Hey guys,
I was doing a load development today and ran into an interesting pressure issue. Load development is with H4831sc, lapua brass, 208 gr Amax, cci 200 primers in .30-06.
After I was done with the load development part of the shooting session, I decided just to run through 20 rounds of practice shots with a known load for my rifle: .30-06 57.0gr RL22, Lapua brass, cci 200 primers.
First round fires no problem, but case ejects with a ton of soot all over the case, and slight EJ mark.
Second shot goes down, also very sooted case and another EJ mark and stiff bolt. Case head also has raised burr from the ejector cutting into the case head.
Ok, so by now I'm wondering either I mischarged my cases, or maybe there was some case lube on the brass that I didn't get all off. Both of which are not likely.
So, 3rd shot goes down, brass not as sooty but still have a slight EJ Mark.
Against my better judgement I keep shooting. 4th shot Case not as sooty again, less EJ mark than before.
Long story short, after 6 rounds the pressure signs normalized without any signs of overpressure. It took the first 6 rounds of what seemed to be overpressured rounds for the pressure signs to go away. Stupid to keep shooting, yes, probably. But something just wasn't adding up.
I've shot this load of RL22 57.0gr for well over 1000rounds without any problems before. I've shot it after shooting rounds with RL 17 before and also not have had any problems.
The only thing different in this session was I put rounds down range loaded with H4831sc without running a boresnake or cleaning the bore.
I would have beleived a change in accuracy based on what I've read and what I have heard others tell me before, but I wouldn't have expected an increase in pressure for the first initial rounds and then pressure returns to normal.
For what it's worth, during initial load delvelopment I hit pressure at 58.5gr of RL 22 in 65 deg temps with the 208 amax.
Shooting today was done in 14deg weather.
Anyone have any thoughts???
I was doing a load development today and ran into an interesting pressure issue. Load development is with H4831sc, lapua brass, 208 gr Amax, cci 200 primers in .30-06.
After I was done with the load development part of the shooting session, I decided just to run through 20 rounds of practice shots with a known load for my rifle: .30-06 57.0gr RL22, Lapua brass, cci 200 primers.
First round fires no problem, but case ejects with a ton of soot all over the case, and slight EJ mark.
Second shot goes down, also very sooted case and another EJ mark and stiff bolt. Case head also has raised burr from the ejector cutting into the case head.
Ok, so by now I'm wondering either I mischarged my cases, or maybe there was some case lube on the brass that I didn't get all off. Both of which are not likely.
So, 3rd shot goes down, brass not as sooty but still have a slight EJ Mark.
Against my better judgement I keep shooting. 4th shot Case not as sooty again, less EJ mark than before.
Long story short, after 6 rounds the pressure signs normalized without any signs of overpressure. It took the first 6 rounds of what seemed to be overpressured rounds for the pressure signs to go away. Stupid to keep shooting, yes, probably. But something just wasn't adding up.
I've shot this load of RL22 57.0gr for well over 1000rounds without any problems before. I've shot it after shooting rounds with RL 17 before and also not have had any problems.
The only thing different in this session was I put rounds down range loaded with H4831sc without running a boresnake or cleaning the bore.
I would have beleived a change in accuracy based on what I've read and what I have heard others tell me before, but I wouldn't have expected an increase in pressure for the first initial rounds and then pressure returns to normal.
For what it's worth, during initial load delvelopment I hit pressure at 58.5gr of RL 22 in 65 deg temps with the 208 amax.
Shooting today was done in 14deg weather.
Anyone have any thoughts???
