Too much powder?

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cbh560

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I have a Speer and Sierra reloading manual and last night I loaded up what I thought to be a medium sized charge for some barrel break in on my new .223. I loaded 55gr V-max over 25gr of H335 and CCI 400's. According to these two manuals the 25gr of powder is mid-range, but just checking on the Hodgdon reloading site, the max charge for any of the listed 55gr bullets is just under 23grs of H335. It should be noted that none of these sources list a v-max bullet specifically, maybe someone with a Hornady manual can chime in? Do I have cause for concern? Should I go buy a bullet puller?
 
cbh560 said:
I have a Speer and Sierra reloading manual and last night I loaded up what I thought to be a medium sized charge for some barrel break in on my new .223. I loaded 55gr V-max over 25gr of H335 and CCI 400's. According to these two manuals the 25gr of powder is mid-range, but just checking on the Hodgdon reloading site, the max charge for any of the listed 55gr bullets is just under 23grs of H335. It should be noted that none of these sources list a v-max bullet specifically, maybe someone with a Hornady manual can chime in? Do I have cause for concern? Should I go buy a bullet puller?
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My info say's max load is 25.3. Your just under max but not by much.

Kenner
 
Kenner said:
My info say's max load is 25.3. Your just under max but not by much.

Kenner
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Hi kenner, is this from a hornady manual? Maybe a bullet puller will be in order. I just wanted some mid-range loads for break-in and sight-in. The speer book listed a max load of 27.6gr if I remember correctly....
 
My Lyman manual for a 55gr, H335.

Starting is 24.3gr.
Max is 27.0gr.
The test data is on a Sierra SPT bullet though. So some difference is to be expected with a V-Max.

Checked an online site and 25.3gr. H335 with a Hornady bullet is listed as a max load.
 
If I did that and was concerned, I would do my break in with Start Loads and then later do a work up to see what works. The rifle might max out before you get to your ammo, or might like to go even higher.


No need to pull now. Just put them aside.
 
cbh560 said:
Hi kenner, is this from a hornady manual? Maybe a bullet puller will be in order. I just wanted some mid-range loads for break-in and sight-in. The speer book listed a max load of 27.6gr if I remember correctly....
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If I want info on a IMR, Hodgen or Winchester powder my laptop is always close by. I go to http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp and look up the calibre and bullet. Just the first stop of checking six different reloading manuals.

Kenner
 
Hornaby 8th edition for 223 rem using H335 for 55 gr v max states max load as 23.2 gr. Range is 20.8 to 23.2 gr, using Winchester WSR primers.

Lyman 49th states 27 grs as max and Nosler 6th states 25 grs as most accurate, but they both use Rem 7-1/2 primers!!

Your load will act differently with different primers. Lyman has a table showing the different pressures achieved (using the same laod) but different primers. Federals produced the lowest pressure. Winchester and CCI ran a few thousand PSI higher than the Federals.

My two beans ... with the primer you're using you may be pushing the envelope with the current load.
 
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I have used that same load, with exactly the same bullet for years. No stretching, or incipient neck cracking, or blown primers. I use CCI small rifle magnum primers as well.

I have used that load in 4 different rifles and neck resized only for each of them. 50 rounds of brass bought with each rifle, outlasted the rifles.

I suspect your action is one of the common actions available today??? If so you are good to go IMHO.

There is only one caveat. Small cases can get you into trouble a lot faster than large cases.

There just isn't as much room for forgiveness once the critical limit is reached.

In this particular case, H335 itself is quite forgiveing.

When I worked up that load, I used the 46th Lyman manual. It was the first load for that bullet weight I tried. Max load listed in that manual is 26.5 grains.

IMHO, in all of the 223rem rifles I've owned, they all give the best results with cartridges loaded close to max.
 
reloading manuals and component manufacturers will conflict on the same powder and bullet weight

seat out as far as you can and you can sub the bullet weight for weight
 
If you don't have a bullet puller you should get one, you'll need it sooner or later. You should also have a caliper or a micrometer to measure your case web expansion. If you note a .001" increase in web diameter, its time to back off a bit. Be sure to keep your cases trimmed under the maximum length as long case necks can have an adverse effect on pressure. Bearhunter's warning concerning the dangers working up maximum loads in small capacity cases is pertinent as well. Keep in mind that not all cases, powders, primers or bullets are identical, they are all made within certain tolerances, and these tolerances can be variable. Loading right up to maximum might conceivably get you into trouble someday with a slightly heavier bullet, a case with slightly smaller powder volume, a lot of powder that burned a bit faster than the last one, or a primer that was a bit sharper.
 
Boomer said:
If you note a .001" increase in web diameter, its time to back off a bit.
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Just for clarity I believe you mean after the first firing on virgin brass and as you are working up loads in fire formed, neck sized brass. If you measured case head expansion on virgin brass even most factory loads have more than .001 case head expansion. In fact I often measure a factory load case head after firing, using the same brass as I am loading for, and use that for reference on my relaods.
 
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