Lighter loads now
I checked my 2007 Hodgdon book, and the Hodgdon web site....both say 52-55.7gr. for H4831 with 150gr. Nosler's. We dumped the powder on the one's we loaded at 56, and went to 54gr...OAL is 3.285". I would like to know why the same powder from an older Hogdon book say's min. grains at 52.5 and max at 58, now they say 52-55.7? First time I have noticed this.
It's called liability! Once the action of suing for huge amounts of money caught on, the loading companies suddenly decided to reduce their top loading data.
I have loading books from the mid 1960s and generally, their loads are heavier.
One variable not mentioned is the difference between rifles. I have two 30-06 rifles. One always shoots the same load about 75 fps slower than the other, but will not take (too high pressure) loads the other easily handles. A 77 Ruger in 243 will easily handle loads that are MUCH too high for a German made, high quality bolt action 243.
In my Sako L161 270, I found the 58 grains of 4831 you mention, as being a bit higher pressure with the 150 grain bullet, than I was comfortable with. As has been said so many times, work up your own loads. I sometimes take my loading outfit to the range to work up new loads. I always use the same brass cases over and over, increasing the charge by ½, or a grain, over the previous load that was OK, and if a primer suddenly seats with less pressure than it did the time before, I know that load is considerably too high. Yes, I look at all the other signs of pressure, like primers (poor indicators), or if the bolt tends to stick on opening, or, if the base of the brass case shows marks where it stayed in the chamber while the bolt face rotated a bit before the case came out. If any of those signs are present, you have an overload. But swelling of the primer pocket is a sure sign of a much too heavy load.
