How concerned should I be

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CptnAwesome

CptnAwesome

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Working up loads for my 257 Wby I started getting cratered primers and slight ejector marks. Ejector marks were on all loads starting at 67gr but more visible on the 70-71gr.

This was 110gr Nosler Accubonds with 70 & 71gr IMR 7828. Nosler lists 71gr as max with the 110gr accubonds.

There was no other signs of pressure and I got .83" groups with Nosler listed C.O.A.L. so I like the load just want to play with OAL to see if group will tighten up.

What do y'all think?
 

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You are showing signs of pressure.Try lowering your powder charge and trying different seating depth. You may be able to keep those groups going. I use 68.0 of 7828 behind a 115 Partition. I started seeing those signs too, so I backed off. It is still going 3450!
 
Extractor marks are generally a sign of excessive pressure, so 1) reduce the powder charge, 2) switch to a lighter bullet or 3) switch to a different powder and start working up a different load with it.
 
The cratered primers is the issue. Extractor marks are not a sign of excessive pressure. Especially with well under max loads.
Hodgdon goes to a Max of 73 grains of IMR7828 with a 100 grain bullet. Same magnum primer too. Mind you, it's a Federal 215, not CCI 250. That might cause slightly higher pressures.
Any signs of cratered primers using factory ammo? Any other signs of excess pressure? Hard extraction? Flattened primers? Holed primers? Missing primers? Case head damage? What's the felt recoil like?
 
Is the brass over length after resizing? If it has been fired several times it might have been stretched and pinching the neck when it is fired causing an over pressure event if you have not trimmed it. Some rifles with tight chambers or short leade will show high pressures with less than a max load as well. Just some things to check.:)
 
Sunray said:
The cratered primers is the issue. Extractor marks are not a sign of excessive pressure. Especially with well under max loads.
Hodgdon goes to a Max of 73 grains of IMR7828 with a 100 grain bullet. Same magnum primer too. Mind you, it's a Federal 215, not CCI 250. That might cause slightly higher pressures.
Any signs of cratered primers using factory ammo? Any other signs of excess pressure? Hard extraction? Flattened primers? Holed primers? Missing primers? Case head damage? What's the felt recoil like?
Click to expand...
No other signs of excessive pressure. Primers not flattened or missing, no case head damage, and recoil feels normal to me. Only sign I'm seeing is cratering
 
FROGO207 said:
Is the brass over length after resizing? If it has been fired several times it might have been stretched and pinching the neck when it is fired causing an over pressure event if you have not trimmed it. Some rifles with tight chambers or short leade will show high pressures with less than a max load as well. Just some things to check.:)
Click to expand...
FROGO207 my case length was right at max and its definitely time to trim now. That may have been a contributing factor. It'll be a few weeks before I can get back out with it but I'll proceed with caution. Start back at 68gr and go from there
 
CptnAwesome said:
FROGO207 my case length was right at max and its definitely time to trim now. That may have been a contributing factor. It'll be a few weeks before I can get back out with it but I'll proceed with caution. Start back at 68gr and go from there
Click to expand...

The freebore for the 257 Wby is .378". The Wby headspace off the belt as most mags do. When did you first notice primers backing out?
 
Are you using Nosler brass? Case holds 81 grs of water on there website.

Different brass = Different pressure.

You do have 2 pressure signs. But with no hard bolt lift, signs may be from maximum head clearance ?? When sizing, try pushing the shoulder back less.

https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4928827#post4928827 The wrong combination of components doesn't always work well together.

Your loads should be good, using the Nosler data and Nosler brass. But all rifles are different. 257Weatherby.JPG
 
old heeler said:
The freebore for the 257 Wby is .378". The Wby headspace off the belt as most mags do. When did you first notice primers backing out?
Click to expand...
Primers wasn't backing out from what I noticed, only cratering. This was my 4th time out with reloads for this rifle. First 3 was using RL25 all the way up to 73gr with no issue. 70gr with IMR7828 when I really noticed the cratering
 
243winxb said:
Are you using Nosler brass? Case holds 81 grs of water on there website.

Different brass = Different pressure.

You do have 2 pressure signs. But with no hard bolt lift, signs may be from maximum head clearance ?? When sizing, try pushing the shoulder back less.

https://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4928827#post4928827 The wrong combination of components doesn't always work well together.

Your loads should be good, using the Nosler data and Nosler brass. But all rifles are different. View attachment 759163
Click to expand...
I'm using Norma brass (from Weatherby select ammo)

No hard bolt lift but you raise an interesting point!!!
**I noticed after sizing (and put it in my reload notes on this batch) that I think I bumped the shoulders back farther than I intended to**

Wasn't sure how that might affect them but figured it might in some way.
 
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