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Posted: 9/23/2011 5:55:05 AM EDT
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Something to ponder.
Has anyone ever reached their specific guns max load before the "book" max load? Sans book typos. I have found a few of them too. How does the factory load to max or very close to & they perform fine in all modern arms? I am not new to this & have been reloading for safe accruate cartridges for nearly 30yrs. Just wondering. Thanks to all. |
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Remember that the reloading manuals are not cookbooks.
There are many variables. Powder varies from lot to lot for various reasons. Brass from different lots could have different volume Bullets can vary. The gun itself can be a huge variable. Even if everything is within SAMMI specs there will be tolerances that vary that can stack up in your favor or against you As a seasoned reloader no doubt you know this but for the noobs out there––––––Yes we are American males and bigger is better but a smart reloader is a bit conservative. We desire more power and flatter trajectory but no game animal was lost because joe reloader stopped pushing and his load is 50 or 75fps less than his hot shot friends hot load |
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Do you think that the factory has a good handle on all of these variables? Like powder volume, powder burn rate lot to lot, case capicity, primer heat ect.?
I have seen some pretty stinking hot stuff coming out of the factory. Lately win 300wsm's. They were so hot they were completely flattening the primer & burning a hole at the base of the case neck on ~ 10% of the lot. Me being the overly cautious reloader, would have stopped increasing the pressure long before I saw these signs. In addition, has anyone asked you to make them some hunting loads for their gun? I do not have his gun. What would you do? Where would you start? 30-30, RP brass, WLRP, 160 Hornady Flex tip, Leverevolution powder. 32.0 min - 35.5gr max. I do not want any wuss loads but then again I do not want to do anything stoopid. Thanks for your input |
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Over the years I have reached max several times before the published max.
That made me a firm believer in 'working up". I have a friend who I am helping to start reloading, he is loading the 30-30 with the Flex tip. What we have learned so far, We downloaded loading data from the Hornady web site. Tac was our powder of choice. Good velocity and he already had some for loading 223. Leverevolution sounds like a good choice also. These bullets are expensive after work up loads are finished they will be used for sighting in and hunting only. Cases have to be trimmed shorter than normal. (longer bullet) My friend had Hornady dies (he listened to my recommendation on which brand to buy) and called Hornady, they sent a special seating stem free for these bullets. "special seating stem " will only fit Hornady dies. Other seating stems will work, but will deform the bullet. Tomorrow is range day and we will be shooting his work up loads. If you don't have a 30-30 case gauge, I would size a case and check that it chambers in friends rifle. Only then would I load a batch of work up loads. I would also involve your friend in the reloading process, he will be there anyway with the rifle. Good luck |
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Yes. I have a .22-250 that I chambered that got sticky with a maximum load from a manual. No signs at one half grain lower.
I also have a lot of RE-15 (still haven't finished that 8 pound keg!) that produces very high pressures if I used the same charge weight from prior lots. I had to work up new loads for my match rifle. |
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Quoted:
Do you think that the factory has a good handle on all of these variables? Like powder volume, powder burn rate lot to lot, case capicity, primer heat ect.? I have seen some pretty stinking hot stuff coming out of the factory. Lately win 300wsm's. They were so hot they were completely flattening the primer & burning a hole at the base of the case neck on ~ 10% of the lot. Me being the overly cautious reloader, would have stopped increasing the pressure long before I saw these signs. The factory does, indeed, have a good handle on variables. And, unlike us, has the luxury of pressure-testing various combinations and loads, and of pressure-testing every lot of ammo. But, in terms of liability, the factory mostly has to concern itself with producing safe ammo in a SAAMI spec chamber. If individual rifles produce abnormal pressures... they can blame it on the rifle. |
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I do all the loading for a friend and his dad as a thank you for being allowed to hunt their sizeable amount of property.
I've found that I can go hotter in their factory .308s than I can in my custom gun. They've got such large chambers I'm not really sure what their max is. I've driven a 155 with 46 grains of RL15 and saw too much pressure. Their guns show none whatsoever. |
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Thanks Securityforces member.
I am in the same situation. 4 guys on the same property want me to make them loads overnight. I have loaded a batch of test rounds for one gun that I will have access to tomorrow. I have told the rest of the guys that I will not be loading for them until I can spend some time developing a load for their rifles. So everyone needs to start giving me all of their guns. Right? Thanks |
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Quoted:
Thanks Securityforces member. I am in the same situation. 4 guys on the same property want me to make them loads overnight. I have loaded a batch of test rounds for one gun that I will have access to tomorrow. I have told the rest of the guys that I will not be loading for them until I can spend some time developing a load for their rifles. So everyone needs to start giving me all of their guns. Right? Thanks I would ask for all their guns to be safe for sure. Everyone is right, load work up is essential. While I hotrod my own guns fairly often, I won't do it to a friends gun. Use a middle of the road book and tell them you charged their cases with 45 grains of Chuck Norris. They really won't know the difference. Loading for friends is risky for sure, let them know working up will give them best results. If your hunting whitetails, a middle of the road load is a good safe bet. If your all taking a guided hunt somewhere, get their guns, and build loads for each gun the proper way. Since I only load one 30-06 load, and I have 4 different -06 rifles to test the loads out in, I'm confident when I hand out my ammo on opening morning. Hunting ammo with premium bullets give the loader a little lee-way. Premium bullet performance tends to be more forgiving in regards to velocites. NOTE: My -06 loads are for my M1 Garand, but are also used in a R700, Rem 760, and an as-issued Model 1917. Safe, no pressure in any guns. Of course, all safety advice in my books and safety advice given here is followed at all times. |
| That extra 50 to 75fps that you net your friend could also take him from a 1moa load to a 2 or 3moa load, even if pressures are safe. I would just let him know that he would be better hitting his target with more than enough power to take down his game than missing it. |
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