The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Starting to reload, should I get a chronograph

Leftoverdj · January 25, 2006, 04:43 PM

A chrony saved my butt at least once. What was supposed to be a mild load of a milsurp powder equivalent to BL-C(2) sent a 165 grain bullet from a .308 over the chrony at 2900 fps +. Bolt lift was normal and the case showed signs of high, but not excessive, pressure.

A drastic load reduction showed that my lot of powder was H335 burning rate or a hair faster. My "Mild Load" had been way over Max, had to have been to have given me 300 fps more than I was expecting. Gauges showed the action to be still within tolerances, but I doubt that would have been the case had I put 20 or so of that load through it.

January 25, 2006, 04:43 PM	#11
Leftoverdj Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2004 Posts: 934	A chrony saved my butt at least once. What was supposed to be a mild load of a milsurp powder equivalent to BL-C(2) sent a 165 grain bullet from a .308 over the chrony at 2900 fps +. Bolt lift was normal and the case showed signs of high, but not excessive, pressure. A drastic load reduction showed that my lot of powder was H335 burning rate or a hair faster. My "Mild Load" had been way over Max, had to have been to have given me 300 fps more than I was expecting. Gauges showed the action to be still within tolerances, but I doubt that would have been the case had I put 20 or so of that load through it.