thomis
Member
I've been working up several pet loads for my two hunting rifles, and I've come up with some questions/ observations.
I started at the minimum charge for the Sierra 125 grain (.308 Win) in my Featherweight using IMR 4064. Groups are closing up significantly as I near the max charge. So I went ahead and loaded up a few last night at max charge. The powder came all the way to the top of the case. I know this can be normal but it's the first time I've ever done it and it kind of makes me nervous. In seating them, I could even feel the pressure of the compressed charge in the press and backed off a little, unable to seat to the desired COL. I went ahead and seated one of them all the way down and it took a lot of pressure. Honestly, I'm afraid to fire this cartridge.
Another observation...crimping the bullets that have a cannelure. This may or may not be necessary, and I don't know when exactly it is necessary. But some of the bullets I've been loading lately (150 Hornady .308 for one) has a cannelure, so I've been giving the cartridges a light roll crimp. I'm using the seating die to do this and it works just fine once you get the die set right. Which makes me wonder, why do they sell a separate die for this job?
One bullet I have on hand but I can't find a COL online for is the Hornady A-Max 168 grain bullet. If I had a Hornady manual, I could look it up but...I don't. I wish the bullet manufacturers would post COL's on their websites, or at least give some guidance in that regard. Someone with a current Hornady manual could please provide this?
My other hunting rifle is a .243 Winchester. I've been loading several different cartridges for it, including some Berger bullets. I posted a thread a few days ago and got some good info, but...If someone could share what they have successfully used as a COL for the Berger (6mm/.243) 95 grain VLD, that would be great!
Thanks for the help!
I started at the minimum charge for the Sierra 125 grain (.308 Win) in my Featherweight using IMR 4064. Groups are closing up significantly as I near the max charge. So I went ahead and loaded up a few last night at max charge. The powder came all the way to the top of the case. I know this can be normal but it's the first time I've ever done it and it kind of makes me nervous. In seating them, I could even feel the pressure of the compressed charge in the press and backed off a little, unable to seat to the desired COL. I went ahead and seated one of them all the way down and it took a lot of pressure. Honestly, I'm afraid to fire this cartridge.
Another observation...crimping the bullets that have a cannelure. This may or may not be necessary, and I don't know when exactly it is necessary. But some of the bullets I've been loading lately (150 Hornady .308 for one) has a cannelure, so I've been giving the cartridges a light roll crimp. I'm using the seating die to do this and it works just fine once you get the die set right. Which makes me wonder, why do they sell a separate die for this job?
One bullet I have on hand but I can't find a COL online for is the Hornady A-Max 168 grain bullet. If I had a Hornady manual, I could look it up but...I don't. I wish the bullet manufacturers would post COL's on their websites, or at least give some guidance in that regard. Someone with a current Hornady manual could please provide this?
My other hunting rifle is a .243 Winchester. I've been loading several different cartridges for it, including some Berger bullets. I posted a thread a few days ago and got some good info, but...If someone could share what they have successfully used as a COL for the Berger (6mm/.243) 95 grain VLD, that would be great!
Thanks for the help!