Cartridge question.
With the exception of a .22 LR, what commercially loaded cartridge is as closest to the maximum one could attain if they were hand loading it? In other words, what cartridge is not worth the time attempting to reload it in order to improve it because is as good as it gets?
Interesting to see how long it will take to get the right answer. No cheating or looking up, base your answer solely on your years of knowledge of guns and cartridges.
Points of clarification:
Non of the .22lr or 22 mag variants including the .17 are eligible for this question. I am looking for high power centerfire cartridges.
... and by commercial loading I mean companies like Winchester, Remington, Federal, etc. Not Corbon or any of the others that specialize in optimizing a cartridge's potential.
Forget about magnum loadings.
I am referring to cartirdges like the old 30-06 springfield, 6.5x55mm Swede, .223 Remngton, .308 Winchester, .243 Winchester, etc...
Interesting to see how long it will take to get the right answer. No cheating or looking up, base your answer solely on your years of knowledge of guns and cartridges.
Points of clarification:
Non of the .22lr or 22 mag variants including the .17 are eligible for this question. I am looking for high power centerfire cartridges.
... and by commercial loading I mean companies like Winchester, Remington, Federal, etc. Not Corbon or any of the others that specialize in optimizing a cartridge's potential.
Forget about magnum loadings.
I am referring to cartirdges like the old 30-06 springfield, 6.5x55mm Swede, .223 Remngton, .308 Winchester, .243 Winchester, etc...
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I would assume
.22 short, .22 long, .22 magnum, .17hmr, .17hmr2 would all qualify .0 -
I'm assuming it's centerfire? 0 -
7Mag. And any "EXPRESS" their allready MAGNUM....right? 0 -
I'm not any kind of an expert, so I'll just start throwing out calibers.
7mmSTW.
There, I've made my W.A.G.0 -
not yet guys, but keep it up. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Colonel Plink
I'm not any kind of an expert, so I'll just start throwing out calibers.
7mmSTW.
There, I've made my W.A.G.
Oh, well...
Crap, then.
Okay, I'll bite again.
222.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Colonel Plink
quote:Originally posted by Colonel Plink
I'm not any kind of an expert, so I'll just start throwing out calibers.
7mmSTW.
There, I've made my W.A.G.
Oh, well...
Crap, then.
Okay, I'll bite again.
222.
nope0 -
Most of the cartridges that were introduced in the last 15-20 years will be loaded at close to their potential.
Most of the cartridges that were introduced prior to WW-2 will be factory loaded to less than there max, due to the age of the firearms that came chambered for them originally.
Cartridges that started out as "wildcats" and were adopted by the factories will tend to be underloaded, as some of the converted firearms might be marginal for "full power" loads.
The best point of handloading is NOT velocity, it's accuracy. A 3000fps load that doesn't hit the target/game is much less effective than a 2800fps one that goes where you aim it.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Tailgunner1954
Most of the cartridges that were introduced in the last 15-20 years will be loaded at close to their potential.
Most of the cartridges that were introduced prior to WW-2 will be factory loaded to less than there max, due to the age of the firearms that came chambered for them originally.
Cartridges that started out as "wildcats" and were adopted by the factories will tend to be underloaded, as some of the converted firearms might be marginal for "full power" loads.
The best point of handloading is NOT velocity, it's accuracy. A 3000fps load that doesn't hit the target/game is much less effective than a 2800fps one that goes where you aim it.
Very good points, BUT there is always the exception.
...and yes this is a clue.0 -
264 Win Mag is my guess 0 -
quote:Originally posted by charliemeyer007
264 Win Mag is my guess
Nope, read my points of clarification section. No magnum loads0 -
270 Win is my second and final guess. 0 -
For Col. (Light or Full Bird?) Plink. Sir. Enjoyed your W.A.G. (wild assed guess) here's my S.W.A.G.- sophisticated wild assed guess. I'd go with the .308/7.62x51 NATO with l68 grain BT Sierra Match King bullets- load to just under 3000 fps. muzzle velocity, 48,000 to 50,000 chamber pressure, Norma or Hornady brass fire-formed to your weapons chamber, your choice of powder and primer to develop these specs. This is close to Quantico stds. (at my time there) for both sniper and match team rifles. By Your Leave.. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by charliemeyer007
270 Win is my second and final guess.
Yes you are correct. Jack Oconnor is smiling down on you. Now did you look it up or did you know this one? Be honest now.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Old Gunny
For Col. (Light or Full Bird?) Plink. Sir. Enjoyed your W.A.G. (wild assed guess) here's my S.W.A.G.- sophisticated wild assed guess. I'd go with the .308/7.62x51 NATO with l68 grain BT Sierra Match King bullets- load to just under 3000 fps. muzzle velocity, 48,000 to 50,000 chamber pressure, Norma or Hornady brass fire-formed to your weapons chamber, your choice of powder and primer to develop these specs. This is close to Quantico stds. (at my time there) for both sniper and match team rifles. By Your Leave..
Great guess and apparently neither of us was right.
The "Colonel" doesn't refer to any rank I ever held. It's a nod to Hogan's Heroes and my love for rimfires.
As a matter of fact, I was USN 1981-1985 and never rose above E-3. But I did make E-3 three times, so I guess I enjoyed a lot of advancement.0 -
Thanks to all for participating. The .270 Winchester actually had to be downloaded about 80 to one hundred feet per seoond when it was released in 1925 to about 3050 fps. This cartirdge will take just about anything on the NA Continent with the exception of big brownies and polar bears. 0 -
I should be ashamed. I load for 270 Win, so I should've known that.
I load 90-gr hollowpoints for prairie dogs.0 -
I read it about 30 years ago that the 270 and the 264 were at the top of factory loadings. My first real hunting rifle was a 270 in a Rem 721. I think I have read everything Jack wrote. 0 -
What about any Weatherby cartridge? I've been told that you can't match factory load performance by handloading these rounds. Something to do with the type of powder Weatherby uses not being available to handloaders. Anybody know if this is true? 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Hollywood
What about any Weatherby cartridge? I've been told that you can't match factory load performance by handloading these rounds. Something to do with the type of powder Weatherby uses not being available to handloaders. Anybody know if this is true?
Weatherby are considered and are named magnum loads. They are excluded from this cartridge trivia test.0
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