30/06 Load Question

[HeathSexton]

Guys I worked up to a load straight out of Nosler's book, 59grs IMR4350 with the 150gr bullet, I am shooting CoreLokt though. Accuracy is outstanding, velocity unknown chrono died, bolt lift is easy no sticking etc. I was looking at my primers and I am just having a hard time reading them for pressure. I keep reading about measuring case head expansion, but I don't think I have the tools, I only have a caliper. I attached a pic of my loads, silver WLR primers, vs a Rem factory it was a 220gr RN.

Any ideas, tips, or comments?


Thanks

 

[1Shot]

I can't see any signs of high pressure on your loads. The Remington factory is starting to show some signs with the primer protruding back into the firing pin hole.
It has been my finding that it is hard to get enough IMR 4350 in a 30-06 case to make too much pressure. I use to shoot 59 grs. IMR 4350 in a 30-06 with a 150 gr Speer BT about 28 years ago. It would smack a deer.

With what you said about bolt lift and looking at your primers you don't have anything to worry about.

 

[Greg Nolan]

By the looks of the primers and cases and the fact the bolt is not sticky I'd say : the primers don't look flat and there is no wipe on the casehead. I don't see intrusion into the ejector hole or firing pin hole exept on the factory primer which is a little softer than what you would reload with. The other sign that there is excess pressure (usually extreem enough to expand the case head) is if the primers fall out after shooting or when you're reloading they take little of no pressure to seat. That would mean the case head has expanded significantly. I'd say you're OK if none of those issues exist.
I see no signes of excess pressure in the pictures.

Good Hunting
Greg

 

[JD338]

From the pictures, the primers look fine. I used to shoot the exact same load in a M700 BDL. Fantastic accuracy and no issues with pressure.

JD338

 

[HeathSexton]

Thanks guys.

I popped the primers and mine have a small ring along the top edge of the primer, I am assuming that this means hot? Should I pull the bullets I have loaded and start over working with the COAL?


The warmer I loaded that better it shot, I have no idea what loading manual to look at with Core Lokt bullets but the max for 150 and IMR 4350 is 59-60 depending on manual. I try to look for accuracy first but the warmer this got the better it shot.

 

[JD338]

Thanks guys.

I popped the primers and mine have a small ring along the top edge of the primer, I am assuming that this means hot? Should I pull the bullets I have loaded and start over working with the COAL?


The warmer I loaded that better it shot, I have no idea what loading manual to look at with Core Lokt bullets but the max for 150 and IMR 4350 is 59-60 depending on manual. I try to look for accuracy first but the warmer this got the better it shot.

Heath,

As I recall, I experienced the same, charge weight went up and the group size went down. I think you are fine where you are at.

JD338

 

[HeathSexton]

Here is a pitcher of the ring on the primer.

Hate to be redundant, should I pull and rework?


Thanks!

 

[Greg Nolan]

No! I hate to be redundent but No! It's a lesser load than I used and I've been doing this for over 50 yrs. Find the most accurate load based on powder charge and over all length. In this case the powder charge is about right so work on overall length! If that don't work I'll give you a hundred dollars sight unseen for the rifle! :lol: :lol: :lol:
I think you can do all right with the posts and future posts on this forum. It's the best forum anywhere for the novice reloader/shooter! :grin:
In fact it has opened my eyes more than a few time to things I didn't know or even imagine :grin:

 

[HeathSexton]

Alrighty, I'll leave it be. It's being fired in a Ruger, I rekon they are darn near indestructable anyways. The old gal has never ever even came close to shooting like this, never shot bad so to speak but never like this. I agree this site is outstanding for the knowledge that is thrown about. I am new to this for the most part and I get nervous working with higher charges because I don't want to damage anything, especially me.


Thanks again.

 

[HeathSexton]

I just rechecked everything and I am .019 off the lands according to my measurements. If I wanted to lower pressure, should I seat to .010 off? I saw a chart dealing with seating depth and pressure and now I can't find it.


I honestly don't think the accuracy could improve my moving the bullet closer to the lands, but I have been surprised before.


Thanks

 

[bullet]

Your brass is fine, not pressure evidence, you are ok.

 

[JDMAG]

You will be really surprised by changeing you seating depth. I have seen it in my rifles also. so give it a try. your pressures seem fine to us. dont worry about your self, just dont hurt the gun! :grin:
JDMAG

 

[bullet]

Alrighty, I'll leave it be. It's being fired in a Ruger, I rekon they are darn near indestructable anyways. The old gal has never ever even came close to shooting like this, never shot bad so to speak but never like this. I agree this site is outstanding for the knowledge that is thrown about. I am new to this for the most part and I get nervous working with higher charges because I don't want to damage anything, especially me.


Thanks again.

Sometimes a rifle barrel will remain in what I like to call a lull. Just shooting so - so for a while not bad but not real good. Then all of a sudden it wakes up. It starts really shooting. Sometimes it takes 50 maybe a 100 rounds and sometimes 300-400. I am glad it is shooting good for you.

 

[JD338]

Heath,

My best accuracy seems to be ,015-,020" off the lands, but this is not always tha case. Try a few at ,025" off the lands.

JD338

 

[HeathSexton]

Thanks again guys, you know what TK and Mike say about safety, "the safest thing about safety is safety." I was just double checking.

My Dad bought me this gun when I was a freshman in high school, 1993. I shot it some hunted with it a little bit, always in football and never really had time or felt like it after games. In college I started reading more about how to shoot and reload and this thing always shot fair but never good. It would always jam taking a round of the mag also. It went into the safe and came out for single shot work only and some load work here and there. I was looking things over one day and it hit me that Rugers are control round feed, this one was not. There was a lip on the bottom of the bolt, off to the smith with you I say! He mills it off, now it feeds, still shoots so so. The gun got a trigger job also. I floated the barrel, no improvement. Back to the safe with you I say! Talking to my smith a little later he suggested we go the opposite and bed the whole stock. We went cheap and bedded the whole shabang with bondo just to see. I also lapped the bolt lugs with valve grinding compound, which if you have never done that, it takes a while. Wham bam sam when I got it back. SO I have owned this thing basically 15yrs and it is just now getting around to where I use it, I sort of feel guilty.

JD338, I read around on your posts and saw where you said .015-.020 so that is where I started and stayed. I may tinker some more but you guys say good to go, that works for me.

Thanks

 

[HeathSexton]

Question time, I used my Hornady Comparator set with a .35 collet to put over the neck. All cases came out to 3.090. All cases were inserted into the chamber and the bolt opened and closed easily on the fired cases. I set my die to where it pushed the cases back to 3.088, by the time I was through I had cases from 3.092-3.086, what in the world would cause this? A couple cases were hard to close in the action after sizing. All cases were lubed and the neck was lubed with a brush.


I have 100 new cases here, I have already loaded 50 up a long time ago and never got around to shooting them. New cases came out to 3.080, will this give me a headspace issue until after the first firing?