I have a Win M-70 that was accurized and set into a synthetic stock by Hill Country Rifle. Shoots the 180 X load into 5/8 inch, which is good enough for me. Problem is at $52 a box, who can afford to practice? I always practice with the load I hunt with, so I am trying to duplicate the load. Pulled a bullet today, 81.5 grains of an extruded powder similar in appearance to RL 25, 7828, etc.. I'm pretty sure the powder must be Norma (MRP perhaps?). I've measured the OAL and will duplicate that as well. The bullet I pulled from the factory ammo has a groove around the bullet similar in appearance to the grooves on the new TSX, although there is only one such groove. I have a box of 180 gr X bullets I intend to handload-no groove. OK so pressures will be greater without the groove. I will chronograph the factory load, and handload the new rounds to approximate that velocity with either RL 25 or 7828. (I can't find Norma powders locally, and haven't been able to locate a source on-line) Other than that-any suggestions?

Just curious, what velocities are you getting?

What is your barrel length?

Thanks

26 inch BBL, haven't chronographed any as of yet. I have to wait for the snow to disappear.

NY, Hill Country,like in New Braunfels, Tx. Long way from home for you? I had one done by them as well but do not have your snow problem. The rifle also shoots the 180 wby x bullet ammo into less than MOA. My rifle is however the Wby MkV Jap made 26" bbl. Cannot help with your reloading for the Wby however.

I've read that MRP and RE22 are pretty much "twins". I've never seen MRP but there is quite a difference between RE22 and 7828 for kernal length. That 81.5 grain load woult make sense as the ammo would also have to be safe in a non freebore gun like a rem 700. Could it be the one groove is just a cannelure? I'm guessing that load is gonna be fairly mild and chrono at 3150-3200 fps. I have a 300 wby in a mark V and have had great luck with 7828 in the 84 grain range with ballistic tips and the older 180xbt. 84 for the xbt and 85.0 grains on the ballistic tip. If you're looking for some practice I'd recomend picking up some 180 balistic tips or hornady 180 flat bases. Both will shoot good. If you want a super deal on the noslers take a look at the nosler pro shop site where they sell 2nds really reasonable. You might want to pick up some bullets for other calibers while your there--I cannot tell the difference between their 2nds and first.

kraky-it might be a cannelure-I'm not sure. The 180 X bullets I bought to reload lack the groove, however. The factory powder grain size was not noticeably larger than RL-25 or 7828. I'll check for seconds-thanks.

Almost every factory round will have a canelure and will most likely be crimped. I'm sure that when barnes makes a bullet for the factory guys it's most likely gonna have a cannelure---just the difference between what we load as reloaders and what the factory gets.