question about powder

[joemusso]

i am new at reloading.

i charged a few cases and was wondering if it is typical for the powder to come up to neck?

46.0 gr of varget .308 lapua brass

thank you
joe

 

[FCS]

Re: question about powder

46 gr of Varget in a Lapua case is going to fill case to neck/shoulder junction or possibly up into neck if not using a long drop tube.

 

[SIG700]

Re: question about powder

I feel you answered it for yourself. Remember depending on the bullet you use, how deep it's seated, etc, that "46 grains Varget" COULD be largely over pressured. (With 168g SMK's at 2.800 COAL 46grain Varget is Max Load, and also compressed).

Also remember different case manufactures have slightly different case capacities.

 

[joemusso]

Re: question about powder

ok what happens when it is over pressured?

how do you tell if it is over pressured

 

[SIG700]

Re: question about powder

Damage to your rifle. Depending on how over pressured could cause injury.

 

[SIG700]

Re: question about powder

Reloading Manuals will give "Max Loads", this is typically the point where pressure signs will start to appear. That is why it is recommended you decrease by 10% and gradually increase up to the Max Load. Once you start to see pressure signs, STOP.

 

[joemusso]

Re: question about powder

im sorry for all these questions but is the bullet able to touch the powder or should there be a space to allow expansion.


all the brass i have are new

 

[SIG700]

Re: question about powder

Weather the bullet is into the powder (A compressed load, as in the bullet is compressing the powder) or there is space isn't really a good judge if the load is going to be hot (I.E. over pressured). Some loads will be safe compressed, while others won't. Hodgdon's website has an online Reloader's manual you can look up to see what they say are MAX loads.

 

[joemusso]

Re: question about powder

i went to there guide and the max reload is 46.0 gr i also went by the manual i have i am just concerned.

as long as i go by there recommend loads or less i should be ok.

 

[oneshotkyle]

Re: question about powder

never start with advertised max loads. always start low and work your way up.

 

[FCS]

Re: question about powder

What rifle are you shooting, custom barrel with a shorter freebore or a factory rifle with longer freebore?

What bullet are you using with 46 gr of Varget in a Lapua brass?

What reloading book are you using?

 

[joemusso]

Re: question about powder

Complete factory rem 700. 168 gr bullett

I have the lee reloading book

 

[BuzzBoss915]

Re: question about powder

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: joemusso</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

as long as i go by there recommend loads or less i should be ok.</div></div>

Absolutely not so. Everybody that plays this game needs to start below advertised load data and work up to what is safe in a particular rifle. You have the responsibility of finding the powder and the correct amount, and the seating depth for your handloads, in your rifle. Nobody can tell you what it is or what should be considered safe. You need to find it out for yourself....but you should not begin with a published max load, figuring that it is safe. It's only safe in THAT GUN, with those components, and you can only use that information as a general guide. BB

 

[krw]

Re: question about powder

46.0grs of Varget, and 308 Lapua brass in my rifle with a 175gr SMK would be HOT!

 

[joemusso]

Re: question about powder

i pulled all the bullets and started over.


thank you guys for all the good info.

im sure ill have more nubee questions.

thank you
joe

 

[Hi Speed]

Re: question about powder

Do yourself and family a favor. Do not hurt yourself or those around you. To ensure your safety spend the ducks on the Lyman reloading manual. From the very begining it breaks down reloading into barney level steps my 4yo can understand yet I refer to it now after over 20yrs reloading.
Lapua brass is thick and takes .3-.7 grains of varget less to get the same velocity you would get in say a winchester case. Start your loads in the 41-41.5gr ball park and work up from there. Your not going to transform into david tubb or carlos hathcock in a day so you might as well get some time in driving the gun and learn the process of working up a load correctly. It has to be done with each and every gun you opt to reload for. Working up loads is one of the things that makes this sport fun. The path you're on now is going to lead to bad things. HEED the warning!

you pulled your bullets so load 5 each starting at 41.5 and go up by .3 grains and load 5 more. 5 more at 42.1. 5 more at 42.4, all the way up to 45.5 or so. Once you see signs of pressure back off to the next charge weight. This is your max load. There has to be leway here to account for varying temps, oopsies with the scale and seating die. If you are on edge already and you unknowingly get some bullet set back you are going to get a kaboom.

 

[20Incher]

Re: question about powder

Just remember one thing,find a node your rifle likes and stick with it.Dont get into the HOT long range .308.Its no good for your gun brass or you .If you want a 1500yrd 308 rifle return yours and buy a 338 lapua.

 

[Break Bad]

Re: question about powder

I'm fairly new at this as well, but isn't it worth mentioning that he makes sure his bullet is not touching his lands? or rather that it IS touching the lands, and then backs it off?

OP - if you bullet is touching the rifling when it is loaded into the chamber, this causes extra resistance and a spike in pressure. If you work you loads from say 40-46gr and THEN start experimenting with you seating depth you could get into trouble.

What i've read when you do 'ladder' tests, is that you want to start with you bullet ON the lands, with a low charge (eg 40gr) and THEN work your way up until you see pressure signs. The next step is to do the ladder test again, except seating you bullet .01 off the lands.

The key here is you don't settle on a high pressure charge, and then move your bullet on the lands, causing a pressure spike, and blow you face off.

Someone please confirm/deny this, as I'm still learning myself.

 

[clmayfield]

Re: question about powder

Nothing wrong with having the bullet touching the lands (or "jammed" as it is called). The main issue that one might have is if you have a lot of jam and low neck tension, if you chamber a round and remove without firing, you might stick your bullet and end up with a chamber full of powder.

Yes, the pressure profile will be different going from jam to jump (in the lands vs off the lands). If you are at max pressure and jumping, then taking that same load and jamming could result in unsafe pressures. This is why it is not a bad idea to work up a load with the bullet jammed and then experiment with seating depths afterwards.

 

[Kinsman]

Re: question about powder

Right at the top of the page of the reloading forum, there is a group of postings called Reloading 101.


READ them.........

 

[clmayfield]

Re: question about powder

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: joemusso</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ok what happens when it is over pressured?

how do you tell if it is over pressured </div></div>

Follow this link:

http://www.shootersforum.com/handloading-procedures-practices/58763-pressure-signs.html

It is pretty extensive. It also goes into what pressure signs are not necessarily pressure signs. As mentioned above, any time you see pressure signs, you are probably way overpressure.

And as usual, a great article from German Salazar:

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

I keep telling him he should write a book. These are some of the best visual representations I have seen.

 

[BuzzBoss915]

Re: question about powder

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Carter Mayfield</div><div class="ubbcode-body">


And as usual, a great article from German Salazar:

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

Thanks for that link! A tremendous resource, I have it bookmarked. I just spent the past hour and a half browsing and hardly scratched the surface. BB

 

[clmayfield]

Re: question about powder

Thanks. When I get the time, I need to put together a thread on pressure signs because it is something that every reloader must know. The very first thing we should learn are the pressure signs, yet, it seems to be something we pick up more with experience.