How many grains make a diff?

[dannybracy]

Kenbro, exactly! You have to build up loads for each different rifle you own. My father in law has 2 identical Rem 700's in .223. One gun likes Sierras, the other V-maxes and one WONT chamber in the other b/c one has a tighter chamber than the other, and unless you full length size, you can't swap them. -Dan

[Frank]

Kenbrofox, you are absolutely correct on your assumption. Sometimes the same load will work in multiple rifles, and other times they can be a mile apart. They are indeed all different.

Also, a given (usually max) load in one rifle may be 300 fps slower in velocity in another rifle and still be a max load in both rifles. And is why loads need to be chronographed if one wants to know what they are really doing.

Frank

[Gube]

Gube, what primers did you use? What rifle was it in?

I use CCI 450 magnum primers.
I have two savage 12's. A VLP and a BTVSS. They will both print out clover leafs at a 100 yds with the same load. All of my loads are the same with both rifles. The only difference is the VLP won't shoot the 32 gr sierra BK's (they tumble unless I keep the loads way down), and the 40 gr V-max. My VLP prints out the 40 V-max at about an inch, and my BTVSS will cloverleaf them. My main go to bullets for both of them are the 39 gr BK's and the 35 & 40 gr bergers. I have a whole pile of varmint grenades to burn up this summer (both guns like them), but because of the lousy B.C. once they are gone, I probably won't use them anymore.
Basically the 39 gr BK catches up and passes the VG at about 200 yds and royally kicks its butt in trajectory, wind drift, and energy.