Heavy bolt?

[IdahoSpud2]

Shooting 215 grain Berger's with a charge of 77 g of H1000 in 300WM. Shoulder bumping Cartridges. Third firing, first two on a different rifle.

The bolt "lift" didn't seem hard. But most of the rounds were noticeably difficult to extract. The primers don't look bad to me, but I think I see extractor marks on all of them. Is heavy bolt lift the same as extraction? Should I count this as max load and start backing down looking for a node? Velocities in the low 2900s. I was hoping to get a little higher.

 

[david g ranes]

You probably should of full length resized first time for a different gun probably bumping shoulder may not be enough if the other gun had a little looser chamber doesn't look like you have a pressure problem how does the bolt open on an empty chamber with it decocked David

 

[IdahoSpud2]

You probably should of full length resized first time for a different gun probably bumping shoulder may not be enough if the other gun had a little looser chamber doesn't look like you have a pressure problem how does the bolt open on an empty chamber with it decocked David

It was the exact same make, model, and caliber, but I'm sure you're right that it would have been best. However I had already prepped all the cases before switching so it was too late.

It opens fine. I shot 10 factory loads with nothing noticed, then 10 of my hand loads and only a couple did not have a noticeably hard pull on the bolt to extract.

They chambered fine. Max pressure? From a slightly different chamber? If it was that latter I imagine I would have had difficulty chambering the round before firing?

2900 FPS would be fine if it liked the load, but it doesn't. I was hoping I could find the next higher one instead of having to go lower.

 

[ShtrRdy]

I ended up running at 2860 out of a 26" barrel using the 215 gr Hybrid and H1000.

 

[johnnyk]

I would have also FL resized being they had been fired in another rifle but it is what it is now. What does the cases measure just above the belt on these once fired versus the factory cases fired in your rifle? Sounds like case head expansion.

 

[IdahoSpud2]

I just used the last of the ones I had made and will FL size my batch of 100.

All the factories measure .513 exactly, the same as my hand loads excluding a couple .514s

I'm just worried about over doing it. I've read some people load at 78 grains. If I'm working up .5 at a time will the pressure signs be completely obvious before something catastrophic happens and I damage my rifle or face? I can definitely feel powder compressing when I seat.

 

[066wally]

That's your sign.

 

[livetohunt]

I run a compressed load of H1000 in my 300 win mag. It's very lightly compressed. I've stuck a case in the rifle on the 5th consecutive shot. I was trying to keep the rifle in my upper Acura you mode but it was just too much for the factory rifle. Though I was getting 2925 in a factory gun with the 215 Berger's... and under 1/2MOA when shooting cold bore shots.

 

[lancetkenyon]

You are using Gunwerks brass. I am sure it has a different capacity than others who are "using 78gr of powder".

Reloading is not a one size fits all practice. You should NEVER start at near max loads. Or just blindly use someone else's recipe.

 

[IdahoSpud2]

You are using Gunwerks brass. I am sure it has a different capacity than others who are "using 78gr of powder".

Reloading is not a one size fits all practice. You should NEVER start at near max loads. Or just blindly use someone else's recipe.

I didn't. I worked up to this but since it's my first time trying to reach max pressure I'm unsure if I'm there. I've looked at tons of pictures and still feel unsure.

 

[lancetkenyon]

77gr in Gunwerks brass with a 215 has to be right on the verge. Just finished two .300WM load development w. 215 Hyb and H1000. Gunwerks brass was 73.9gr @ 2879fps in a 24" barrel with only 40 rounds total, so still breaking in. ADG brass was 75.5gr @ 2979 in a 26" barrel with 200+ rounds down it, so fully broken in.

 

[IdahoSpud2]

77gr in Gunwerks brass with a 215 has to be right on the verge. Just finished two .300WM load development w. 215 Hyb and H1000. Gunwerks brass was 73.9gr @ 2879fps in a 24" barrel with only 40 rounds total, so still breaking in. ADG brass was 75.5gr @ 2979 in a 26" barrel with 200+ rounds down it, so fully broken in.

Thanks for the reply. I kind of wish I had checked case volume before and after now that I'm on the third loading but I didn't. I will call this max and start backing down.

 

[Ckleeves]

Like Lancetkenyon said, 77 grains in Gunworks Is probably pushing it. In Norma that's normally the upper end but I have never personally gotten that high in ADG or GW. Your lot of h1000 is always going to vary a tiny bit too. In the jug I'm currently loading out of 74.6 gives exactly 2900.

Ime if you see ejector marks on ADG or GW brass your REAL hot it's nothing like Norma or Hornady, it can be a little trickier to "read" imo.

 

[nmbarta]

Anything resulting in problems with bolt lift or extraction are reason enough for me to stop and reevaluate what's happening. It could be something minor, or an over pressure situation.
Same make, model, and cartridge doesn't matter, each chamber is cut separately and they can vary quite a bit.
Did you use a head space Guage to measure previously fired cases and then measure the cases fired out of your current rifle?
How far from the lands are you loading them?
Are your es and sd's good?
When opening the bolt is it easy, but do you get a click at the top?
What is your coal?
What rifle is this?
if everything is good to go but extraction is a little tough it can and is often caused by a rough chamber.
Are there any marks an the side of the case indicating a possible burr scratch in the chamber? I've seen this several times on factory rifles that will shoot factory ammo just fine, but one the brass is fully fire formed after two or three shots those little flaws cause problems with extraction as the brass flows into those imperfections.