This may be a dumb question, bit I can't find an answer anywhere, or from anyone I trust. Are compressed loads (308 is what I shoot), good, bad, dangerous, more predictable burn, higher pressure, or does it not matter. I just cant get anywhere close to a max load with Varget, Scenar 155's and Lapua brass, unless I compress the load. Thanks in advance.
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Compressed load question
- Thread starter heydavemd
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Re: Compressed load question
I have a few loads that are compressed, Varget in LC Match brass in .308, and 4831 in my .375 H&H. The crunching of the powder when you seat the bullet is a bit unsettling, but I have not noticed any difference between compressed and non-compressed loads in my experience.
Just my 2 cents.
I have a few loads that are compressed, Varget in LC Match brass in .308, and 4831 in my .375 H&H. The crunching of the powder when you seat the bullet is a bit unsettling, but I have not noticed any difference between compressed and non-compressed loads in my experience.
Just my 2 cents.
Re: Compressed load question
I run compressed loads in my 30-06 with RL 22 and RL 19.
There's a pressure increase that I noticed for the same load as the seating depth changed, but the great part was that when I found a good load that was pressure safe, the more I compressed the load while testing the seating depths, the lower my ES was.
I'm talking loads that had ES in the upper 20's when the powder column was starting to touch the base of the bullet to having low teens and ES spreads like 12 fps across 20 round test populations.
I have not tried it with Varget, but it's definitely worth testing.
I run compressed loads in my 30-06 with RL 22 and RL 19.
There's a pressure increase that I noticed for the same load as the seating depth changed, but the great part was that when I found a good load that was pressure safe, the more I compressed the load while testing the seating depths, the lower my ES was.
I'm talking loads that had ES in the upper 20's when the powder column was starting to touch the base of the bullet to having low teens and ES spreads like 12 fps across 20 round test populations.
I have not tried it with Varget, but it's definitely worth testing.
Re: Compressed load question
IN MOST CASES... there should be nothing wrong with some powder compression in a load. If you keep increasing the charge, eventually you will start seeing the bullet push back up. At that point the compressed load is changing specifics that you don't want to change. At that point it has become detrement to your loads. I would back down if I got that far.
I generally find better chronograph numbers if the case has at least 75 - 80% capacity full of powder.
IN MOST CASES... there should be nothing wrong with some powder compression in a load. If you keep increasing the charge, eventually you will start seeing the bullet push back up. At that point the compressed load is changing specifics that you don't want to change. At that point it has become detrement to your loads. I would back down if I got that far.
I generally find better chronograph numbers if the case has at least 75 - 80% capacity full of powder.
Re: Compressed load question
Varget and compressed loads pretty much just go hand in hand.
My 308 load with Varget goes compressed a full 2 gr below what I shoot.
Varget and compressed loads pretty much just go hand in hand.
My 308 load with Varget goes compressed a full 2 gr below what I shoot.
Re: Compressed load question
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Balkandom</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I have a few loads that are compressed, Varget in LC Match brass in .308, and 4831 in my .375 H&H. The crunching of the powder when you seat the bullet is a bit unsettling, but I have not noticed any difference between compressed and non-compressed loads in my experience.
Just my 2 cents. </div></div>
With LC LR 07 brass and a 155 Scenar @ 2.800, 43gr of R-15 is all I can get into the case before it's "overly compressed". That gives me 2770ft/sec out of a 700P and is very accurate to 600.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Balkandom</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> I have a few loads that are compressed, Varget in LC Match brass in .308, and 4831 in my .375 H&H. The crunching of the powder when you seat the bullet is a bit unsettling, but I have not noticed any difference between compressed and non-compressed loads in my experience.
Just my 2 cents. </div></div>
With LC LR 07 brass and a 155 Scenar @ 2.800, 43gr of R-15 is all I can get into the case before it's "overly compressed". That gives me 2770ft/sec out of a 700P and is very accurate to 600.
Re: Compressed load question
My 308 loads ( 168 smk, hornady brass, 46 gn of varget) are compressed at sammi length 2.8". But not at ai mag length 2.9xx"
don't have a problem either way but hornady has greater case capacity than lapua
My 308 loads ( 168 smk, hornady brass, 46 gn of varget) are compressed at sammi length 2.8". But not at ai mag length 2.9xx"
don't have a problem either way but hornady has greater case capacity than lapua
Re: Compressed load question
Thanks for the info. Now I just have to get past the crunching noise
Thanks for the info. Now I just have to get past the crunching noise
Re: Compressed load question
As you get closer to a 100% case fill the powder burn becomes more consistant, ES and SD drop as a side effect. The majority of the loads I shoot are compressed or near case capacity to some extent, save for like .45 acp and things like that; a little crunch is ok and like what was mentioned before there is a possibility of the powder pushing the bullet back out of the case...when you are compressing loads a good idea is to seat one round to your desired depth, measure it and put it aside. Re-measure it the next day or a few hours later, basically giving the compressed charge a chance to push against the bullet and see if your deating depth has changed at all. Crimping will increase your neck tension to an extent as well and could resolve that issue should it arise.
I like to find the powder that is going to give me a 100% case fill or close to it, not necessarily the fastest powder that will give me the highest velocities in that cartridge. It seems like you get better results accuracy wise that way.
As you get closer to a 100% case fill the powder burn becomes more consistant, ES and SD drop as a side effect. The majority of the loads I shoot are compressed or near case capacity to some extent, save for like .45 acp and things like that; a little crunch is ok and like what was mentioned before there is a possibility of the powder pushing the bullet back out of the case...when you are compressing loads a good idea is to seat one round to your desired depth, measure it and put it aside. Re-measure it the next day or a few hours later, basically giving the compressed charge a chance to push against the bullet and see if your deating depth has changed at all. Crimping will increase your neck tension to an extent as well and could resolve that issue should it arise.
I like to find the powder that is going to give me a 100% case fill or close to it, not necessarily the fastest powder that will give me the highest velocities in that cartridge. It seems like you get better results accuracy wise that way.
Re: Compressed load question
I agree with what powder says except I would never crimp a rifle cartridge. I would use a Redding neck bushing die and increase neck tension. Also, what works on a new Lapua case will not always work on one fired 10 times. What I would suggest is just setting the bullet down on the powder firmly but not really compressing it. Then there is no outward pressure on the bullet. I would seat the first full dia. of the bullet .020 above the neck/case junction and right at the lands, which is possable if the rifle was chambered correctly. I would change powders until the one with the correct burn rate has been found and I will guess IMR 4064 will be the one.
I agree with what powder says except I would never crimp a rifle cartridge. I would use a Redding neck bushing die and increase neck tension. Also, what works on a new Lapua case will not always work on one fired 10 times. What I would suggest is just setting the bullet down on the powder firmly but not really compressing it. Then there is no outward pressure on the bullet. I would seat the first full dia. of the bullet .020 above the neck/case junction and right at the lands, which is possable if the rifle was chambered correctly. I would change powders until the one with the correct burn rate has been found and I will guess IMR 4064 will be the one.
