.223 and IMR3031 help please!

HeavyT

HeavyT

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Hey out there. I've loaded lots of .223 using mostly IMR4198, and sticking to the hornady manual. I'm setting up my drop for 3031, (24grn). Falls prettybmuch middle of the scale, so I'm happy with that.
Question is- when I drop the charge into the case from my hornady dropper it overflows the case, and I have to tap the case to get it to settle enough to seat a bullet.

I haven't seated any bullets yet, I m wondering if anyone out there has experienced this with 3031

Also, unless I'm having a stroke I have set my scale properly so the drop weight is accurate.

Thanks!
 
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Check a loading manual... Some loads are noted as "compressed" so it could be totally normal for tour powder charge to fill the case...
 
Thanks 667, I'm checking but can't find nothing to tha affect yet. Funny thing is my 4198 charge was roughly the same but inever noticed this before. Due to actual poser grain shape?
 
Good question, how can you work up a load if there is so much powder in the case it is spilling over????
My hornady manual suggests a max load of 22.8 gr with a 55gr bullet?

Heavy what does your manual say?? FS
 
The load data I found showed 20.5 to 23 gr of 3031 for a 55 gr fmjbt. I have been using 21.5 and it fills pretty well up to the bottom of the neck. I can see how 24 gr would possibly overflow.
 
IMR 3031 us a very useful powder. I have often though it would be a great candidate for the SSC treatment. The thing is there are so many new powders that do the job just as well or better.

That doesn't mean my remaining stores of IMR 3031 won't get used up though. It is one of my go to powders for 303 British, depending on bullet weight.
 
When I was working up some loads for my target AR I tried 3031, mainly because I had a can of it laying around. It's a pretty coarse stick powder so therefore is quite bulky. I'm not a big "load it to the max" guy but I remember that even with middle of the road loads the 3031 pretty much filled up the case to the point where there was some compression. Accuracy was OK but not in the same ballpark as Benchmark which I eventually settled on as my go to powder. 52 gr. Sierra Match Kings gave me a best 5 shot group of .28" @ 100 yards. The gun has a 24" bull barrel with a 1:10 twist which is why I am using the lighter bullets.
 
The solution is simple. Brush inside the neck during prep. I use 24.6gr of 3031 under a 55gr Hornady bulk bullet. The powder will stick if the neck is sticky.
 
Hey guys my hornady manual shows up to 24.7 for 53 gr bullets. I just knocked it back to 22 and alls well.
 
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This is the same load load I use for .223 with 50gr V-Max. Great performer load on coyotes.
kb007 said:
The load data I found showed 20.5 to 23 gr of 3031 for a 55 gr fmjbt. I have been using 21.5 and it fills pretty well up to the bottom of the neck. I can see how 24 gr would possibly overflow.
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