I certainly would not get into the game of trying to say which set of data you should use from some manual or the other. To paraphrase that late, great & knowledgeable handloader, guide and hunter Bob Hagel, (GAME LOADS & PRACTICAL BALLISTICS FOR THE AMERICAN HUNTER) "all rifles are individuals. What may prove to be a maxiimum load in one might be quite mild in another, and vice versa!"

I often hear "never exceed a maximum load published in a reloading manual." This is all well and good, UNTIL you start comparing loading data!! Just exactly WHOSE maximum load does one take care not to exceed?? The maximum loadgenerally varies considerablyone brand of manual to the next!! Why?? BECAUSE ALL RIFLES ARE INDIVIDUALS, including the one(s) used to develop data by the people who publish loading manuals.

What does this mean, then, exactly?? IT MEANS THAT YOU, AS A HANDLOADER, HAVE TO LEARN TO IDENTIFY SIGNS OF EXCESSIVE PRESSURES, AND, USING RELIABLE STARTING LOADS AND YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT TOO MUCH LOOKS LIKE,YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT IS A MAXIMUM LOAD THAT YOU ARE COMFORTABLE SHOOTING IN YOUR RIFLE!! You do this in rounds like the .250 Savage by working the load upoward in one-half grain increments starting from the startingload, and quit increasing the powder charge when: A. You find the most accurate load w/o excessive pressures; OR, B. The pressures appear to begetting questionable. When THIS happens, you drop back down at least 5% from the unacceptable level. 10% is an even safer amount to drop.

Personally, I have several rifles that will permit loading to levels far beyond what appears in ANY reloading manual today. I also have some that will not permit me to load anywhere near what some manuals list as maximum!!

Having used Speer, as well as Lyman, Sierra, and Hodgdon datafor over 50 years, I am quite comfortable using Speer starting loads. I see nothing wrong with that 33.5 grains of IMR 4350 load with the 100-grain bullet you loaded. It should be quite mild in most any.250 Savage! But as mentioned, a Model 99 mayNOT permit quite as high a max load as a bolt-action chambered for thesame cartridge, AS A RULE!! But, since all rifles are individuals, you have to test such things to find out what works for you in your rifle....... (Are you sure the Hogdon data was not for H 4350 instead of IMR 4350?? They have the same NUMBER, but havedifferent burning rates.....)

eldequello,
How do you determine the maximum load without maximum pressures? Following the published data I don't think that I would load to the max. But, is there some other indication beside a destructive event in the weapon?

Since you stated that you are new to reloading; just a word or CAUTION:
H4350 and IMR 4350 are not the same or equivalent powders!!!! Make certain that you are looking at the data for the EXACT powder that you are using.

A friend of mine loaded up a batch of test loads with IMR 4350 while mistakenly using the data for H4350 powder. When he got to the range and test fired them, he began splitting cases way before he got to the higher loads.