LF Advice. 300blk 225 grain ELDM using CFE BLK. Compressed load causing bullet deformation

[Len5E1]

So I recently worked up a ladder load using CFE BLK and 225 grain ELD-M’s for my 8.3” AR 300blk. My load range was 10.5-11.5 grains of CFE BLK. When I chronographed the loads the 11.5 was the best with a very low spread and about 1050-1060 FPS. So I went to load some more today and noticed that the tips of my bullets were getting a ring formed in them from the seater die. I don’t remember this happening before but I think it was and I didn’t catch it because it only happened with 11.5 grains and not the lower ones. I think what is happening is the bullet is compressing the powder and causing the seater die to work much harder causing the damage. ‘

The other thing I noticed today is the seater wasn’t seating the bullets to 2.26” either, I had to crank it down a bit more. I thought I measured each and every bullet during my initial testing but I’m wondering if I stopped after a while and didn’t catch that the 11.5 grain loads were only seating to 2.275” because of the powder resistance. Anyway, I’ve heard that CFE BLK performs very well compressed and even though that wasn’t my initial intentions I think I like the results. I just want to know if it’s worth the damage to the bullet or if I should settle for a lower load or a new die that might not cause the damage. I clearly have some things to figure out to make sure I can seat the bullets consistency without fiddling with each one but 11.5 had the best spread and FPS range I was looking for. See pictures for chrono data and bullet damage - the bullet on the far right is one I didn’t put powder in and has no damage which lead me to discover it was the case volume causing the bullet issues.

 

[alamo5000]

Probably not a compressed load. Sounds like a brass or seater stem issue.

 

[Len5E1]

Probably not a compressed load. Sounds like a brass or seater stem issue.

What makes you think it’s not compressed? I did a little searching and it does appear people have issues with seater stems on these bullets sometimes so a better die and stem might help prevent it but it’s not a brass issue and it doesn’t happen with less powder so I assume it’s compressing. All the brass I use is the same S&B brass and I only get the seater stem rings on the loads that exceed 11 grains of powder and when I get to 11.5 grains the bullet doesn’t seat all the way without additional seater die adjustment. All this tells me it’s compressing the powder.

 

[spife7980]

I bet it’s compressed. You might be able to seat it halfway and shake the case to get some up in the sides of the bullet to make room below it.
I’d just stop where it makes you though. That’s what I did at least.
I used a 220 pro hunter and once the bullet touched the powder at 12.1 grains it all came into harmony and shot best.
I loaded higher charges but couldn’t make the bullet seat any deeper and with the dumb shit hornady “universal” seater and my coax I can’t hit a hard stop so I have to float the handle in the middle of the press throw and they still just got progressively longer no matter how much I leaned on it. So I just left it there even though it was slightly longer than I had initially set out to make.

 

[Len5E1]

I bet it’s compressed. You might be able to seat it halfway and shake the case to get some up in the sides of the bullet to make room below it.
I’d just stop where it makes you though. That’s what I did at least.
I used a 220 pro hunter and once the bullet touched the powder at 12.1 grains it all came into harmony and shot best. I loaded higher charges but couldn’t make the bullet seat any deeper and just progressively longer no matter how much I leaned on it so I just left it there even though it was slightly longer than I had initially set out to make.

That makes sense. I’d like to stop where it stops me to make things more consistent when batch loading but I also want to try and squeeze them into a 300blk lancer mag :/ - If the magazine wasn’t in the equation I wouldn’t have any problems at all I bet.

 

[spife7980]

Yep. Mine were close to too long for the pmag, I bet your pointy boat tail bullet vs my round nose flat base could put me beyond.

 

[alamo5000]

What makes you think it’s not compressed?

While I don't know for 100% if it is or isn't, there are numerous resources online that list load data and they don't indicate compressed loads at all. Sierra has load data out for a 230 and 240 grain projectiles with a charge weights up to 12.6 and 14.8 grains and neither are listed as compressed. Lots of other resources as well.

Hogdon's load data for CFE BLK has a 230 grain bullet with a load of 11.3 grains and it's not listed as compressed either.

Basically I've found four or five sources like that and they all agree so it was more or less an educated guess on my part.

Let us know what you find out. I would also say maybe shake the case a little bit during seating to distribute the charge a bit. You will definitely be over 90 to 95% fill capacity so that definitely could be a thing for sure.

 

[Len5E1]

While I don't know for 100% if it is or isn't, there are numerous resources online that list load data and they don't indicate compressed loads at all. Sierra has load data out for a 230 and 240 grain projectiles with a charge weights up to 12.6 and 14.8 grains and neither are listed as compressed. Lots of other resources as well.

Hogdon's load data for CFE BLK has a 230 grain bullet with a load of 11.3 grains and it's not listed as compressed either.

Basically I've found four or five sources like that and they all agree so it was more or less an educated guess on my part.

Let us know what you find out. I would also say maybe shake the case a little bit during seating to distribute the charge a bit. You will definitely be over 90 to 95% fill capacity so that definitely could be a thing for sure.

Thanks for the feedback, I'll be looking at things more thoroughly on my next loading session. I think the reason they may be compressed is the bullets profile. From a grain point of view I see why your logic makes sense, that's what threw me off too. I think the elds just have most of their weight in the back and that long thin profile with a polymer tip makes it worse. The Sierra's don't have that poly tip so the same weight and seat distance actually has more room in the case still.

Either way I've read that cfe blk has weird spreads until its compressed and I see that to be true if in fact I am compressing. I have some Berry's bullets that are 220 and similar profile to the Sierra's so once I get back at it I'll try to see how they do. I definitely can't hear any powder when shaking the 225s though.

 

[High H2o]

funny, i had a similar situation happen, was loading my 200 gn lapua subsonic bullets to the longest Sammi Spec, and had TOO much dead space in my case, and all the powder wasn't igniting. Even has a stuck bullet in the barrel. moved the bullet "in" about 60 thou, and now shoots great. Don't think its compressed though...

 

[Silverjay]

Check your brass volume. I ran into some wide spreads on case capacity that made non compressed loads become compressed.

 

[spife7980]

doesn’t take much powder to fill these itty bitty cases with large bullets.