Why Now....higher pressures

[Rich Coyle]

J E Custom,

How did you verify your pressure?

 

[J E Custom]

J E Custom,

How did you verify your pressure?

I wish I could give you some scientific method to do this, but I can't.

Realizing that loading manuals are all over the place and conservative, I use several manuals and compare there listings for the cartridge, (I buy the ones that have pressures and velocities) to have a good starting point and if they list loads over 62,000 PSI I avoid them and look for loads that will get the best velocity at or below these pressures.

Starting on the lower end of the listings, I slowly work up to the listed loads watching the velocity and for any signs of pressure. If a manual is consistently low in what there velocity numbers and another is very close with the same load I have less faith in that manual and disregard it.

Brass has always been the weak point when it comes to pressure but you have to be careful reading
Pressure signs with brass, because of the difference in strength of the design and materials used. Experience does help but knowing the brass also helps. (Lapua brass is a well designed case and very tough and by the time you see pressure signs you are already into the high pressure range).
So much so that experienced reloaders use other brands and when pressure signs start appearing
they stop and back off to the best accuracy node and switch to the Lapua brass to do the final tweaking.

I have learned how to chamber to keep pressures at bay and don't have bolt lift issues so I don't
have this to reference pressure with.

Several friends have the lab model chronographs that use strain gauges to measure pressure (I don't) and I have access to them if I need them and If I find a reloading manual that closely matches my test data it gives me confidence that the/A manual is well done and trustworthy.

I have owned a few rifles that the harder you load then the better they liked it. And had to be careful not to overload them in the pursuit of velocity. Sizing and brass life will normally tell you if you are on the edge of to much pressure. If you wait for heavy bolt lift, you are already there.

Different cartridges, chambers, barrel lengths, bullets, barrel contours, shank diameters, bore quality, powder & primer combinations, stock materials, bedding, ETC all contribute to accuracy without excessive pressure and have to be looked at on an individual basis. So good loading practices and perception are necessary to avoid high pressure conditions.

High Tec equipment can help, but common sense and careful research is the best tool.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Rich Coyle]

Thanks, J E. I like it.

 

[Mikecr]

All that does matter and all we adjust for -is pressure PROBLEMS.
This is a matter of the build (barrel, chamber, and ammo), and does not directly mean you're exceeding an actual safe pressure limit. It could be your firing pin needs bushing support, your head space is too high, your action/bolt timing is out of whack, etc.

Pressure problems indicate YOUR pressure problem points, not mine, or anybody else's.
This is why it truly is important to locally work up in load.