I'm new to reloading and am trying to work up a load for my Remington 700 300wm using Nosler ballistic hunting 180gr with H4831. Last weekend a buddy who loads quite a lot and I loaded 5 each of 71.5, 72gr, 72.5gr, 73gr and 73.5 gr. With a clean barrel at 100yds I fired 3 Remington 180gr PSP's and grouped 5/8". Then started with the reloads, the 71's grouped about 1 1/8" and things went down hill from there, the 72's were 1 1/4" and 72.5's were at 2", 73's were 2 1/2". When I fired the 73.5 the second and fourth blew tiny holes in the primers, with no other pressure signs. I hadn't checked the second shell until after I fired the fourth shot, first and third were fine. We stopped there. Group was about 1 1/4" with the 4 shots.
We I got home I did a lot of Googling and found that the primers I had used, Winchester Large Rifle Magnum have had this problem lots. I am now the proud owner of a bolt with 2 tiny pits from the primers blowing through. I email Winchester and haven't got a response yet, if nothing by Monday I will be calling them.
I got some CCI Magnum Large Rifle primers this week and loaded some more with the same bullets and powder, 72.5gr ,73gr, 73.5gr and 74gr and went back out today. Again started with the Remington factory loads and shot a 3 shot group just over 5/8". The 72.5's were at 1 1/4" the 73's were at 2 1/4 may have pulled 1, 73.5's were 1 3/8 and 74's were at 7/8". There are no pressure signs, primers look fine, bolt come back easy.
All the manuals I have checked say the max load is 72 -73 depending on which you look at.
My question is do I keep working up until I see pressure signs and how far have guys gone before they start to see signs.
We I got home I did a lot of Googling and found that the primers I had used, Winchester Large Rifle Magnum have had this problem lots. I am now the proud owner of a bolt with 2 tiny pits from the primers blowing through. I email Winchester and haven't got a response yet, if nothing by Monday I will be calling them.
I got some CCI Magnum Large Rifle primers this week and loaded some more with the same bullets and powder, 72.5gr ,73gr, 73.5gr and 74gr and went back out today. Again started with the Remington factory loads and shot a 3 shot group just over 5/8". The 72.5's were at 1 1/4" the 73's were at 2 1/4 may have pulled 1, 73.5's were 1 3/8 and 74's were at 7/8". There are no pressure signs, primers look fine, bolt come back easy.
All the manuals I have checked say the max load is 72 -73 depending on which you look at.
My question is do I keep working up until I see pressure signs and how far have guys gone before they start to see signs.
