Quote:
|
Words of wisdom and good advice. Never exceed published data.
|
So if you are seated long thereby reducing internal case pressure or have a large chamber even further reducing pressure such that the Max published load is actually in the middle of the range, you still shouldn't exceed it?
I exceed published maxes all the time, they are generally suggestions. I have a rifle where a middle of the road load, seated to the manuals specs, will blow out primers because it has a very tight chamber.
My competition .300 win mag load is about 5 grains over the published max, but the bullet is seated 1/3" longer than the manual and it is throated to be loaded that way.
manuals are fallible guides, not absolute laws. Starting low and working up is the key, where you finally end up with the load should be more about your own careful observations.....that is if you are interested in getting the best performance.
Quote:
|
But I kept reading that RL17 was just as accurate and 100 fps faster so I tried it. I'd been getting 2950 fps with 180's with H4350 and was still getting good accuracy and no problems with RL17 at that speed. I don't recall the exact charge weights, but I was still over 2 gr below max when suddenly I was getting pressure signs and the velocity was faster than expected.
|
Funny thing about pressure in rifle chambers. It increases fairly predictably up to a point, then it may spike up alarmingly quickly. You may be working up from 41-45 grains, see no pressure signs at 45 gr, none at 45.5, none at 46, then at 47, the primers dimple outward, there are extractor wipe marks, the case has scratches, and velocity over the chroney that was going up by maybe 25fps/0.5 gr all the sudden goes up 75 fps!
Again why you have to work up slowly.