Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

[vman]

Hi guys.

Just doing a bit of light reading from Germán A. Salazar. His post are wonderful and anyone who does not read them should have a look. You might just learn a thing or two.

I thought I would post up this link to his article on safety and long range handloads (.308 win in particular).

I see a lot of bad handloads at my local range, and one friend in particular even scares me a little from the amount of broken ejectors and super flat primers. I wished everybody would understand the warning signs before something bad ever happens.

http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2011/02/cartridges-long-range-reloading-safety.html

Check out the link, especially all of you guys that are new to this.

Stay safe

Vin

 

[EXTREMEPREJUDICE]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

Thanks, interesting read.

 

[bm11]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

Good read!

 

[MALLARD]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: vman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I see a lot of bad handloads at my local range, and one friend in particular even scares me a little from the amount of broken ejectors and super flat primers. </div></div>

i see the same thing

 

[Leaddog]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MALLARD</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: vman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I see a lot of bad handloads at my local range, and one friend in particular even scares me a little from the amount of broken ejectors and super flat primers. </div></div>

i see the same thing </div></div>

I see folks trying to push their 308's way too hard. They even post here about how their super duper fast load is so great. No mention of high pressure signs which are envariably there. Maybe they don't know or care.

 

[Timo Turl]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

Good thread. I spent the day at the range testing various loads and came away feeling my 308 at max book loads are just not worth persisting with. Sure, they can get me to almost 1200 yrds supersonic but i mainly shoot 1k or less and there didn't seem to be a material difference in accuracy between book max and dropping back from that 0.3-4.

 

[clmayfield]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

Pressure anyone? I notice a lot of the very best competitors back off on MV and focus on a load that bucks well as opposed to using MV to buck wind. Yeah, you can get a little less deflection, but the cost is in safety, barrel life, and sometimes larger groups.

 

[cooper_257]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

thanks for the good article

 

[vman]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

TJ, one thing alot of dudes dont realise is that people pushing palma projectiles and speeds of 2950FPS+ also have long barrels cut with a palma reamer.

I wish the guys with 20" barrels understood the differences.

 

[Timo Turl]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: vman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">TJ, one thing alot of dudes dont realise is that people pushing palma projectiles and speeds of 2950FPS+ also have long barrels cut with a palma reamer.

I wish the guys with 20" barrels understood the differences. </div></div>

Yep, I don't need that extra 100-200 fps and having read on another thread y'day that the average range in the US is something like 300 yrds nor do the vast majority of shooters. I've decided to concentrate on two things to improve my groups and first time hits

1) consistency of my loads

2) my shooting skills

The latter isn't great and i don't believe pushing for that extra fps or searching for a magic load formula will add more precision or points vs getting better at the basics. Eventually it might do but not at my level today.

 

[vman]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

It all comes with time.

All you can do is be eager to learn and accept that there is always room to grow.

Be your own worst critic and you will push yourself harder and harder.

I can already shoot 0.5" groups at 300 yards but i cant shoot 600 for crap. Learn learn learn

 

[bm11]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

I was beating my brass up trying to get 155 Scenars up to 2850 in my 18.5 inch .308. I got pretty close, but it started to show pressure signs. Then I plugged the difference between 2800 and 2850 into my ballistics calculator, and realized that I was fighting pretty hard for not much difference in performance, even at 1000. A bit more drop and hardly any difference in wind drift.

I did the sensible thing and backed it back down.

 

[jrob300]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

Very good read. Should be mandatory before you get your first press.

I've been reloading for over 40 years and learned something new this last year. I had a very accurate conservative LR load developed for my 300WM with Nosler/Federal brass and bought a ton of Win. brass. The Win. brass has more capacity so, logically will require more powder to get the same MV. In the course of development, I came upon a load that gave me almost zero vertical at 500 yds. and NO VISIBLE PRESSURE SIGNS. My chrono told me it was a little on the warm side, but it's a Chrony and has been known to be optimistic, so I didn't believe it. Mistake #1.

After 2-3 firings, some of the primer pockets were noticeably loose. Like I said before, NONE of the other visible signs of pressure were there. I retested velocity and PM'd some guys I trust and we came to the conclusion that a warm load on a warm day, combined with an OAL change I had not noticed before (.005" off the lands instead of .010"... Mistake #2) gave me just enough pressure to stretch the brass. Backed off to .010" off and everything is fine, *EXCEPT*.. we now know this load is borderline safe, so best to go down to the next accuracy node. Lesson learned.

John

 

[dentout]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

Thank you for posting.

 

[clmayfield]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: vman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I can already shoot 0.5" groups at 300 yards but i cant shoot 600 for crap. Learn learn learn

</div></div>

Is that half inch at 300 or half MOA?

I have shot a single 5-shot group at a little bit under an inch, but haven't done it since. If you are regularly doing 5-shot half inch at 300... that is awesome! It seems like your hold alone should get you decent results at 600.

 

[vman]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Carter Mayfield</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: vman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I can already shoot 0.5" groups at 300 yards but i cant shoot 600 for crap. Learn learn learn

</div></div>

Is that half inch at 300 or half MOA?

I have shot a single 5-shot group at a little bit under an inch, but haven't done it since. If you are regularly doing 5-shot half inch at 300... that is awesome! It seems like your hold alone should get you decent results at 600. </div></div>

Not half MOA... half an inch at 300.

Dirty barrel.

I cleaned my barrel a few days ago for some retarded reason, and yesterday at the range my groups opened up. Not happy but it will settle back down again.

I really need to train for 600. My wind reading skills beyond 400 yards leave much to be desired.

 

[armorpl8chikn]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

Been reading German's stuff for couple years now but thanks for posting Vman. There are a lot of new and old reloaders on this site that would benefit greatly from reading German's articles and blogs. Heck just go lurk on his threads at accurate shooter forums and learn loads of info.

 

[sobrbiker883]

Re: Long range reloading safety by Germán A. Salazar

To bad Mr SaladBar is an A-hole to F-Class shooters when they come to his home 1K range.
He is a very knowledgable shooter, but has a huge coat and sling attitude, and has turned more than one shooter away with it.