Chamber pressures and Brass.

[Leyerly338]

I am wondering, does the quality in brass make a difference on when pressure signs are noticed? I ask because with 88gr H1000 pushing a 300gr OTM, and 100gr US869 w/300gr OTM and 82gr of IMR4831 pushing a 250gr SMK I am noticing flattened/cupping primers and heavy bolt lift and stuck brass. Shooting a 338LM 26" Tube using HSM Brass.

 

[7 loader]

Just me. But I would back off a 1/2 gr.

 

[Leyerly338]

Agreed, I was just curious because it seems alot of Guys are running Hotter loads with the same powders, Was just wondering if the weaker Brass was the issue. I know all Rifles are different and they all react differently to the same loads.

 

[7 loader]

I am pretty sure that variations in brass will cause your problems. As for flattened primers. My 7mm mag Will flatten and or crater primers when the primer pocket starts to get loose with time or hot loads. I weigh the brass and try to use the same weight and brand in loading.

 

[albertakid]

If this is a savage I have seen the exact same problem mine showed signs of pressure down to 83 grains of h1000 and 300 grain serria and I was shooting lapua brass. Needless to say that rifle is off having some work done I believe it was just a super tight chamber from the get go.

Jordan

 

[snowpro440]

I too am having pressure issues with the savage 338 lapua . I sent mine back to savage to have the chamber inspected and if they cant fix it I will be getting it polished by my local gunsmith. It just seems that these are tight chambers and a little ruff on the cut. So polishing might help.

 

[Bart B]

I am wondering, does the quality in brass make a difference on when pressure signs are noticed?

I don't think it's a quality issue. Cartridge brass quality typically refers to how uniform the metalurgy and dimensional things are. Soft brass can have quality equal to that of hard brass. Softer brass typically shows high pressure signgs before hard stuff. But unless one's comparing both types in the same rifle at the same peak pressure (got pressure measuring stuff?) then the data may well be bad.