What is the rough loading change I need to make if I change my casing from commercial Federal (308) to Military/LR LC? About a 10% increase in powder load?
Loading for Military/LR LC Casing
- Thread starter cpatbay
- Start date
Re: Loading for Military/LR LC Casing
I'm not sure there's a reliable rule of thumb that applies across different powders. Two loads I've used for many years with 175 SMKs, LC94 Match cases, and CCI BR2 primers are 42.0 grains of IMR 4064 and 42.0 grains of RE15. Both loads chrono at about 2640 fps through a 24" Rock barrel. I've seen other postings of other people's load using Win cases that go up to 44 or 45 grains of RE15. If you compare that to my 42 grain load, my load is around 2.5% to 4.5% lower.
I'm not sure there's a reliable rule of thumb that applies across different powders. Two loads I've used for many years with 175 SMKs, LC94 Match cases, and CCI BR2 primers are 42.0 grains of IMR 4064 and 42.0 grains of RE15. Both loads chrono at about 2640 fps through a 24" Rock barrel. I've seen other postings of other people's load using Win cases that go up to 44 or 45 grains of RE15. If you compare that to my 42 grain load, my load is around 2.5% to 4.5% lower.
Re: Loading for Military/LR LC Casing
do not increase but decrease your charge by 10% and work you load up again, LC is some of the thickest brass around.
hope this helps.
do not increase but decrease your charge by 10% and work you load up again, LC is some of the thickest brass around.
hope this helps.
Re: Loading for Military/LR LC Casing
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: attherange</div><div class="ubbcode-body">do not increase but decrease your charge by 10% and work you load up again, LC is some of the thickest brass around.
hope this helps. </div></div>
Ok. At least I have a good starting point.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: attherange</div><div class="ubbcode-body">do not increase but decrease your charge by 10% and work you load up again, LC is some of the thickest brass around.
hope this helps. </div></div>
Ok. At least I have a good starting point.
Re: Loading for Military/LR LC Casing
It's all bullzip until you measure your fired cases' water capacities.
Absent that, weigh the sized ones with water. You're after the difference from the ones you're already using.
I'd even run a QuickLOAD one-time sample for you if you post some scientific data to input, to match the level of scientific output answer your post appears to seek.
It's all bullzip until you measure your fired cases' water capacities.
Absent that, weigh the sized ones with water. You're after the difference from the ones you're already using.
I'd even run a QuickLOAD one-time sample for you if you post some scientific data to input, to match the level of scientific output answer your post appears to seek.
Re: Loading for Military/LR LC Casing
I am not seeking foolproof scientific info, just a ROUGH starting point that, hopefully, better than my random pick.
I am not seeking foolproof scientific info, just a ROUGH starting point that, hopefully, better than my random pick.
Re: Loading for Military/LR LC Casing
MY commercial FC cases are identical in case capacity to Lake City AND Frankfort Arsenal cases.
LC86 Match
FA63 Match
But that don't mean nothin'. What do YOUR cases hold?
Without that, anything else would be an irresponsible guess.
MY commercial FC cases are identical in case capacity to Lake City AND Frankfort Arsenal cases.
LC86 Match
FA63 Match
But that don't mean nothin'. What do YOUR cases hold?
Without that, anything else would be an irresponsible guess.
Re: Loading for Military/LR LC Casing
Oh well. It's not like my loading is anywhere near max. +/- a few % won't kill anyone. Just powder and time.
Oh well. It's not like my loading is anywhere near max. +/- a few % won't kill anyone. Just powder and time.
Re: Loading for Military/LR LC Casing
I have many different years of LC laying around and they are all really close in weight to FC. You can stick a few on a scale to check for yourself but I bet you'll be find just using the same load.
I have many different years of LC laying around and they are all really close in weight to FC. You can stick a few on a scale to check for yourself but I bet you'll be find just using the same load.
Re: Loading for Military/LR LC Casing
168gr Sierra
47.5gr CFE
LC09 .308 brass
Five rounds through my FNAR resulted in three blown primers.
This is 1.5 gr below published max and I thought this would be plenty safe. I was plenty wrong.
A call to Hogdgon got the suggestion to start development at 5% below published minimums.
168gr Sierra
47.5gr CFE
LC09 .308 brass
Five rounds through my FNAR resulted in three blown primers.
This is 1.5 gr below published max and I thought this would be plenty safe. I was plenty wrong.
A call to Hogdgon got the suggestion to start development at 5% below published minimums.
Re: Loading for Military/LR LC Casing
General rules:
Decrease start loads by 10 percent and work up
Remove the primer crimp or you can't seat a new primner
My loads with LC brass rival all others pertaining to velocity/group size.
A huge plus is that I use less powder with LC brass to get the same velocity as others
I meant to add that I have only reloaded M80 Ball LC cases
General rules:
Decrease start loads by 10 percent and work up
Remove the primer crimp or you can't seat a new primner
My loads with LC brass rival all others pertaining to velocity/group size.
A huge plus is that I use less powder with LC brass to get the same velocity as others
I meant to add that I have only reloaded M80 Ball LC cases
Re: Loading for Military/LR LC Casing
I load the same powder charge in LC cases, LC Match, and FC GMM cases. Weights on all three cases were basically the same, and when I checked velocity for all three cases, it was essentially the same. I didn't check the cases for water capacity as I tested over a chrono first.
Once I found out that all three types of cases gave me about 2600 FPS I figured it was good enough with a 168 Nosler custom competition bullet. When I used the Lapua 170 lock base, I got results that were so close as to not warrant making any changes.
In short, I no longer bother doing different powder charges based on which case I'm loading. I do keep the different cases separated though, mostly because it makes me feel better.
I would be more likely to do different powder charges when going between a gas gun, or bolt gun. But not just because it is LC ball cases rather than FC GMM cases...at least with the lots of brass I have.
I load the same powder charge in LC cases, LC Match, and FC GMM cases. Weights on all three cases were basically the same, and when I checked velocity for all three cases, it was essentially the same. I didn't check the cases for water capacity as I tested over a chrono first.
Once I found out that all three types of cases gave me about 2600 FPS I figured it was good enough with a 168 Nosler custom competition bullet. When I used the Lapua 170 lock base, I got results that were so close as to not warrant making any changes.
In short, I no longer bother doing different powder charges based on which case I'm loading. I do keep the different cases separated though, mostly because it makes me feel better.
I would be more likely to do different powder charges when going between a gas gun, or bolt gun. But not just because it is LC ball cases rather than FC GMM cases...at least with the lots of brass I have.
Re: Loading for Military/LR LC Casing
I would use a fine ball powder and check the volume between different cases. From my experience, I have found that LC NATO, WCC NATO, and LC LR cases to be very similar in volume.
I would use a fine ball powder and check the volume between different cases. From my experience, I have found that LC NATO, WCC NATO, and LC LR cases to be very similar in volume.
