In looking at the different reloading manuels that I have, Nosler states that for their 180 grain bullet to do x fps use this powder or this powder. Speer states for their 180 grain bullet use this or this powder. My question is, within reason if you find a load in a manuel that you want to try, but is a different make of bullet than what you have is it safe to use that data? I hope I have explained this as I am very confused over over all of the different makes of bullets. In other words data wise, is a 180 grain bullet a 180 grain bullet??

in this instance, a bullet is a bullet.
dennis

HELL NO

especially in the case of anything past middle loads and a different bullet manf.

here's why
1: bearing surface .. a .308 180gr SPBT is a LONG bullet, probably with less bearing surface than a 180gr RNFB... and a 180gr barnes bullet has about 30% more bearing surface

2: jacket composition -- "copper" aint always "100% pure copper" ... for example, Hornady and Hawk(gernandes) use dead soft pure copper... speer uses a tougher alloy, and some use harder still
2a: jacket (and bullet) construction -- jacket thickness has an effect on the pressure required to engrave the rifling ... a thin jacket (assuming same same on lead core) is FAR easier to get moving down the barrel than a thick one. One of the few things hawk does right is to post that you build up loads with the thick jackets then shoot the thin ones, NOT the other way around

3: contruction...as a TREND (but not loading data) lead is lower pressure than jacketed, thin jacket lower than thick, jacket and lead lower than partition, conventional bullet lower than monometal and banded (bore rider or groved) lower then larger bearing surface

Let me give you a funny story and then some stern advice

there's old reloaders
there's bold reloaders
but there aint no old AND bold reloaders (old related to expereince, not age)

advice
do NOT change a single thing in a load book until you are on about your 2000 bullet... don't go "over book" don't change primers, seating length, bullet or charge...

it won't take long, but just like driving, sure, 2 months after you get your license you COULD drive in nascar... and 5 years after you might make it past the 3rd corner

jeffe

Thats not a smart thing to do. All bullets are different in their own make up and even though they might be similar there is still enough difference to make loads different according to Max loads.

If anything start with a beginning load and work up but other than that, just get the info from the manufacturers book that makes the bullet or call them.

Cutting corners makes guns blow up with reloading!

Shoot safe!

Bob S ----- Pay attention to the rifle used for the testing in each manual. All that manual can say is what that test rifle performed on the day of the testing with the components listed. Take the information given for a bullet as close to the bullet you will be shooting, start with the starting load then work your way up toward max loads and you will not get in trouble, unless you exceed max loads. Make sure you are comparing apple to apples. Example uncoated bullet to uncoated, mono metal to mono metal, spire point to spire point, etc. After experience you will learn where you can interpolate, normally the manuals give information for the weak sisters in rifle actions and you will be safe sticking to their information. Good luck and good shooting.

jeffe is correct, I wouldn't worry much about switching brands of bullets in the same weight group if my loads are middle of the book. I don't load that way so if I change bullet brands I back down 1.5gr & work back up. Like phurley said, load like bullets for like bullets. If changing to a mono or mono hibred (NF or BC), I back down 2-3rg & then work back up. Your rifle will tell you whne it's had enough.
BTW, I've never used a starting book load in a modern rifle, I get at least (2) bokks, start in the average middle & work up.

As far as I'm concerned a bullet is a bullet.....for starting loads.....with the exception of monometals and bullets with large sections of copper jacket. These include the fail safe, TBBC and Northfork. (Northfork specifically states to start 8% lower than regular bullets)

I wouldn't hesitate to use data for a Hornady 180 grain interlock starting load with a speer Hot Core or a Ballistic tip or a sierra GK. I've been doing this forever and have had no problems at all.

For starting loads a bullet is a bullet, unless it is moly coated or monometal.

I'm with Vapodog on this one. I've been doing the same thing exactly what Vapo is talking about, however and Vapo may agree that this all makes sense to an experienced reloader who has enough behind him to make this judgement call. Beginners really shouldn't mix and mingle components until you really have enough education based on good reloading experience and are able to make good decisions with a lot of facts that back up that decision.
I have and do use the same data for several brands of bullets, specifically .308 dia. 180 gr. Spitzer Boat tails of Speer, Hornaday, Sierra, Nosler B.t. and Accubond.
However I would not use the same data for a Barnes X, Barnes Triple shock, Northfork, any bullet of a different shape or construction or a solid. You must start low and work up to these loads.

I'm with Jeffe on this one. Follow the recipe, at least until you have some experience. Each and every deviation you make from a published load(primer, brass, powder, bullet, OAL) WILL change pressure. It may go down, or it may go up. You have no idea which or how much.

Jeffe's HELL NO is about as correct as it gets for a starting point.

quote:

Originally posted by jeffeosso:
HELL NO

2: jacket composition -- "copper" aint always "100% pure copper" ... for example, Hornady and Hawk(gernandes) use dead soft pure copper... speer uses a tougher alloy, and some use harder stilljeffe

Barnes makes pure copperBullets, both their variations of the X-bullets and their "Original" series bullets are pure copper
Their Solids are usually much harder Brass.

Swift bullets tend to "soft", a necissity with their relatively thick jackets.

But FWIW Hornady claims to use 95%/5% CopperZinc "Guilding metal".

Speer seems to use more Zinc because their bullets aren't quite as "red" as hornady, Sierra, Remington and others

Additional differences in jacket thickness
Ogive shape, presence of a cannelure, etc...

Basically you are best off sticking close to each manufacturer's load data

AllanD