Expanded 30 06 cases.

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Greg S

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I have some full length resized cases that I loaded with Hornady 180 grain SST in front of H4831sc. It is a compressed load and some are hard to chamber. Some are really hard to chamber. I suspect some of it has to do with different manufacturers. The Hornady and Winchester cases all chamber. The F C and R P cases are the ones that have the issue. H4831sc max load is supposed to be 62 grain with the 180 grain bullet. I've only got 61 grains compressed in there and taper crimped in the canular.

Is it possible the compressed powder is bulging the case? Does this indicate the swelled cases are thinner?

GS
 
Yes, heavily compressed loads can bulge the cases. If you don’t crimp the bullet in, they can be pushed out too. The swelled cases may have thicker walls which reduces internal volume.
 
Case: WinchesterTwist: 1:10"Primer: Winchester LR, Large RifleBarrel Length: 24"Trim Length: 2.484"
BULLET WEIGHT
180 GR. SIE SPBT
Starting LoadsMaximum Loads
Manufacturer Powder Bullet Diam.
C.O.L. Grs.
Vel. (ft/s)
Pressure
Grs.
Vel. (ft/s)
Pressure
Hodgdon H4831 .308" 3.300" 54.0 2,447 34,700 CUP 60.0C 2,710 44,300 CUP
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I think you are loading too hot ..... Max from http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle is 60.0g

did you do any reduced loads first ???????
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if loading brass that has been fired in someone elses gun ie range brass

when you resize make sure you over cam ... single stage press ie a RC

check several pcs of brass before you reload them in your gun to make sure bolt will close

if you do this and then you have a tight bolt, after you reload ... you are doing something wrong .... ie over crimping or pushing shoulder back with seating die

Most powder will compress
 
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1. Buy or make a "LONG" drop tube to help settle the powder.

2. Stop using mixed brass with near max or max loads.

And yes compressed loads can bulge the cases, I would use a faster powder and reduce the loading density.
 
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Several comments.

A case should be full length sized, to guarantee it will chamber. Turn you sizer die in 2 or 3 more revs, so that when you size, your shell holder hits the bottom of the die - hard. This is a full length sized case. If your press arm is camming over, the case is not sized all the way.

"H4831sc max load is supposed to be 62 grain with the 180 grain bullet." Not so. It may have been max in THEIR rifle. But 56 gr might be max in YOUR rifle. You must work up. The manual is a guide, not a recipe book.
 
Quite a few newer loading manuals list 4831 but they're referring to IMR 4831 which was brought out in 1973. I checked two of my older manuals from 1970, Speer and Lyman, both give max. loading, with H4831, at 59 gr. with 180 gr. bullet. Loading 62 gr. of H4831 you'd be around 108% load density. If you're full length resizing and triming your case length and your reloads are tough to chamber, with 62 gr. at a 108% case density, you may be bulging the shoulders or the case itself. Lighten up on your charge and try again.
 
Thanks for all the replies.
Too much powder? 108%? The Nosler version 8.3 load data that I have shows a compressed 62.0 gn max at 101%. I started at 58gn and worked up to 62. No over pressure signs noted. You simply can't stuff more powder into the cases and still have room for a projectile. 61.0 gn was the most accurate in my gun. The Nosler data shows 60.0 gn as most accurate in their gun. Their data page lists six 180 gn bullets and two 175 grain bullets associated with the information and the powder is specified H4831. I have H4831sc and my research tells me there is no difference for load charges between H4831 and H4831sc.

All were not fired from this gun but all were full length resized in a new, unused RCBS die set per RCBS instructions to set the die so the handle cams over. The die set now has had 40 rounds through it. Pretty sure it can do a few more before it becomes oversized. :) I'll try setting the die down a couple turns and see how that goes but more important, I'll sort out the problem brand of casings.
 
Are you familiar with a drop tube?

When loading a case with 2 scoops of powder, I use a drop tube under the funnel. This packs the powder in more efficiently.

I have use drinking straws and primer tubes in a pinch.

This is what I use now:

nDkrH1Y.jpg
 
If your cases aren't trimmed to the same length you are applying more crimp to the longer cases and possibly bulging them with the crimp. The biggest problem with using the seating die to crimp is that you have to ensure all your cases are trimmed to the same length.

Wouldn't be the first time that different headstamped brass is different lengths then others, and could explain why your remington and federal cases are not chambering after you crimp, this alone is one of the reasons I switch over to the lee factory crimp dies for when i have to crimp
 
The comments about crimps, bulges and uneven length cases are very good.

30-06 has a long neck, so there should be lots of neck tension to hold bullets in place.

I have never crimped 30-06 - not even for my Garand.

Try backing your seater die out a half rev, so it does not crimp. One variable you don't need.
 
I think you answered the question when you said Winchester and Hornady cases are good, but RP and FC are bulging. What you're seeing is that your mixed cases have different capacities. The best fix in terms of consistency and accuracy is segregating cases by make. If you're not overly concerned with accuracy, just back off the load to suit the lowest capacity case, because drop tubes are just a pia if they aren't necessary.
 
Personally, I would use another powder. H4350 would be a better choice. And never mix rifle brass with near max loads. Too many variances with internal dimensions.
 
Loaded rounds separated by case headstamps. Each groups nicely but each groups in a differnt place on the target. I will sort all headstamps and give away all but one so this won't happen in the future. Almost out of H4831sc and will replace it with H4350 as so often suggested.

One round worked! About 240 yards, pass through on a cow elk. Two ribs broken going in and one rib going out. Big hole and wound path. One step and a backward summersault. (Summersault by the elk, not the shooter.)
 
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