Possible to reload to supervarmint specs?

[glen moa]

Is it possible to reload to hornady super-varmint specs. The factory ammo is working great but the price is too high. Is it possible to load to the same specs and get the same accuracy? I don’t want to fiddle too much.

[Dick284]

Which cartridge and what bullet weight?

Do you mean Superformance-Varmint?

[glen moa]

222

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by glen moa

222

There are 2 bullet weights listed which one?
35gr.?
50gr.?

[obsessed1]

Totally depends.
Take the 50gr 22-250....its spec'd to 4k in a 24" tube. ( does it actually get there???) Using published data I can find many loads that max out at 3940+fps. Depending on the certain gun its possible to very closely match. Others possibly not. You really need to give specific load your wanting to replicate. Then work up a load based on your rifles pressure to try to seek out as much vel as possible Every rifle will be different.

[obsessed1]

Ok so for the 50gr Hornady claims 3345fps
Seems like this powder gets you very close

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[obsessed1]

For the 35gr Hornady claims 3760fps
Looks like vit powders can get you in that realm.

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[obsessed1]

As always though work your loads up safely as you will very likely be very close to max pressure..

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[glen moa]

243 also

[elkhunter11]

While you may not reach the velocities that Hornady claims, you can probably get pretty close to what their loads actually produce. The Superformance loads that I chronographed were around 100-150 feet slower than the claimed velocity.

[glen moa]

Sorry
222. 50 gr
243. 75 gr

[Dick284]

As for attaining published velocities, I’ll wager a chronograph would sort the truths from the half truths pretty quick.

With that in mind…..


I think it can be done, but the elephant in the room is finding components.

[obsessed1]

Hornady claims 3580fps with their 75gr 243 load.. Here are three different options that should get you close

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[brewster29]

I would take the Hornady velocity claims with a large amount of salt...plenty of ammo I have chronographed has been well short of the maker's stated velocity.

Ammo manufacturers also get into techniques like blending powders that us mortal folks really should not attempt (without pressure testing equipment).

In any case, matching accuracy isn't too hard to do and getting close on velocity should be possible.

[obsessed1]

Originally Posted by Dick284

As for attaining published velocities, I’ll wager a chronograph would sort the truths from the half truths pretty quick.



With that in mind…..





I think it can be done, but the elephant in the room is finding components.

This is absolutely the truth right now. All anyone can do is go off published data. It's not actual. For that you need a chrony to sort out fact from fiction. I agree finding the powder and bullets right now will be the hardest part.

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[Dean2]

On top of the issue of exaggerating the average speeds obtained, Hornady Super Performance ammo is well known for being too hot to shoot in many rifles, and this is after they have backed off a lot of their loads. They are effectively book max loads with no working up to max in your particular gun. I have seen pierced primers, flattened primers, expanded primer pockets and excess case expansion just in front of the web from their loads. To answer your actual question, yes you can easily match their published velocities with the right powder and bullet, as long as your rifle will accept that near max load.

[glen moa]

I’ll load the 222 on the light side.
That’s great info thank you.

[marky_mark]

I heard that most manufacturers use a proprietary blend that you can’t buy retail.
So you can’t replicate then manufactured super performance ammo with the powder you buy in the store

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by marky_mark

I heard that most manufacturers use a proprietary blend that you can’t buy retail.
So you can’t replicate then manufactured super performance ammo with the powder you buy in the store

Typically, my handloads end up producing 75-150fps less than what the Superformance loads actually produce over the chronograph.

[Salavee]

Originally Posted by marky_mark

I heard that most manufacturers use a proprietary blend that you can’t buy retail.
So you can’t replicate then manufactured super performance ammo with the powder you buy in the store

I verified the above with a call to Hornady. Thier retail Superformance powder "is not necessarily the same" as the Superformance powder they are using in thier ammo. I think it's just another Hornady mind game.

I'm not sure why they can't divulge the difference. I have a 1 lb cannister of Superformance and I wish i could trade it off for some other powder I would use.

[obsessed1]

Originally Posted by Salavee

I verified the above with a call to Hornady. Thier retail Superformance powder "is not necessarily the same" as the Superformance powder they are using in thier ammo. I think it's just another Hornady mind game.

I'm not sure why they can't divulge the difference. I have a 1 lb cannister of Superformance and I wish i could trade it off for some other powder I would use.

Hodgedons superformance powder is a blended powder best suited to many short mag and various others....22-250, 243 ect.. it's not the same blend as Hornady uses as Hornady will have different blend for every caliber specifically blended for that caliber/bullet weight....pretty hard to market powders specifically designed and only really safe in one caliber/bullet weight.....H superformance is simply a "wonder powder" that can be used in several chamberings....note wonder powder is just marketing hype...

[Groundhogger]

Match performance specs Hornady offers, or, try to match the accuracy/bullet the factory ammo is giving you?

Asking because I've considered the question myself. I hunt with 204R, and use a Tikka Varmint. I also reload. I typically buy a box or two of factory ammo to zero the scope/harvest the brass...but Hornady SuperPerformance 32gr shoots around 1/2-3/4 MOA all day/every day. I've shot groups under 1/2" using the stuff. Incentive to reload=zero. lol

BUT, ammo is expensive...so starting to reconsider. Have everything for it, and a good selection of powders.

204 has been one of the more challenging calibers I've ever worked-up and if anyone here has, they've probably had the same experience. (amount of freebore?) Anyhow, TO work up loads...to use the OP's words, I assume there will be allot of fiddling around to find a load that shoots as well.