Looking for a real world load using the 135 A-Tip, H4350 and Lapua brass.
What I'm coming up with right now is 41 - 41.5 gr which should give me 2793-2827 fps (per Gordon's Reloading Tool). However I don't have an accurate COAL to use in the calculation so it could be off a bit. Need to measure jam length to get a starting point tonight.
I see a lot of loads using 42-43 gr but I suspect that they are using brass with a larger internal volume.
Any guidance would be appreciated.
I think your in the right area to start.
For a reference with H4350
Lapua SRP
FGM 205 primers
41.6gr H4350
147 eldm COAL 2.830
2812fps SD 5.6
25" Barrel
This is important & it will make sense when comparing these 2 loads.
Per Gordon's that load above should only be 58,958psi. However.........it's outperforming Gordon's prediction for speed by 55fps. When I adjust powder charge to equal my speed it's right at the top end for pressure.
The 135 A-tips touched @2.937" in my chamber.
Sorry no H4350 data for the 135's. I tried RL 16 first & it shot so well I didn't bother trying 4350
My load is at the upper end, but shows no pressure. Gordon's shows this load is about 500psi over max, however it also predicts 2950fps, so in this case I'm under-performing predictions.
I always account for speed vs pressure when using Gordon's: i.e. 43.5 predicts my actual speed and that is 3kpsi under max. I also take into consideration the barrel. Mine is a Rock Creek & is not a slow barrel. A factory RPR would almost certainly hit pressure long before reaching 2900.
Lapua SRP
FGM 205
44.2gr RL 16
135 A-tip COAL 2.886"
2900fps SD's 1 - 2 on 5 round strings repeated several times.
25" barrel
This is also a very important note: Primers matter. I wish Gordon's had and input to account for primers. I inadvertently loaded the above in Lapua I'd already prepped and primed........accept they were primed with CCI#41 which is a magnum SRP. The speed jumped from 2900 with the FGM 205's to 2970 with the cci#41's Load went to shit, like 1.5moa shit & terrible SD's. Painful lesson learned on that one.