Bullet type, weight and mfg

I need a bit of clarification. I have decided to get into reloading brass and I am beginning to get my gear together.

I have the Hornady 9th edition manual and have looked over the Hodgdon Reloading Data sight and have noticed something I can’t wrap my head around.

In trying to decide what bullets, powder and primers to buy, I have noticed that the same bullet type and weight from different manufacturers results in different charges and velocities depending on which powder is listed.

But I have also noticed that even given the same powder, the recipe will be slightly different with bullets from different manufacturers.

I would have thought a 174 grain, .311 diameter FMJ bullet would be a 174 grain, .311 diameter FMJ regardless of who made it.

I would have thought that size, weight, diameter and type are all that mattered.

Any help here will be greatly appreciated.

I will eventually get into pistol reloading as well (specifically 38Sp and 357mag) and I will guess the same applies to pistol reloading as rifle reloading.

Manufactures may make a 174 .311 FMJ but they may differ in shape like the Ogive and BC (Ballistic Coefficent = how well a bullet defeats wind resistance) like a .512 BC bullet will not go through the air as well as a bullet with a .612 BC (140gn 6.5mm Berger VLD BC quoted here).
One could also say that the different Mfg's use differing hardness of copper jackets may be miniscule but can add to the pressure on how hard it is to push through the bore others like the monolithic projies are just pure metal with no lead core like Barnes bullets these to can drive up your pressures.
And as such this is where we find the reloading manuals will always list the different types of bullets and always state start low and work up never just jump into the max loading and expect everything to be honky dory as you may be in for a nasty surprise.
Never exceed either end of the loading range with either Min - Max the information is there for a reason as the companies have far more sophisticated equipment to test for the variables than we do as they supply you with information to keep you safe.


Change one thing at a time like buy say a 100 of a couple of types of primers to try rather than buy a 1000 and find out it does not work, but my advice is to talk to some of the old hands at the range that shoot a rifle the same as yours and ask general questions you should get good feed back just do not go in there spruking this book said that and this one said this and I know this......?
As you have already said you are new to the game of reloading, allot of shooters will assist you and their painful days at the range working out loads that work will save you heaps of barrel wear and frustration buying powders that may not suit your rifle.

Whilst they may or may not give you their top secrets they will not set you up to fail, but what is a secret working load in their rifle may not give you the same accuracy from your rifle as they are like us all the same but different.
Anyway have fun and enjoy the experience as I am sure there will be heaps of shooters willing to assist you in gaining the knowledge in the art of reloading.:thup:

Different bullet types have different bearing surface and other ballistic characteristics that results in differing pressures. Sierra Manual will list a group of bullets in the same caliber and weight, but different types, all together with same data, so very often bullets of the same weight should have similar load characteristics.

When you start varying the other components and bullet manufacturer, differing test rifles and conditions, then things start to vary more. Which is why as stated you get the components you want to try and find loads that are close, and use safety precautions such as working up a load. I alway try to match the specific bullet to load data if at all possible. If not, go by similar type and weight.

Thanks for the info...
I'm learning quite a bit as I go along.
Have been reloading Shotshells for a while and it seems that reloading brass is a completely different animal!!