I recently bought a savage 10T in 308 from Cabelas as an intro long range rifle. I also just started reloading and have been having relatively good luck until just recently. I started working up a load with 168 gr Amax's and Varget when I started getting case head separations out of the blue (no other pressure signs). The Hornady manual states a max load of Varget as 44 gr and the case head separations occured at 40 gr in my testing. After looking at the chronograph the velocity was 2750 fps which didn't seem too dangerous in my limited experience (I've had 175 SMK's at this velocity in the same brass with no pressure signs). However, separating case heads and relativly high velocities told me to back the hell off on the powder charge. Unfortunately I wasn't getting the velocity I wanted at the accurate powder charges with varget so I tried reloader 15. Again the case head separations were occuring at around 40.0 gr of reloader 15. This time though the velocity was right at 2600 fps and even the 38 gr loads I tested were stretching above the case head. Since I'm new to reloading and I was thinking I may just be ignorant as hell and bumping the shoulder too far back during sizing, I bought some factory hornady ammo to test and even the factory ammo was stretching the brass! I then assumed the head space was the most likely culprit and took it to a smith to get checked out and the head space was absolutely perfect. At this point I have absolutely no clue why this gun is tearing up all my brass. Anyone have any theories?
FYI the brass that is pictured is from the factory hornady ammo. I seem to have lost the cases that fully seperated
Also the stretch mark on the brass only goes 3/4 of the way around the case if that matters at all.
FYI the brass that is pictured is from the factory hornady ammo. I seem to have lost the cases that fully seperated
Also the stretch mark on the brass only goes 3/4 of the way around the case if that matters at all.