Reloading- What pressure signs do you stop at?

[memtb]

Sorry....what did you say?

Which part? Or did I "not" hear you correctly? memtb

 

[Rosebud]

That's what my neurosurgeon said. He's a hunter as well. Have 7-08 with a break. Walker ear buds when hunting. That's the largest caliber I hunt with. 6.5 CM to play with at the range and 6.5 Grendel in the woods around my house.

I'm talking with jut 243 and 308!

 

[Rosebud]

I don't leave home without them. Radial breaks are loud.

 

[DoneNOut]

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

You have to condition your ears to the brakes. After I while you won't even hear them...

 

[DoneNOut]

I don't leave home without them. Radial breaks are loud.

Yes they are, and I like radial brakes when not shooting prone! Dirt does not taste like chocolate cake mix that is for sure!

 

[Calvin45]

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.

That's what I'm saying too haha.

I knew I had crossed a line!

 

[Buckys]

A couple of points. I have seen write ups by Hodgdon adressing the "Lawyer Factor" specifically. Long and short of what they said, pressure measurement technology is FAR superior to what it used to be. Brass is much stronger and generally harder, actions are built to tighter tolerances, primers are hotter and powder tends to be more consistent in burn rate from batch to batch. They retested many thousands of loads, and adjusted their load data to match the new pressure results. They aren't fudging when they say a certain load hits 65,000 PSI. They have also said that when you are starting to get hard bolt lift you are at least 10 to 15,000 PSI over. That isn't Proof Load level yet but certainly not what I want to do.

If it comes to believing them with all the gear they have, and believing posts of people on the net I have never met I can pretty much tell you which way I plan to go.

Does anyone know how Hodgdon data accounts for case expansion? E.g., is this new brass or once fired and resized with some shoulder bump?

 

[Trm82]

I usually shut'er down when I have to beat the bolt open with a wooden mallet. Back off one grain from there and that's the sweet spot

 

[Muddyboots]

I keep it easy. I don't like pushing brass for lots of reasons but one is you have sort of a built in safety factor. Once I hit first FAINT ejector mark, I go one or 2 more 1/2 gr loads up to confirm where I am. I back down 1.0 grain once I know where the load is STARTING to tapping out. An extra 50fps is meaningless to me or critter. 99/100 times primers are fine at this level. Never bolt lift issue. I don't worry about false positives on pressure. I also measure web 0.200 up with blade micrometer. If you are doing this, you need witness mark on brass rim to set in chamber in same orientation for every firing.

Environmental conditions crucial to maintain same load pressure conditions. Temperature of load testing is critical to insure no oh crap in higher temps.

I cool barrel down EVERY 3 shots to insure TOTAL chamber conditions remain the same.

Barrel fouling round count needs to be consistent for load data.

Book data is used to max listed load. Except when I load Hammers, that is different dog.

When looking at older manuals, be sure to look at firearm or test barrel. Many loads were in an actual rifle not a test barrel.

Yes, I am wuss pushing std loads. I have been at range when another shooter had a bolt was so locked up impossible to open. Rubber mallet not even close. Shooter next bench hit with off gassing. Not fun.

 

[Calvin45]

I keep it easy. I don't like pushing brass for lots of reasons but one is you have sort of a built in safety factor. Once I hit first FAINT ejector mark, I go one or 2 more 1/2 gr loads up to confirm where I am. I back down 1.0 grain once I know where the load is STARTING to tapping out. An extra 50fps is meaningless to me or critter. 99/100 times primers are fine at this level. Never bolt lift issue. I don't worry about false positives on pressure. I also measure web 0.200 up with blade micrometer. If you are doing this, you need witness mark on brass rim to set in chamber in same orientation for every firing.

Environmental conditions crucial to maintain same load pressure conditions. Temperature of load testing is critical to insure no oh crap in higher temps.

I cool barrel down EVERY 3 shots to insure TOTAL chamber conditions remain the same.

Barrel fouling round count needs to be consistent for load data.

Book data is used to max listed load. Except when I load Hammers, that is different dog.

When looking at older manuals, be sure to look at firearm or test barrel. Many loads were in an actual rifle not a test barrel.

Yes, I am wuss pushing std loads. I have been at range when another shooter had a bolt was so locked up impossible to open. Rubber mallet not even close. Shooter next bench hit with off gassing. Not fun.

There is nothing standard about your fast twist 270 as you load it sir

 

[Calvin45]

Yes they are, and I like radial brakes when not shooting prone! Dirt does not taste like chocolate cake mix that is for sure!

Snow is irritating as well…hard to
See the target at the shot when you kick up a mini blizzard in front of you

 

[memtb]

I usually shut'er down when I have to beat the bolt open with a wooden mallet. Back off one grain from there and that's the sweet spot

Consider a 2 lb. plastic "dead-blow" hammer…..very effective and much quieter than the wooden mallet while hunting! memtb

 

[Rosebud]

Yes they are, and I like radial brakes when not shooting prone! Dirt does not taste like chocolate cake mix that is for sure!

Never sad eye coud spell

 

[Muddyboots]

There is nothing standard about your fast twist 270 as you load it sir

No doubt with 156Hammers!