Off the reservation combinations

95GTSpeedDemon

Private
Minuteman
Dec 23, 2010
16
4
7mm rem mag.
im working up loads with 120gr nosler BT's. i dont need max FPS.
H4350, IMR4198 (based of of tons of research and already testing, it works.), & varget.
now, 4350 & varget have hodgen data for up to 130gr.
What i want to do is make some powder fouling shots / fire formers with some spare bullets i wont be using, but they are 150gr. apparently when switching powders theres an accuracy hit for a couple shots. im trying to eliminate that issue, without having to use the very hard to find expensive 120's.

Finding out whats really possible, not just by whats been vetted in a published book, is what im after.

i have gordon's & quickload.
awhile back when i first started using QL and was more trusting of it, i made some 4198 150gr foulers. (modern reloading pg 285 38.5-43gr)

Im a little more leery about doing that now that i have learned a bit more, but maybe someone else has tested it.

are these programs accurate when estimating varget and 150gr pills as far as pressure goes. S.E.E. is definitely a concern since im around that 70% fill mark.

Varget is slower burning than 4198, so the chance of SEE would be greater is what i read.
 
Just some friendly advice, take it or leave it.

It sounds like you are making something that should be simple and fun, into something that can become difficult and dangerous.

I get that some bullets are expensive or hard to get. When it comes time it is best to have brass that is done being fire formed and stable to get the best results.

When you go to start your hard to find bullets, start with the best brass you have and a clean barrel. Test the cold bore the way it counts, your choice of either foul barrel or clean, but that means using patients on several outings to learn what it takes.

Playing with GRT or QL for really goofy combinations at very low fill volumes is a waste of your time and energy for a task that should be safe and easy. These models are simplifications around normal internal ballistics, they are not research codes meant to predict really off the charts combinations.

I would encourage you to find a cheaper easier substitute bullet and use a normal recipe to practice and fireform your brass, then clean the rig and switch.

Good Luck and play it safe with your eyes and fingers. YMMV
 
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