Yesterday I had an experience to share with all. My first round down range created a fair amount of smoke in and around my action. Upon extracting my empty case, I found a pierced primer, I could actually see light through it. No extracter markings nor difficulty with the bolt. I went back up to the house and checked my scales, powder etc to insure that I did not mix something up. I had not! I have shot this same load a couple hundred times so I was thinking a bad primer. I then fired another round with the same result. Hmmmm, as I sat there pondering my history for the morning, I remember than I had put the loaded rounds in my pocket on the way to the range, (200 yards from the house) but had went into the house and chatted with my wife while she finished her coffee. So now I am thinking that heat may be an issue. So with a wet rag and some ice I returned to the bench where the rest of the loaded rounds lay. After wrapping them in the rag and letting them set for 15 min, no further primer problems!!!!!! It is really hard for me to believe that my body temperature raised the temps on those rounds enough to creat the problem. But I won't do it again.
range day LEARNING EXPERIENCE
- Thread starter Elkman
- Start date
Antelope_Sniper
Handloader
- Jan 25, 2008
- 2,618
- 0
Body heat???
hmmm...I've seen this from leaving shells lie in the sun. Are you sure you didn't lean up against your cup of coffee or wood stove?
hmmm...I've seen this from leaving shells lie in the sun. Are you sure you didn't lean up against your cup of coffee or wood stove?
Ridge_Runner
Handloader
- Sep 29, 2006
- 1,394
- 760
what powder? I've saw MV increases of 200 fps and go from safe max load to locked action in 20 degree change shooting some of the more temp sensative double base powders.
RR
RR
- Thread starter
- #4
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
I have heard others post about pressure variation with H1000, Bill, ii is not supposed to be temperature sensitive, being an "Extreme" Hodgdon powder?
- Thread starter
- #7
That is why this whole deal smells to me, I have loaded that load for several years, have fired in on hot days (much hotter than yesterday) and it has never shown "any" signs of pressure, The cases I used were Remington, 7mm STW and I have been using them for years. I have some that have probably been loaded more than 10 times.
Any way I have just about decided that I will be moving to 175 gr bullets as my primary hunting bullet out of this rifle. Groups are slightly bigger, but I like the Partions preformance on game better than the 160 TSX. I have killed two elk with the TSX (which is a small sample) but did not like the results. The 175 PT is ballistically the same as the 160 TSX at game ranges and will reach out there with a little more authority. My load with the 175 is in the middle of the loading chart, the 160 load is way up there. I will drop back a grain on the 160's for future use. Thanks for the input all.
That is odd Bill. I would retest or maybe pull a few bullets and make sure they are all charged up the same. Hope you figure it out buddy. I think you are really onto something with the 175gr PT and that 7STW. That is one long bullet with a much better BC than the TSX and I have a feeling it will do exactly what you want it to. Scotty
- Thread starter
- #10
BK
I started with the AB and have fired probably 200 different combinations of powder, primers, cases etc and can only get about 1.5 inches on a good day. The TSX is actually the most accurate but I like the PT better. I worked with AOL today and 3.640 is still the best with about .800 groups.
I started with the AB and have fired probably 200 different combinations of powder, primers, cases etc and can only get about 1.5 inches on a good day. The TSX is actually the most accurate but I like the PT better. I worked with AOL today and 3.640 is still the best with about .800 groups.
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
Bill, if you can consistantly shoot .800 groups with STW rifle after all of the development that you have done, I think that you have pretty well arrived at that rifles potential and .800 is not bad at all. Your average is about as well as I have been able to get my .340 to shoot day in and day out with the same load of 225 gr Partitions but it is certainly hunting ready at that level.
BK":2ns57zyz said:
Don't forget the 175gr PT has a BC of .520! That is a really good BC for long range shooting in my book. I think the 160gr AB is only .530 or so. I have a bunch of 175gr PT's just waiting for some time to load into my 7WSM. I really like those long and sleek PT's. Scotty
