Loading Above Manufacturer's Recommendations

[T. Scott]

Cut and rechamber?

I will probably just get a whole new barrel next year. Right now, I have a total of four barrels for this rifle. I have 3 Spencer and 1 Douglas. The Spencer barrel on it has 1,050 rounds through it, the next one is brand new and the last is for fire forming brass. The Douglas barrel has just 200 rounds through it.

 

[T. Scott]

I have held back a while pondering how I was going to respond to this post. I believe that you need to run your own independent pressure test. This is a standardized test that "we" all run while reload for rifle. You will have to roll with your test results and choose how your goals mitigate the risks you take. I know what my rifles loads are and when I see pressure signs. If you are running 1-200 yards I cant even see running the cartridge your shooting. The ppc rules in these ranges and a br or brx runs the show to 600. You run the risks and if you got a gun designed to run to 1k and are not running that range there is no reason to take any risk. My mind says you are king of your castle and running above max in a caliber not optimal for the mission is just foolish.

That's what I'm worried about, showing up for a 100 yard match with this beast with a brake, next to the guy with much quieter and friendlier rounds. But besides those local matches, I hope to travel to where my mom lives monthly for matches up to 800+ yards, so I'm hesitant to buy a barrel and switch it out monthly with the 300 WM.

 

[T. Scott]

If you compete you are generally leaving the realm of published load data behind and relying on your own skills and the feedback from fellow competitors to develop your loads.

Knowing how to evaluate pressure sighs is critical to any hand loader, but it’s especially true to those who push the boundaries of their loads and equipment for competitive purposes.

To use an analogy, the OP bought a hot rodded rifle from a hot rod racer. If he only wants to putt down to the corner store once a week he doesn’t need to drive it 350mph.

If he ever does want to see what it’s capable of, the original owners instructions and load data would be valuable, as long as the OP knows his limits and realizes the risks.

I shoot in F Class competitions. There’s not a single competitive shooter I know of that isn’t running their loads over some published max. For some, there is no published data to be had because their chambers aren’t made to any SAAMI spec.

Again, the OP bought one of those rifles. It sounds like a really nice one too. It should be a lot of fun learning it’s capabilities and limits, just make sure to be safe, methodical and responsible

The day I bought this is the day my local range closed for the virus. It's killing me not to have shot it yet.

 

[T. Scott]

I don't really know how to answer this question. With my experience I would start lower and cautiously work up to the previous owners load. But I can't publicly suggest that you do that.

I competed at long range for a while ( was not a record holder ) and used a custom rifle with a tight neck chamber in a non-standard caliber. After the caliber was standardized my load was 3 grains over the book max. I had none of the normal pressure signs. No sticky bolt lift, no primers signs, no excessive case head expansion, no nothing. A batch of cases would last an entire season, including practice in-between matches. So I was not concerned but I would not recommend that load to others.

It sounds like you have a nice rifle and I hope you enjoy it.

This rifle also has a tight neck chamber. I looked at the brass he gave me that was fired, and the primers were good. He also sold me 7.5 pounds of the powder he worked the loads up with, and he told me to start lower and work up with a new lot of powder when I need it.

 

[climbnjump]

That's what I'm worried about, showing up for a 100 yard match with this beast with a brake, next to the guy with much quieter and friendlier rounds.

You have probably already checked, but there are some competitions that ban muzzle brakes because they can be hard on the shooters on either side.

 

[Nature Boy]

The day I bought this is the day my local range closed for the virus. It's killing me not to have shot it yet.

that REALLY sucks.

My local range is closed as well. Makes no sense. People don’t shoot cheek-to-jowl, by nature the sport social distances itself.

 

[Skgreen]

RE:

The rifle we are talking about was manufactured in a way that it could chamber a round that is longer than others might be able to. So then it comes down to what manufacturer you are going to go to for data.

and:

For some, there is no published data to be had because their chambers aren’t made to any SAAMI spec.

I'm headed down that same slippery slope myself, mostly due to my own ignorance.

My current 223 barrel has a "VLD" chamber. (It was the only 1 he had in stock. He kept saying VLD chamber when I bought it. I had no idea of what that really was, but I figured it must be special! LOL!)

Oh yeah, it's special alright.... I'm way, way, past Hornady's recommended OAL, and I still haven't hit the lands w/75gr ELD's.

Published data is a bit scarce once you "cross that SAAMI" line,,,. I never really intended to cross that line myself, but 'here I am',,, might as well enjoy the ride!

 

[AJC1]

RE:

The rifle we are talking about was manufactured in a way that it could chamber a round that is longer than others might be able to. So then it comes down to what manufacturer you are going to go to for data.

and:

For some, there is no published data to be had because their chambers aren’t made to any SAAMI spec.

I'm headed down that same slippery slope myself, mostly due to my own ignorance.

My current 223 barrel has a "VLD" chamber. (It was the only 1 he had in stock. He kept saying VLD chamber when I bought it. I had no idea of what that really was, but I figured it must be special! LOL!)

Oh yeah, it's special alright.... I'm way, way, past Hornady's recommended OAL, and I still haven't hit the lands w/75gr ELD's.

Published data is a bit scarce once you "cross that SAAMI" line,,,. I never really intended to cross that line myself, but 'here I am',,, might as well enjoy the ride!

You may have a long freebore made for 90's and with a smaller bullet you will never get there.

 

[jmr40]

Normally I like to stay within book specs, but under the circumstances this load isn't that far from book specs and may well be just fine. I can't find a lot of data for 215 gr bullets, but lots of data for 220 gr loads. 2800 fps isn't that hard to reach with 220's and several powders. My sources say 66 gr of IMR4350 is a max load @ 2690 fps. And that's with 220's. Getting another 110 fps with a match barrel, a lighter match bullet, and 2 gr more powder seems reasonable and quite possibly safe.

If it were my rifle I'd start low and work up and see what happens, but only with a chronograph to watch speeds closely. I'd probably stop at 66 gr since my sources say that is safe with a 220 gr bullet. I'm betting speeds with a 215 bullet aren't too far off 2800 fps. Unless you're pushing the distance right to the limits coming up 50 fps short isn't going to hurt at all.

 

[AJC1]

Normally I like to stay within book specs, but under the circumstances this load isn't that far from book specs and may well be just fine. I can't find a lot of data for 215 gr bullets, but lots of data for 220 gr loads. 2800 fps isn't that hard to reach with 220's and several powders. My sources say 66 gr of IMR4350 is a max load @ 2690 fps. And that's with 220's. Getting another 110 fps with a match barrel, a lighter match bullet, and 2 gr more powder seems reasonable and quite possibly safe.

If it were my rifle I'd start low and work up and see what happens, but only with a chronograph to watch speeds closely. I'd probably stop at 66 gr since my sources say that is safe with a 220 gr bullet. I'm betting speeds with a 215 bullet aren't too far off 2800 fps. Unless you're pushing the distance right to the limits coming up 50 fps short isn't going to hurt at all.

I'm guessing the load he was given was on a node and the world class shooter knows every node that rifle has. A phone call with the right questions could be a landslide of good information and knowledge.

 

[Skgreen]

You may have a long freebore made for 90's and with a smaller bullet you will never get there.

I'll run out of twist before I get to 90's (1-8)