Virgin brass question

[absolutchris]

Hey guys, I'm brand new to reloading. Almost finished setting everything up and ready to start.

I know not to do load development with virgin brass. So what do you guys do? Just load up the brass at a lower grain powder charge from the book, fire form and start development? Or do you load different powder charges in the virgin brass and then just refine development next go round?

Thanks in advance

 

[supercorndogs]

What brass, bullet and cartridge? There are many well known combos for some calibers, bullets, and powders.

 

[absolutchris]

What brass, bullet and cartridge? There are many well known combos for some calibers, bullets, and powders.

308, 178gr eldx, lapua brass, varget powder, federal 210M primer

 

[supercorndogs]

I am at 42.4 of Varget in Lapua brass with CCI 450 and 178 amax. About .020 off at 2.8. You may have a much longer throat and be able to get more length. I started seeing pressure around 43.2-43.4. You could do pressure work up, ten rounds or so in .2 or .1 increments looking for pressure. My load is not a hot rod load, but it never hurts to be careful.

 

[DirtDart]

43.3 Reloader 15 in Win brass with cci 200. 2655 out of a 700 5r(24") with 4000 rounds out of it. As always use caution when loading from someone else's recipe.

 

[spife7980]

I like to get a crude/preliminary load developed in virgin brass just so the first firing doesnt all shoot poorly. Especially when you have lots of brass to form.