FAQs / Help

Would you like to have a specific bullet added to our load data?

Then please post your wish here.

Would you like to have a specific caliber or powder added to our load data?

Then please post your wish here.

You can bookmark a load if you have a valid access license as shown in the following video:

You can bookmark a caliber, bullet, and powder the same way - open the detailed page and click the "Bookmark" Button.

Once you have bookmarked an item, you can manage it in your personal account under "My bookmarks":

To delete a bookmark, caliber, or powder bookmark, click on the bookmark to get to the details page and then click the "Remove Bookmark" Button.

Once you have bookmarked at least one caliber or bullet, you can use the filter section to filter our entire load data to match your bookmarks.

Powders listed for a specific caliber and bullet combination need to deliver loads that meet the following criteria:

• Achieve Fill Rate > 80% and < 100% while not exceeding allowed pressure (loads below 80% or above 100% are typically considered unsafe). The thresholds for revolver and pistol loads are > 60% and < 100%.

• Pressure for loads < 90% of Max. Standardized Pressure (more details and instructions)

• Propellant Combustion for rifle loads > 90% (lower values typically lead to unsteady results and strong muzzle flash)

• Propellant Combustion for pistol/revolver loads > 80% (lower values typically lead to unsteady results and stronger muzzle flash)

For subsonic loads other / in addition:

• Muzzle velocity for barrel length below the speed of sound

• Fill Rate > 25%

• Propellant Combustion > 75%

IMPORTANT: Powders that do not fulfill these criteria are not listed in the standard load table of a caliber and bullet combination. However, you might want to use the "Personalized Load Calculator" on the page to get more results by setting some inputs differently, i.e. reducing the Safety Buffer, reducing Min z (minimum powder burn) or Min FR (minimum fill rate).

Our load data (maximum load) contains at least a 10% safety buffer in regards to the maximum allowed pressure for a specific caliber . Hence, our listed maximum loads might be lower than loads proposed by powder or bullet manufacturers who do not include such a safety buffer.

Experienced reloaders can exceed the maximum loads at own risk but should watch out for signs indicating that the ammunition is experiencing over pressure:

• Difficult extraction: If the cartridge is difficult to extract from the chamber, it could be an indication of over pressure. This happens because the brass casing expands more than it should due to excessive pressure.

• Case head expansion: The base of the cartridge case will start to expand if the pressure inside the case is too high.

• Primer flattening: The primer on the back of the cartridge will start to flatten if the pressure inside the case is too high.

• Bulging or cracking of the case: The cartridge case may bulge or crack if the pressure inside the case is too high. This is a serious issue that can cause the firearm to malfunction or even explode.

• Hard recoil: If the recoil of the firearm is significantly harder than usual, it could be an indication of over pressure.
  

Else the following applies: The charge (weight of the load) is the key driver for the maximum pressure achieved by a reloaded cartridge. However, there more factors and specifically those that influence the free combustion chamber volume.

The general rule is: The lower the free combustion chamber volume, the higher the achieved pressure for an identical load, hence cases with a lower volume generate higher pressure. Hence, cartridges with lower overall length (OAL) in the same caliber and with the same bullet also create higher pressure because the bullet seating depth is higher and the free combustion chamber volume is lower.

We provide for each load the underlying cartridge specifications: Bullet Length, Case Length, Cartridge Length / OAL, Seated Depth, Case Capacity. Reloaders might deviate at on own risk from our load data if their cartridge specifications deviate:

• Bullet Length: with all other specifications being equal, greater bullet length allows for less powder

• Case Length (l3): with all other specifications being equal, greater case length allows for more powder

• Cartridge Length / OAL: with all other specifications being equal, greater OAL allows for more powder

• Seated Depth: with all other specifications being equal, greater seated depth allows for less powder

• Case Capacity: with all other specifications being equal, greater case capacity allows for more powder

We sometimes get notified that cartridges with an overall length (O.A.L or C.O.L. or L6) as specified on our pages do not fit into a particular magazine or gun. Please be aware of the following:

Two institutions define cartridge specifications – the C.I.P. and SAAMI (see more here). They also define the maximum overall length of a cartridge in their technical data sheets.

We respect these specifications and calculate our loads with an overall cartridge length which is always 1.5% lower than the maximum allowed length. Please contact the gun manufacturer if – based on these specifications – a cartridge does not fit into a chamber or magazine. In this case, the gun specifications are below the defined cartridge standards.

You can deviate from our load data in such a rare case but please respect the following instructions.

We sometimes get asked why out loads differ from other sources. Often it is then the case, that different components are compared. Please make sure you compare apples with apples. If loads still deviate, it mostly can be attributed to the following reasons:

Safety Buffer

Our load data (maximum load) contains at least a 10% safety buffer in regards to the maximum allowed pressure for a specific caliber. Hence, our listed maximum loads might be lower than loads proposed by powder or bullet manufacturers who do not include such a safety buffer.

Cartridge Dimensions

The charge (weight of the load) is the key driver for the maximum pressure achieved by a reloaded cartridge. However, there are more factors specifically those that influence the free combustion chamber volume. The general rule is: The lower the free combustion chamber volume, the higher the achieved pressure for an identical load, hence cases with a lower volume generate higher pressure.

Hence, cartridges with a lower overall length (OAL) in the same caliber and with the same bullet also create higher pressure because the bullet seating depth is higher and the free combustion chamber volume is lower.

We provide for each load the underlying cartridge specifications: Bullet Length, Case Length, Cartridge Length / OAL, Seated Depth, Case Capacity. Reloaders might deviate at on own risk from our load data if their cartridge specifications deviate:

• Bullet Length: with all other specifications being equal, greater bullet length allows for less powder

• Case Length (l3): with all other specifications being equal, greater case length allows for more powder

• Cartridge Length / OAL: with all other specifications being equal, greater OAL allows for more powder

• Seated Depth: with all other specifications being equal, greater seated depth allows for less powder

• Case Capacity: with all other specifications being equal, greater case capacity allows for more powder

Suboptimal / Incorrect Manufacturer Data

The load data of the powder and bullet manufacturers sometimes simply contains errors or is based on suboptimal inputs (i.e. too little powder leading to a too low fill rate, too much powder, physically not fitting into the case mentioned). We usually inform them and started to document them in our forum for transparency.

Errors in our Data

We can not exclude to make mistakes. For example, we sometimes get incorrect bullet measures from manufacturers. With that, our load data can be incorrect because the calculated seating depth and free case volume are incorrect.

Please contact us if you believe our load data is incorrect and let us know which source you exactly compare with which of our data.

The default load table for any bullet and caliber combination only shows powders that fulfill the following criteria.

This criteria ensures a proper result and does not require to consider specifics such as using filler material.

You can use the Personalized Load Calculator on a load page to show more powders and to adjust the load to your specific specifications. Ease the filters for Min Z (i.e. to a minimum of 70), safety buffer (i.e. to zero), and/or Min Fill Rate (i.e. 60%).

Should your desired powder still not show up, then it is definitely not suitable for the specific caliber and powder combination.