Armory Sponsor
Posted: 7/7/2011 2:17:44 PM EDT
|
Have always used RL15 in my 308 with great success
Decided to try varget for something new. I have never really done any compressed load work before and am curious. Loaded up some pressure check loads to 45.5g (nosler custom brass/Br2 primers) and got no pressure signs at all. According to QL, Im at 104% capacity or so Im just wondering, how much is too much when you are talking about compression? Now that I know, 45g is not a problem pressure wise, Ill start doing some accuracy work to see where the gun likes the speed at |
| Compressing powder does not increase pressure. If there is load data to support your compressed charge than you are good to go. I compress most of my rifle rounds and some are heavily compressed. I have several loads that fill the case right to the top of the neck (heavily compressed). I have published data to support these compressed charges and they work exceptionally well. 104% load density is nothing. |
|
I have had issues with bullets backing out (getting longer) on compressed loads in spite of being seated correctly to begin with. Some powders actually work best with full+ cases in some calibers. Varget, IMR-4064 and RE-15 are nearly maximum case capacity in my .308 loads.
I would never compress a ball powder load. |
|
Quoted:
Amazingly, that doesn't appear to be a particularly high pressure load, around 49000 cup. What does QuickLoad show? 45.5g of Varget shows 61825psi on QL, hence my concern. Though my rifle shows no problem (no sticky bolt, no cratering/flatening, no extractor mark) Where did you get your numbers? I would be interested in comparing other QL numbers that I have |
|
Quoted:
Compression aside, your 45.5gr load with 175gr SMK is over Max according to Sierra, Hodgdon and Lyman 48. Not surprising QL has it over Max as well. Absoutely no pressure signs Started low and worked up. Every piece of looks the same through 46g of Varget |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Amazingly, that doesn't appear to be a particularly high pressure load, around 49000 cup. What does QuickLoad show? 45.5g of Varget shows 61825psi on QL, hence my concern. Though my rifle shows no problem (no sticky bolt, no cratering/flatening, no extractor mark) Where did you get your numbers? I would be interested in comparing other QL numbers that I have I eyeballed it from published load data. Note that it's a CUP pressure, not a measured piezo pressure or estimated gauge pressure. QuickLoad calculates an estimate but it's always been a pretty fair estimate from what I've seen. Go back through all your inputs and check for errors. But remember, the numbers from the analysis are not the absolute truth, they are estimates. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Compression aside, your 45.5gr load with 175gr SMK is over Max according to Sierra, Hodgdon and Lyman 48. Not surprising QL has it over Max as well. Absoutely no pressure signs Started low and worked up. Every piece of looks the same through 46g of Varget The 308 Win runs at 62K psi. The pressure signs that you seek do not rear their ugly head until 68-70K psi. You are over pressure according to SAAMI, Hodgdon, Lyman and Sierra. And yes Sierra list 41.3gr of Varget as Max for the 175 SMK. |
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Compression aside, your 45.5gr load with 175gr SMK is over Max according to Sierra, Hodgdon and Lyman 48. Not surprising QL has it over Max as well. Absoutely no pressure signs Started low and worked up. Every piece of looks the same through 46g of Varget The 308 Win runs at 62K psi. The pressure signs that you seek do not rear their ugly head until 68-70K psi. You are over pressure according to SAAMI, Hodgdon, Lyman and Sierra. And yes Sierra list 41.3gr of Varget as Max for the 175 SMK. QL estimates that 45.5g is below that threshold FWIW Hodgon list a starting load @ 42g and a max load of 45g |
Armory Sponsor