My first reload

[9-ball]

Also should I not be measuring from the ogive instead of my COL? if I'm understanding this Right, the ogive is what's going to hit the lands first?

In time... but that doesnt matter right now, keep it simple.
Your using 180-grain Speer BTSP, these are generally not long drawn out bullets. Think Berger VLD, now those can be way over COAL as they are tapered a lot, so the ogive has a long long ways to travel to the lands if you loaded to COAL.

You mentioned that you were a BIT longer, your 1/4" longer in COAL. Thats a lot. Take that free space in your brass coupled with a drastically under loaded BALL powder, and a bullet jammed into that lands... not a good situation.

 

[Fyn]

Who's face is by the action when the trigger is pulled?

This.

It seems like you're putting a lot of effort into brass prep and consistency, which is great, but mostly unnecessary at this time.

But I'd really be sticking to the basics, published data with the same exact components. Even different brands of brass can cause drastically different pressures. Going off script using a powder with no published data is pretty risky.

 

[jethunter]

Winchester 760 and Winchester Staball HD are very different powders. Load data is not interchangeable between them. It's like using a shop manual for a Chevy Colorado to order parts for a Gmc Sierra. Same manufacturer but not interchangeable.

 

[MissNoone]

Here’s the long story: I have Staball HD powder that I intended to use for my Hornady 168-grain Match BTHP, for which I already have load data. I was planning to buy Reloader 22 from a local supplier, as their website indicated that it was in stock at a nearby address. However, when I went to that address, I discovered that it didn’t exist; it turned out to be an auto body parts supplier instead. I called the phone number listed on the site and initially reached someone, but during our conversation, the call got disconnected. After trying a couple more times, it became clear that this was not a legitimate business and was likely a scam.

I then thought, Why not just use the HD powder? However, I realized this afternoon, while reviewing all my papers and apps, that I should not have substituted or tried to interchange the powder. That should have been my first clue that I had the wrong Sheet, right? I guess not!! I definitely had a massive brain fart. How stupid can I be?



It looks like I will be pulling Bullets.

 

[9-ball]

Everyone that reloads has had to pull bullets, the key thing is to know when to pull them.

 

[OkayShooter]

Everyone that reloads has had to pull bullets, the key thing is to know when to pull them.

Alot of us had mentors to teach us.

Also the key thing is knowing you messed up and own it.. Not try and justify your choice esp when you are not as knowledged. Likely if the OP didnt post this. They be mixing mashed potatoes with your strong hand.

 

[Smokinyotes]

If you took a fully prepped case and stuck a bullet into it and forced it closed with the bolt I would bet you are jammed well beyond the start of the lands. For under 20 bucks you can get a Hornady oal gauge.

 

[fiftycalforsquirrels]

The listed charge for StaballHD, 300 win mag, and a 190gr pill is 74 to 81.5 @ approximately 2700 to 2950fps.

Rule of thumb is if you cant find the exact load data for a bullet weight, use the closest heavier bullet you do have data for. A lighter bullet will almost always use more powder to make the same pressure.

I dont own a 300 win mag, I havent ever used Staball HD. I took a quick look and if I were loading a 300 win mag with a 180gr pill and StaballHD, I would load 1 round each at: 75, 76, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82 and shoot them starting with a clean bore over a chrono.

If your throat is truly .240" longer to the rifling than book COAL.... that means you need more powder than 74-81.5 to go 2700-2950fps. Id still start at 75gr.

I personally wouldnt use the method you used to determine where the lands are. I would load them long, but I would ensure I am not touching the rifling. Roughly speaking if you hold the rifle muzzle up and push a dummy cartridge in with your finger, if it gets considerably stuck, you are jammed in the lands. The chamber and lands need to be clean for this method to apply and you need to verify a sized piece of brass has zero stick.

The first load is going to tell me if I'm in the ballpark over a chrono and confirm if I am going to keep shooting the increasing charge weights. I would stop shooting at signs pressure or excessive velocity.

Next time youre at the loading bench you will have exact data out of your rifle for what you may or may not wish to do with that bullet and powder combination.

This is my opinion, load at your own risk. I assume no responsibility.

 

[I Dont Care About You]

Your method for calculating depth to the lands is fine, but based on the (not insignificant) length compared to SAAMI you have a deep chamber

No it is not at all. Measuring to the tip of the bullet (COAL) is totally useless because bullets vary in length to a great degree. The ONLY way to accurately measure the seating depth is via the ogive.

COAL is the most useless piece of information ever applied to ammunition. The only thing it has any relevance to is the rounds fitting in a magazine. COAL can vary wildly depending on the bullet weight and shape. Loading to a COAL is friggen stupid.

What exactly does COAL and bullet seat depth have to do with the chamber depth (headspace)?

I also note the OP has managed to measure a number of fairly irrelevant dimensions to a very high degree and yet didn't even mention sizing the cases to the correct headspace ... something that is kinda important.

I use the Speer data, although it did not have HD powder on the list. It listed Winchester 760 which originally was listed at 61 Grains min and 65 to be the Max.

Sorry, am I to understand you used the data for one powder to determine the charge for another powder? Are you completely insane? IF this is true you need to pull all those bullets and then sit down and have a long hard rethink about this reloading thing cause otherwise you are gonna blow yourself up. Just to be clear, 60,000 psi explosion is not something you want to experience right in front of your face.

Yes, they fit the mag and chamber without issues. I am at the max length I can go with just a little bit of space left .003

LOL. Good lord, you really need to rethink this whole reloading thing.

Get the proper tool to measure bbullet seating depth, then seat a few bullets with your press / die and see how much variation you get. Guaranteed you will currently have some that are into the lands, some touching the lands and some just back from the lands. You should be shooting for no less than .010" to .020" from the lands.

Everything I purchased was suggested by the retailer.

Then, your retailer is an IDIOT and you should find someone else.

 

[Paul_T]

No it is not at all. Measuring to the tip of the bullet (COAL) is totally useless because bullets vary in length to a great degree. The ONLY way to accurately measure the seating depth is via the ogive.

Then, your retailer is an IDIOT and you should find someone else.

Yes you are correct.

But - his initial measurement 'was' measuring the ogive (to lands), then he has come up with his loaded COAL by measuring it. Unless he has a Hornady Comparator gauge there's no real way to do it other than that - and that's only close because of varying bullet lengths as you comment. I would guess he's within +/- 0.002.

Loading them into the lands is a no no regardless (you mention 0.010 to 0.020, I would prefer 0.020 but that's just me). FWIW my Tikka in 6.5x55 has almost a .230 jump with the bullet seated out as far as I want to take it. Nothing I can do about it. Works just fine.

His retailer is an idiot for recommending StaBall, that's for sure.

 

[boxhitch]

there are listings for powders on the burn rate chart in the range of Staball HD for 180 gr in the 300win mag
so the burn rate may be okay but need to get the correct volume dialed in order to find a starting load and suggested min/max
each powder possibly meters different than its neighbour on the chart , so no guessing

and starting to work a load with bullets jammed is no problem either, it will generate a pressure like any other oal but jsut needs to be monitored close for a pressure spike. Lots of shooters load with touching or even several thou of jamb, just adjust the load volume accordingly, start low and work up

the method of finding oal with the glued-in bullet is fine also, as long as the measurement used is to the ogive and not the tip
fancy Hornady tool works but there are other methods with tool on the bench also
keep in mind these are comparison measurements, measure the dummy round to a data point, then measure others the same way

op info makes it sound like the vendor may have had some knowledge or reference in order to be able to specify the Staball HD, its not like he would pick a numbe from a hat now would he......

 

[boxhitch]

from the Hodgdon site, list of cartridges using 180 gr bullets with StaballHD is long, easy to see 300 win mag would fit in there

7mm Remington Magnum
7MM PRC
7mm Shooting Times Westerner
28 Nosler
30 Nosler
300 PRC
300 Remington Ultra Mag
30-378 Weatherby

with a little bit of calc and some extrapolation from loads for 30 Nos and 300PRC, a good start load should be easy to find

 

[OkayShooter]

Here’s the long story: I have Staball HD powder that I intended to use for my Hornady 168-grain Match BTHP, for which I already have load data.

So legit question. If you had load data for staball HD for 168grn what was the min and max for that?