Tetcht Seckum
Member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2010
- Messages
- 5
So, I have just began reloading and my AR loads worked flawlessly, that is that they extracted and such fine and good, and accuracy is as good as I could expect from my upper. Only one problem. I was in Cabellas, and looked in Hornady's new reload manual. Mine is old, and was given to me with my reloading set. I compared and found that my load of 21.4 grains was in excess of their maximum for that particular load of 55gr SP bullets by 1.4 or so grains- they listed 20 grains of IMR4198 as cooking at 3100 fps, while I had loaded it at 21.4 grains to achieve the same result according to my older manual. It listed 22 grains as 3200 fps as the maximum and the 20 grain powder charge is now, according to the one I read today, the max for that load. I use CCI primers, which should not be "soft", I have heard that winchester primers can be soft though.
What can this be attributed to? I noticed that the primers did look flattened, and so I might be in the high pressure range, but there was no visible wear on the bolt or carrier or lugs. The only thing I could see that could point to pressure was some of the primers in my 21.4 grain charge loads. I plan on backing off, but I wonder if may have caused any damage to the gun. I would imagine that it has to be of higher tolerance for pressure, because it is NATO chambered for 5.56 which operates at higher pressure. I will get a new load book asap, but I wonder if this is because the powder is better, or lawyers are better at their jobs. I have read that primer flattening is a poor indication of pressures. I hope I have not hurt my AR any, as I am poor and do not have money for a new one any day soon .
Thanks for your input. Awesome board you guys have here!
What can this be attributed to? I noticed that the primers did look flattened, and so I might be in the high pressure range, but there was no visible wear on the bolt or carrier or lugs. The only thing I could see that could point to pressure was some of the primers in my 21.4 grain charge loads. I plan on backing off, but I wonder if may have caused any damage to the gun. I would imagine that it has to be of higher tolerance for pressure, because it is NATO chambered for 5.56 which operates at higher pressure. I will get a new load book asap, but I wonder if this is because the powder is better, or lawyers are better at their jobs. I have read that primer flattening is a poor indication of pressures. I hope I have not hurt my AR any, as I am poor and do not have money for a new one any day soon .
Thanks for your input. Awesome board you guys have here!