Do y’all start load development on a brass’s first firing? Or do you run it through once for brass/barrel break-in, then start your ladders/ocw
Virgin brass questions
- Thread starter Nimothy
- Start date
I do a crude assessment so the first firing isn’t crap but I don’t get super intricate on it. Just enough to make sure it’s not shooting like crap.
You have 6.5x47 that runs a 130 load that is kinda known? like how 45gr of varget and a 168smk runs in just about every 308 rifle. I just need a base line so I can dial it back and see where I’m at. I was thinking about loading all my brass at 33gr of varget and running it through and then shooting a ladder.
This.
For a new barrel and brass I always take it easy till I get all the brass with once fired
Usually those mild loads hammer pretty good.
I will do initial testing using virgin brass. The small difference will be corrected during second firing doing second/ refining development.
Preference is to used fire formed and properly and consistently sized brass.
Preference is to used fire formed and properly and consistently sized brass.
I don’t distinaguish between new and fired brass. Never noticed that much difference in prairie dog hunts or 600 yd matches. maybe I should pay attention here but I like to start with a few hundred rounds of new brass and I just can’t see shooting low to mid pressure round for a few hundred shots. I blast away!
Most of my rifles don't seem to notice the difference between new and once fired brass- and I start getting an idea of what I'm going to be running on the first firing. I do have one rifle that I developed a load on virgin brass and it shot excellent. On the next loading I did everything the same and it shot very poor with big ES. I tried the load again on some more virgin brass and it was back to good.
I haven't figured out why yet (chamber issue or resizing die, or me). I've measured the brass and everything seems pretty normal- and it resized easily. But just know that it can make a huge difference. I had to tweak the load quite a bit and it still doesn't shoot as good as new brass.
I haven't figured out why yet (chamber issue or resizing die, or me). I've measured the brass and everything seems pretty normal- and it resized easily. But just know that it can make a huge difference. I had to tweak the load quite a bit and it still doesn't shoot as good as new brass.
I work up until the extractor groove shows any growth and back off 3% for temperature stable powders. In 1956 when Vernon Speer was explaining how to write a load book, he said back off 6%. That was for a load book and stable powder was not available then. The derating on 6mmBR must be done on primer piercing as the brass is stronger than the primer.
I never re use brass. I buy Nosler brass if available. I seat long action calibers; 25-06, 6.5-06, 270, 280AI, 7mmRM, 300WM, qne 338WM at 3.34". When I rebarrel a rifle with magnum belet cartridge, I headspace at 0.215" which is 0.005" shorter than the SAAMI minimum, because I have not found any brass longer than that. I have shot game at over 625 yards with 6.5-06 and 7mmRM, but I like to keep it down to 500 yards with long actions.
On Short actions 250 Savage, 260 Rem, and 308 I use 2.8" OAL.
I try to keep the shots at game down to 400 yards.
Intermediate cartridges 257 Roberts, 257 Roberts Ackley, 257 Roberts Ackley rimmed, and 6.5x55 I have not standardized, but I have killed game at 500 yards, but should keep it to less. The rimmed brass should be stronger than the primer, unless it is that soft Norma brass. The 303 brit and 30-40 Krag and 30-40 Krag acly are limited by the actions. The 30-30 in a savage break action is limited by the primer, but the Wiin 94 and Marlin 336 actions limits those loads.
The 223 brass is stronger than the belted magnum brass than is stronger than the 270 brass. But it is not stronger than the primer. I still have to reduce from extractor groove growth I load at 2.26".
I never re use brass. I buy Nosler brass if available. I seat long action calibers; 25-06, 6.5-06, 270, 280AI, 7mmRM, 300WM, qne 338WM at 3.34". When I rebarrel a rifle with magnum belet cartridge, I headspace at 0.215" which is 0.005" shorter than the SAAMI minimum, because I have not found any brass longer than that. I have shot game at over 625 yards with 6.5-06 and 7mmRM, but I like to keep it down to 500 yards with long actions.
On Short actions 250 Savage, 260 Rem, and 308 I use 2.8" OAL.
I try to keep the shots at game down to 400 yards.
Intermediate cartridges 257 Roberts, 257 Roberts Ackley, 257 Roberts Ackley rimmed, and 6.5x55 I have not standardized, but I have killed game at 500 yards, but should keep it to less. The rimmed brass should be stronger than the primer, unless it is that soft Norma brass. The 303 brit and 30-40 Krag and 30-40 Krag acly are limited by the actions. The 30-30 in a savage break action is limited by the primer, but the Wiin 94 and Marlin 336 actions limits those loads.
The 223 brass is stronger than the belted magnum brass than is stronger than the 270 brass. But it is not stronger than the primer. I still have to reduce from extractor groove growth I load at 2.26".
Same here. I figure - factory brass is virgin brass, and these days many factory loads are pretty darn good. If I do load development on virgin brass, I know going in it may need to be tweaked a pinch on subsequent loads. Certainly gets me very close.
