Reloading- What pressure signs do you stop at?

[DoneNOut]

If you are expanding the primer pocket to the point the primer won't hold on ANY brass, you are WAY over the proper pressure. Weatherby factory loads are on the hot end, so are published Nosler loads, same brass in most cartridges as Norma make all of Weatherby's brass and a lot of Nosler's. Never had any problem getting 10 firings on 257 Weatherby brass if I stuck to the published max velocities. Yes, Lapua and Peterson will put up with over pressure loads longer, but you are still shooting too hot a load.

What if they fall out after 10 firings? Or are you saying they should never fall out? How do you know when to retire brass? Primer pockets loosening is the only way I've been able to determine that point.

 

[memtb]

Had that happen on loaded factory Barnes ammo after one firing. Was a 300 Rum. Called Barnes and asked about the problem! They said well someone overloaded it. Never told them who did it! Guy was unhappy with the way his rifle was shooting but had nothing but factory ammo. Had friend shoot it up, my shoulder couldn't take the punishment. He agreed with the crappy shooting part. Remington custom shop 700. Shot great after we got some useable brass.

Aside from improperly loaded ammunition…..most inaccurate rifles are the result of inaccurate shooters!

One of my most embarrassing moments of my life was when a friend of mine (who was scared to death of my rifle) badly outshot me. I "grilled" him as to what he was doing differently than I. He was holding it with a "death grip", while I was trying to allow the rifle to have essentially free recoil. Using a very light grip on a rifle providing excess of 59 ft/lbs recoil, from the bench….will "rattle your cage" pretty good! Lesson learned, firmly hold on to a kicker…..substantially smaller groups and a shoulder that didn't hurt the next day! memtb

 

[DoneNOut]

Aside from improperly loaded ammunition…..most inaccurate rifles are the result of inaccurate shooters!

One of my most embarrassing moments of my life was when a friend of mine (who was scared to death of my rifle) badly outshot me. I "grilled" him as to what he was doing differently than I. He was holding it with a "death grip", while I was trying to allow the rifle to have essentially free recoil. Using a very light grip on a rifle providing excess of 59 ft/lbs recoil, from the bench….will "rattle your cage" pretty good! Lesson learned, firmly hold on to a kicker…..substantially smaller groups and a shoulder that didn't hurt the next day! memtb

I put in my last range session notes: (This is in regards to recoil management)

"Drive the gun, don't let it drive you!"
"Quit being dainty with grip and apply straight rearward pressure!"
"Lay head on cheek rest, keep some squeeze rear bag"
"FOLLOW THROUGH YOU IDIOT!"

The philosophy of the "least amount of shooter input into the rig" is a total farce!

 

[memtb]

I put in my last range session notes: (This is in regards to recoil management)

"Drive the gun, don't let it drive you!"
"Quit being dainty with grip and apply straight rearward pressure!"
"Lay head on cheek rest, keep some squeeze rear bag"
"FOLLOW THROUGH YOU IDIOT!"

The philosophy of the "least amount of shooter input into the rig" is a total farce!

This was my fist heavy recoil rifle …..my only previous experience had been with 30 calibers and a fairly heavy .375 H&H. There was a bit of a learning curve…..embarrassment is a strong motivato! memtb

 

[Rosebud]

Aside from improperly loaded ammunition…..most inaccurate rifles are the result of inaccurate shooters!

One of my most embarrassing moments of my life was when a friend of mine (who was scared to death of my rifle) badly outshot me. I "grilled" him as to what he was doing differently than I. He was holding it with a "death grip", while I was trying to allow the rifle to have essentially free recoil. Using a very light grip on a rifle providing excess of 59 ft/lbs recoil, from the bench….will "rattle your cage" pretty good! Lesson learned, firmly hold on to a kicker…..substantially smaller groups and a shoulder that didn't hurt the next day! memtb

I was able to shoot it a lot better when he got it threaded and a good break on it!

 

[Rosebud]

I put in my last range session notes: (This is in regards to recoil management)

"Drive the gun, don't let it drive you!"
"Quit being dainty with grip and apply straight rearward pressure!"
"Lay head on cheek rest, keep some squeeze rear bag"
"FOLLOW THROUGH YOU IDIOT!"

The philosophy of the "least amount of shooter input into the rig" is a total farce!

Metal plate and six screws in my neck, both shoulders are screwed from crashes on mountain bikes thirty years ago! Big boomers and me shooting them are usually never said in the same sentence. Have a friend who seems to enjoy getting the crap kicked out of himself. He's my boomer shooter if I reload for any of them.Which I've not done sense the Rum.

 

[memtb]

I was able to shoot it a lot better when he got it threaded and a good break on it!

I tried a brake once, make that twice without ear protectio, simulating a hunting scenario…..I'm a slow learner. The brake removed , never to be seen again…..I may have used it for a "trot line" sinker!

I even tried to talk my wife into one for her hunting rifle…..a very resounding no! So…we "embrace" (pun intended) recoil! memtb

 

[memtb]

Metal plate and six screws in my neck, both shoulders are screwed from crashes on mountain bikes thirty years ago! Big boomers and me shooting them are usually never said in the same sentence. Have a friend who seems to enjoy getting the crap kicked out of himself. He's my boomer shooter if I reload for any of them.Which I've not done sense the Rum.

You definitely have a reason "NOT" to subject yourself to recoil! memtb

 

[DoneNOut]

Metal plate and six screws in my neck, both shoulders are screwed from crashes on mountain bikes thirty years ago! Big boomers and me shooting them are usually never said in the same sentence. Have a friend who seems to enjoy getting the crap kicked out of himself. He's my boomer shooter if I reload for any of them.Which I've not done sense the Rum.

I'm talking with jut 243 and 308!

 

[biednick]

Bolt lift and ejector marks are the only things I really pat attention to. Pimers are unreliable at best due to the vastly different thickness and hardness of the cups. I have one gun that pierces CCI 400s with starting loads, but shows no pressure signs at book max loads with 450s.

 

[Stammster2]

My virgin Alpha Munitions OCD SRP 308 brass had stiff bolt lift with rather benign loads. I am perplexed. Is it truly high pressure or because it's virgin brass.

What are the velocities?
Benign loads - says who? Some loading manual that doesn't know your case capacity, chamber and barrel specs, powder lot, etc?

 

[Boss Hoss]

I use a micrometer that measures to the .0001 to measure the case above the extractor groove. File flats on a new case rim so I can mic the case from the base end. First load is mild to form the brass a bit then work up in 1 to .5 grains until I see brass start to expand. I then back down to the last load that didn't have any expansion and fire a couple more times to make sure it's good to go. On some hunting loads I'll use .0002 expansion as the cut off. My thinking is I should get 4 to 5 loadings before the brass is junked. If brass lot is changed I do another work up of that brass. This process has served me well. Learned this from a book Bob Hagel wrote years ago.

Ok going to butt hurt some people but so be it. Do not get into these threads because there is so much garbage information (like flat primers which is not accurate lol) but this measurement technique is the best in the thread so far.

Something else that most shooters are clueless on is dwell time for the loaded round in the chamber when the rifle has gotten hot during firing. Do not push the round in the chamber and close the bolt until the rifle has been adjusted in the rest perfectly, cross hairs are set and condition is right. Then close and fire.

Have seen it while competing and it happened to me back when I started competing. Had loads developed for 1k BR and went ONE grain more than the previous loading! Temps at the match were 25 degrees warmer that when I was doing the chrono work. That coupled with the rifle getting hot the afternoon match had my bolt lift getting worse every shot.

Most people just getting into the LR game will not properly plan for the dreaded shot to shot velocity deviation. Will not be evident at the shorter ranges (like 100yds) for non BR shooters. When you get into the longer ranges vertical dispersion will not help you one single bit. I shoot for score, not group size and it will definitely cost you points!

I load for accuracy---need a more powerful rifle then I will use it as conditions warrant.

 

[skipglo]

What if they fall out after 10 firings? Or are you saying they should never fall out? How do you know when to retire brass? Primer pockets loosening is the only way I've been able to determine that point.

Peen the pocket...get more

 

[skipglo]

I tried a brake once, make that twice without ear protectio, simulating a hunting scenario…..I'm a slow learner. The brake removed , never to be seen again…..I may have used it for a "trot line" sinker!

I even tried to talk my wife into one for her hunting rifle…..a very resounding no! So…we "embrace" (pun intended) recoil! memtb

Sorry....what did you say?