These are some of my pet loads. After many years in the reloading world, these loads are what I shoot after extensive research and development. I may tweak the loads slightly as the throat of a barrel erodes, but I don’t typically vary too far from what is shown here.

Disclaimer: You should always reference a quality reloading manual and start with the minimum recommended loads and work your way up. Just because these have proven safe in my rifles, doesn’t mean they will be in yours. Chamber dimensions, brass specs, barrel grooves and diameter can vary, so it’s very important to follow safety precautions. Failure to follow safe loading practices could result in severe personal injury (including death) or gun damage to the user or bystanders. Technical data and information contained herein are intended to provide information based upon the limited experience of individuals under specific conditions and circumstances. They do not detail the comprehensive training, procedures, techniques and safety precautions that are absolutely necessary to properly carry on similar activity. Always consult comprehensive reference manuals and bulletins for details of proper training requirements, procedures, techniques and safety precautions before attempting any similar activity. Be alert – publisher cannot be responsible for errors in published load data.

 

338 Lapua Mag Load Data

This is my ultra long-range match load. I’ve found it has extremely low standard deviation (SD) in muzzle velocity, usually landing anywhere from 3 fps to 6 fps over a 10 shot string. For shots out to 1 mile and beyond, a very low SD (at least below 10 fps) becomes critical.

 

• Bullet: Berger 300gr Match Hybrid OTM Tactical
• Powder: 90.0gr Hodgdon H1000 (Extreme Series Powder)
• Primer: CCI 250 Large Rifle Magnum Primer
• Case: Lapua brass
• COAL: 3.030″ Base to Ogive (3.86″ average base to tip)
• Redding Neck Bushing Size: 0.365″ (determines neck tension on bullet)
• Muzzle Velocity: 2757 fps (from 26″ barrel)

I also created a hunting load for a 338 Lapua Mag using the Hornady 285gr ELD-M bullet. I did the load development for this using a Sako TRG-42 in 338 Lapua. It had the original 27″ 1:10 twist barrel. I tried a wide range of powder charges, but once again … this is what I found to give me the lowest standard deviation in muzzle velocity. I measured it to be as low as 3.2 fps over a 10 shot string (measured with LabRadar), which is world-class consistency. It also grouped at just under 0.5 MOA with a 5-shot group at 100 yards. I tested this out to 1 mile using a Kestrel with the Applied Ballistics Custom Drag Curves … and it was dead on all the way out!

 

• Bullet: Hornady 285gr ELD Match (BC = 0.400 G7, 0.796 G1)
• Powder: 87.5gr Hodgdon H1000
• Primer: CCI 250 Large Rifle Magnum Primer
• Case: Lapua brass
• COAL: 3.691″ Base to Tip (fits inside Sako and AICS magazines)
• Redding Neck Bushing Size: 0.365″ (determines neck tension on bullet)
• Muzzle Velocity: 2700 fps (from 27″ barrel)

7mm Rem Mag Load Data

THis is the load I use for both long-range target shooting competitions, as well as hunting (whitetail, mule deer, feral hogs). It is super-accurate, and I’ve shot it out to 1 mile on multiple occasions. At the same time I’ve taken a 300 lb wild boar with it (see photo … the “small” one on the right weighed right at 200 lbs), with devastating terminal ballistics. I use a “Large Rifle” primer instead of the recommended “Large Magnum Rifle” primer to lower my SD (i.e. standard deviation of my muzzle velocity). After 1,000+ rounds, I’ve still yet to have an ignition problem with Federal 210M primers in my 7mm Rem Mag. However, when I experimented with CCI BR-2 primers, right at 25% of those loaded rounds were either slow-fires or misfires. If you are hunting in extremely cold weather (below freezing) you may be better off going with a magnum primer to ensure proper ignition.

 

• Bullet: Berger 168gr VLD Hunting
• Powder: 69.8gr Hodgdon Retumbo (Extreme Series Powder)
• Primer: CCI 250 Large Rifle Magnum Primer
• Case: Norma brass (neck trimmed to 0.012″, case trimmed to 2.491″)
• COAL: 2.810″ Base to Ogive (3.46″ average base to tip)
• Redding Neck Bushing Size: 0.307″ (determines neck tension on bullet)
• Muzzle Velocity: 3027 fps (from 25″ barrel)

223 Remington Load Data (Target & Varmint Hunting)

I tried around 20 different bullets out of this gun, and a few different powders as well. I’ve also talked to several other reloaders that did the same thing, and every single one of them landed on this Hornady 55gr V-Max. For one reason or another, it is just a really accurate bullet out of just about any rifle. I shoot it out of my Rock River AR-15 20″ Varmint, but I know guys who use it out of their bolt actions as well with stunning results. I primarily use this for coyote hunting and have confirmed kills past 300 yards, but I’ve also hit steel targets out as far as 840 yards with it. I was able to find several bullets/loads that grouped around 1/2″ at 100 yards, but this one got down as low as 1/4″ with an average group being just over 1/3″ out of my rifle.

 

• Bullet: Hornady 55gr V-Max
• Powder: 26.4gr Hodgdon Varget (Extreme Series Powder)
• Primer: CCI BR-4 Small Rifle Benchrest
• Case: Lapua brass (neck trimmed to 0.012″, case trimmed to 1.751″)
• Length: 2.250″ COAL (base to tip)
• Muzzle Velocity: 3,056 fps (from 20″ barrel)

270 Winchester Load Data (Varmint Hunting)

This bullet is EXPLOSIVE! I’ve shot one very small coyote in the neck, and it had full expansion before it made it out. Even though the neck was probably only 3-4″ thick … you could stick your fist in the exit cavity. It is the most explosive round I’ve ever seen, and the blazing 3,500 fps muzzle velocity probably has a lot to do with it. I know one other guy who did independent load development on multiple bullets and powders and this class, and come to find out he also landed on the Sierra 90gr Varminter HP over IMR powder. Even the powder charge he was loading was just a couple grains off what my rifle liked. I would not use this round on heavy-skinned game like wild boar … I’ve tried it, and it took more than a couple shots to take one down.

 

• Bullet: Sierra 90gr Varminter HP
• Powder: 59.2gr IMR 4350
• Primer: CCI 200
• Case: Federal
• Length: 3.212″ COAL (base to tip)
• Muzzle Velocity: ~3500 fps

270 Winchester Load Data (Big Game Hunting)

Because this is an all-copper bullet, it packs a lot more punch than the 130gr weight would indicate. It probably is more equal to most 150gr bullets. The Barnes TSX gives world-class penetration, even through bone. The newer “Tipped Triple Shock (TTSX)” bullet adds a polymer tip instead of hollow point designed, which slightly lowers the BC (i.e. makes it more aerodynamic), and also helps start the expansion process more quickly when it comes in contact with the target. Although these bullets do get great penetration, they may over-penetrate on thin-skinned game. With these bullets I typically aim for a joint like the front shoulder, and the bone fragments created by a hit there combined with the deep bullet penetration usually means the blood trail is very short.

 

• Bullet: Barnes 130gr Tipped TSX
• Powder: 54.5gr Hodgdon H4350 (Extreme Series Powder)
• Primer: CCI 200
• Case: Federal
• Length: 3.425″ COAL (base to tip)
• Muzzle Velocity: ~3000 fps

 

I hope this information is beneficial to you. Remember, always refer to reloading manuals first.

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