Loading Over Max

BCboy said:
I have 6 manuals from different companys and what is max load in one may not be max in anouther. Max for a (308 win)168gr using Varget in hornady book is 44Gr , Speer Book is 46Gr
Or how about a 168gr using IMR 4895? Hornady book max is 43.3 , Speer Book Max is 44 and Hodgdon is 45.4
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but those are all different bullets with different jacket thickness different bearing surfaces imo a strting point but not transferable.
 
sealhunter said:
How many of you guys have developed a load over max and shoot it consistently?

I have been off finding load data here there and everywhere, and a few recipes I saw, that were shot out of stock rifles, were up to 6 grains over maximum...

We all know the story of the dangers and the cost/benefit analysis,...but who is loading a hot load to get another 100 fps or 50 fps as the case may be...

No judging, just curious about it and the rifles and cartridges you're doing it with..
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Not personally,but my Uncle is 2 grs over the highest published max in his Sako .338wm.
He's been a dedicated handloader for decades.It's not about velocity,but rather where accuracy is best.Surprisingly it is still a pleasure to shoot.
It should be noted that his hunting partners newer Sako failed using the same load on first firing.
 
it's also the AGE of the manuals that counts- a load doesn't become suddenly dangerous just because someone changed the numbers- the 45acp for BOWLING PINS for years was 6.2 of 231 under a 200 gr, swc- in my old speer, 6.0 is the top end, and now it's down to 5.8 or so- that's LAWYERIZING
 
I use Hodgdon powder and their recommended max as my max when developing a load. I have found my most accurate rounds to be about 1gr or a little better below their listed max.
 
95% of people with a Wildcat who claim to get 100 fps or more above the "standard" cartridge, are doing just that - and there are many.
 
I have a 7x64 Brenneke that I load way over the "max" data published in a couple of North American manuals, Hornady and Lee. Several grains more of IMR4831. But most German data shows about 150 fps faster at "max" than the velocities shown for the wimpy NA loads. I suspected that a German cartridge could safely achieve German published velocities. So I worked up carefully, using my chrony, and reached 2850fps with 160 grain bullets. 3 test Cases have been loaded 10x now with no stretching of primer pockets, and of course no other signs of too much pressure. So I'm feeling confident that I have a fast, AND safe load. I found out later that Lee just extrapolated .280 Reminton data and did not actually develop loads, and Hornady published data for the rimmed version made to lower pressure for use in hinge action rifles. The source of the "max" data matters!
 
The manufacturers have to allow for the fact that published loads are going to be used in a great variety of guns, different actions, and ages ranging from brand new to very old, depending on calibre. A new built up target rifle with a heavy barrel and custom action is going to handle a much stouter load than a hundred year old lever gun. We also sometimes forget that our "new" bolt action hunting guns are a lot of them 50 and 60 years old, and have been fired how many thousand times? Liability has more to do with published load data than anything else, as has been stated. All this said, it seems that quality hunting rifles from the 50s and 60s seem to be stronger even today than some of the new stuff; not my own experience, just what I seem to be reading.
 
D_Ghost said:
Not a chance - My face is behind that load. I like my face....
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Same here although I find not everyone likes my face :D

Seriously I would not recommend it. The pressures created aren't necessarily going to increase by a given proportion / given factor.. a little bit of powder can make a HUGE difference! It's too late AFTER an incident occurs!

Regards,
 
7mm mag. 154 grain Hornady. 66 gr IMR 4831. 700 BDLDM.

I have several reloading manuals that vary the max load from 73 grains down to 62 grains for imr 4831 powder. The new Hornady manual is the 62 grain limit. Anyways after starting low and working up, I've found my gun shoots the most accurately with 66 grains of powder. No signs of over pressure, no problems, so I stuck with it. Never chronied it.
 
VICIOUS said:
HOWDY; Once knew a guy that overloaded 357 Mag in a TC contender , cause it was more accurate . It worked for awhile, KA=Boom !split the barrel. He never came back to the range.
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If you're suggesting that a slightly overloaded .357Mag caused, over time, a TC barrel to split, I don't buy it.

More likely a double-charge of fast-burning powder. Using H110 or other "magnum" powders, it's almost impossible to make a dangerous cartridge (on the high end, that is).
 
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