Swift bullet question(s)

[ApacheHunter]

Hey all. I've been reading a few different cookbooks such as Hornady, Nosler, Speer, and Swift. I've noticed that in some of the cartridges that the Swift has significantly lower velocities for some calibers.

The one that is of the greatest note to me is the 280 Remington. That's what I have been reloading for the most but want to try the 150 scirroco. The velocity is way off compared to some other bullet manufacturers. Is it just me or could have to do with the old 280 Remington/7mm Express chamber pressure thing from way back? Could it have anything to do with the hardness of the bullets? I'd like to try the 150 scirroco but it looks kinda weak.

Thanks for the help and any info.

[Larryjk]

I don't have any definative information but. The Swift bullets have a fairly heavy jacket and this may be the reason they aren't loaded as fast. We use them in the 300 UM and the .264 Mag. I would think the heavy jacket would keep them from obturating as easily and keep pressure down, but apparently this isn't true.
I always tell my son that a prairie dog, antelope, deer or elk never knows how fast the bullet was going that ends their career.
If they are accurate and perform well, speed is not a serious consideration.

[Rocky Raab]

This is but one demonstration of what I have long preached: the bullet can and does have a tremendous effect on pressures. The result is that one simply cannot use data for another barnd of bullet, even of the same weight.

Bearing length, jacket hardness, core hardness and ogive shape are important, as are presence or absence or cannelures, grooves or boattail.

Use the bullet maker's data as your primary load data source. Do crosscheck with the powder maker's data to see if there are any major discrepancies. If the bullet maker's charge or velocity are consistently lower, their bullets are creating higher pressure. It's that simple.

[ApacheHunter]

I thought the material would have the biggest effect on the scirocco bullet as far as pressure goes. Everything that I have read says that it is harder than most.

I did notice that when loading a 308 or 30-06, the velocities are much closer to other bullet manufacturers with the same or similar weights. I guess I'll have to play with it some to figure it out.

Thanks.

[denton]

True, bullets are not completely interchangeable.

One factor is that different brands of bullets will have different COL to the lands. In one of my rifles, the difference in COL between Hornady and Sierra is a whopping .100". If you load the bullets to the same COL, one gets an effective .100" of extra freebore.

As it is, I load both bullets to .030" off the lands.