the 6mm Remington to be a viable cartridge, those who limit its use to hunting deer-sized game would be hard pressed to find something better. It has a more than decent powder capacity to utilize slowerburning propellants, and there is a wide variety of bullets to choose from. Recoil is more than tolerable. For smaller varmints at longer distances, the lighter bullets will come into play. •
FACTS AND FIGURES hen looking at the final 6mm shooting results, 7 bullets (35 percent) went over an inch while 13 (65 percent) went under an inch, including the Remington factory load topped off with the 75-grain V-MAX boat-tail. Three went under .5 inch, with one measuring a very tight .25 inch. Although most of the velocities were lower than the book (They always are for the most part.), I would
W
38
have no problem taking my top choices afield. Picking the best powder is always a crapshoot in most cases, but for the 55-grain bullets, W-760 would be my choice, taking into account to caution oneself on higher pressures with compressed loads. When 58- to 65grain bullets are paired with RL-15, it produces top velocity, but depending on the bullet, it could be less accu-
www.handloadermagazine.com
rate than H-4895. With the four 70grain selections, again I would go with W-760 in the velocity department with IMR-4350 picked for accuracy. Finally, with the heaviest 75-grain bullets, IMR-4831 would have the edge in velocity, but if you are looking to squeeze the most in accuracy with less velocity, go with the Hornady 75-grain V-MAX and 46.0 grains of the same propellant. Again, the slightly reduced load wins! • Handloader 278