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Certain cartridges

Doc68

I'm an asshole....
Full Member
Minuteman
  • Feb 17, 2014
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    14,458
    USA
    Why are some so inherently easier to load for then others. Is it their specific design for that or is it just an accidental side effect?
     
    Why are some so inherently easier to load for then others. Is it their specific design for that or is it just an accidental side effect?

    I'm no expert by any means, but I've done a lot of reading. From all that I've read the answer is yes . . . it due to specific design (like down to the angle of the shoulder). And it seems it's not one particular feature of a cartridge, but the combination including the projectile loaded into it.

    It's been a while, but you might find something that addresses that here.
     
    There’s surprisingly little written about this that I can find. It seems like some cartridges are known for inherent accuracy (the 6 PPC and 6 BR families, 300 WSM) although I don’t know if this has ever been rigorously tested. They tend to share relatively short, fat cases with capacity not particularly over or underbore and velocities around 2800-3000 fps. I’d love to see something from an engineering or scientific perspective on what makes a cartridge accurate, not just speculation on things that may or may not really make a difference.
     
    I used to buy into the theory, and still do to some degree. 30 degree shoulder, shorter cases, longer neck. But even before the time I had heard of it, some wise guy blew the shoulder forward on a 6 BR case and it was setting records all over the place, and 300 WM has always been around.
    Conjecture and speculation is a dominant force in shooting, from the guns, to loads, to the gear we choose.
    That said, I would bet an asston of money developing a load for a 25 creedmoor will be easier than for a 25-06 for 99.8% of people.
     
    I'm not saying this as fact- just my opinion.

    Case design is overrated... and I don't buy into the "inherently accurate" part either. Take a case that has the "wrong" features and chamber a premium barrel for it- and they shoot. Yes- 6br is incredibly easy to do load development for- but look at the barrels on them. Would 6br be as forgiving if it was chambered in featherweight barrels? How the cartridge is perceived and marketed has a huge effect-- and plays into what contour/quality of a barrel becomes the standard.

    Some cartridges are definitely more efficient- and that makes things nice. If you can get good velocity with less powder then that should make things easier to be consistent. But barrel outweighs case design... as I see it.
     
    I'm not saying this as fact- just my opinion.

    Case design is overrated... and I don't buy into the "inherently accurate" part either. Take a case that has the "wrong" features and chamber a premium barrel for it- and they shoot. Yes- 6br is incredibly easy to do load development for- but look at the barrels on them. Would 6br be as forgiving if it was chambered in featherweight barrels? How the cartridge is perceived and marketed has a huge effect-- and plays into what contour/quality of a barrel becomes the standard.

    Some cartridges are definitely more efficient- and that makes things nice. If you can get good velocity with less powder then that should make things easier to be consistent. But barrel outweighs case design... as I see it.
    You should argue this point with the dude from the Sherman line of cases. One thing, barrel dia has absolutely nothing to with how accurate a rifle can be. It may play a part in just how long a barrel can be accurate in the form of sustained rate of fire.
    Efficiency should play in all around accuracy too. I use the bottom right hand number in QL a lot, higher numbers equal greater accuracy in my world.
    Capture3.PNG
     
    I used to buy into the theory, and still do to some degree. 30 degree shoulder, shorter cases, longer neck. But even before the time I had heard of it, some wise guy blew the shoulder forward on a 6 BR case and it was setting records all over the place, and 300 WM has always been around.
    Conjecture and speculation is a dominant force in shooting, from the guns, to loads, to the gear we choose.
    That said, I would bet an asston of money developing a load for a 25 creedmoor will be easier than for a 25-06 for 99.8% of people.
    Not trying to change the subject but what's with the 25-06 for reloading.
     
    There seems to be something magical about certain cartridges. It may be a combination of case capacity, bore capacity, neck length, shoulder angle, ect ect. I consider the 308 to be one of them. The 300 WSM, 6BR, 6PPC and several others are too. Those are just a few of the ones that I have experience with. No doubt there are others.