Anyone reloading Hornady 115g XTP's?

[johnnyrees]

Sounds like we are splitting hairs here.....do the tests...do the maths....do the testing....good to go

[Wobbly]

Red hair is smaller. "Finer than frog hair", as we say in these parts. Therefore an RCH is the smallest increment known to man.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled thread.....

[dukecola]

Well, loaded up some XTP's, but went with HP-38 instead of AA5. Hornady had published data at 4.1-4.7 at 1.075, so I did small batch of 4.1 to 4.4's and went to the range today and tested them.  They all fed smooth and all cycled my CZ75 and ejected just fine.  Accuracy wise I couldn't really tell much difference, all my shots went where I wanted, but the 4.3's felt better for some reason. Next week I'll test the remainder of the loads and see how they do.

[Wobbly]

Congrats on the progress.

You really won't see any difference off-hand. You'd need to shoot those from a rest or sand bag at a goodly distance; each group in turn at a new target. Then when you get home you can use your calipers across the group. What your gun likes will become abundantly clear.

I tend to use a longer distance like 30 or 35 feet, and stick with it. That way I can compare today's loads with those from last year. Also the longer distance amplifies any small changes.

And too, you have to use the same target size each time, because the size of the black bull can give an easy optical advantage away. The human eye being highly susceptible to those type changes like it is. Don't ever test loads on one of those blue human outlines, the eye must have a point of focus to do its thing.

 

[1SOW]

I'm also a big believer in "Aim small to miss small."  Using a rest tests the load.  Freehand tests the shooter.
This free download works well for me at 10 or more yards.  see TGT #10049
http://targetz.com/targets04.htm

[Cesar]

Both my Shadow and 75SA called for OAL 1.09" for XTP 115gr bullets.

[dukecola]

Both my Shadow and 75SA called for OAL 1.09" for XTP 115gr bullets.

Do you mean, the "slip in test" or Powder load for your OAL?  If the later, what powder?  I was just using the published Hornady data from their book.

[Wobbly]

Under the heading of better late than never....

My data from 2011 corresponds with Cesar's.

In my SP-01 the push test resulted in 1.108".  I use an OAL of 1.090 to 1.095".

I have used loads up as high as 4.9gr of W231 with these.

[Cesar]

The reason I settled on and said 1.09" is due to room for error, I loaded 20 dummy rounds with different brass and did barrel drop-in test with them, for both barrels, had to keep shortening OAL till ALL of them cleared rifling and then calculated average OAL, then, subtracted 0.005" and that was it - the OAL. Turned stem in another 0.005" and had trouble free ammo.

Hornady published load data, and OAL are NOT tested with CZ guns but with a 'standard' test barrel, that in fact is not the same as other (e.g. Lee) companies would use. CZ barrels have rifling starting early and thus calling for shorter OAL.

After settling on OAL, you have to choose powder and decide if you are to compress the load, and how much if so. Volume of the case below bullet will dictate what choices you have.

If you reload - tune your ammo for the gun you shoot.



Edit: spelling.

[dukecola]

Umm, Hornady published COL was 1.075, less than 1.09?

[1SOW]

Hornady data is the "minimum" oal for the given pressure rating.  Longer = less pressure = safe.