hot load question

[poker2112]

went shooting this weekend...by looking at the brass (lc 06,imi ,ad ,wcc,rorg,fc 07,rem,pmc,s&b,win,& misc mil.) how do you tell if the load is too hot? started at 23,24,24.5,25,25.5,26,26.5,&27 grs..........there all pretty much the same looking ...no crack ,all have burnt marks.........if i didnt mark each brass..i dont think i could tell them apart!!!!thanks

 

[Linear Thinker]

Tell us more: caliber (sounds like a 223), powder, bullet weight and design, seating depth, primer used, any blown primers, any flattened primers, any cratered firing pin indents, which rifle, any extraction difficulties?
LT,

 

[Grumulkin]

With such a mish mash of brass, signs of high pressure gleaned from just looking at the primers and cases would be problematic.

 

[poker2112]

oh its 223 brass with wc844 powder ,cc1 #41 ,55fmj with cannulure ,crimped right on cannulure,no flat or blown primers,shot in a ar15, no hiccups, ran really good when rapid firing, overall all the brass looks the same from 23-27gr

 

[Linear Thinker]

Cross-posting my reply on the other board:

I tried a similar load a while back with surplus WC844, Win primers, 55gr Israeli FMJs, crimped into cannelure, WCC military brass. My load was 25 grains of powder, it cycled reliably and gave good accuracy.

I urge you not to mix brass brands, the thickness and internal volume vary tremendously, and with a small cartridge such as a 223 you can easily exceed the safe pressure. I learned the hard way when switching the same load between thin-walled FC brass to much thicker IMI brass. What worked in one blew every single primer in the other.
LT

 

[poker2112]

ok so go lighter in comm. brass .........thinking 25.3-25.5gr...... what about mil. brass........found a round (lc 06,62gr fmjscbt w/c)in my once fired brass that was not shot.....took off the bullet and measured the powder and it was 27gr.........deprimed it and the pocket was brand new clean......so can i go with a load like 27gr in mil. brass with 62gr ? thanks

 

[cpaspr]

I'd say NO. You know the grain weight of the bullet and of the powder. What you do not know is the brand of powder. Even if you think you know, you don't REALLY know. And 27 grains of whatever powder they used does not necessarily compare with 27 grains of what you have, even if they look the same.

 

[poker2112]

what would you suggest a load for lc 06 62fmjscbt w/c...

 

[Clark]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

Some say WC844 = H335.





Hodgdon website: 223 Rem, H335, 25.3 GR. 55 GR. SPR SP, 2.200", 24" barrel, 3203 fps, 49,300 CUP

Test: Ruger #1, CCI 400 small rifle primers, LC brass once fired processed from Scharch and prepped by me, 55 gr Vmax moly, H335

pic left to right: unfired, 28, 29, 30, and 31 gr.

unfired, extractor groove .329"
28 gr, extractor groove .329", 11% overload
29 gr, extractor groove .329", 15% overload
30 gr, extractor groove .3295", 19% overload
31 gr, extractor groove .3320", 23% overload

The overloaded brass from an AR looks more like this:

 

[RecoilRob]

I've a bunch of M855 62's loaded over 26grns of 844. Pretty much the standard 5.56 load. Shoot well.

 

[poker2112]

im thinking 27-27.5gr of wc-844, lc 06,62gr fmjscbt,cci #41 ..........it worked pretty good today