wow, TAC really IS temp sensitve

[AZ.noob]

I (attempted to) shoot a ladder with 168smk's over Ramshot TAC. Bolt action 308 Win BTW. While still 5-6% under book max I began seeing pressure signs, so I stopped obviously.

Very odd, as I'd just finished a different ladder... 190smk's over Varget; I went almost 5% beyond book max without pressure signs. No node way up there, but no excessive pressure either.

Ambient temp, 96*F

As per TresMon's awesome write-ups, I've been shooting ladders with bullets jammed, finding a node and then working towards jump. I'm half tempted to try the TAC again with jumps, as I have a lot more TAC than I do Varget

 

[rpk762]

I have noticed the same thing. I tested tac in a 223. Everything was fine. Made a batch of confirmation loads and shot them in about 20deg higher. Very first round blew the primer. Took them all home pulled and weighed the charge. Everything was fine. Shot them in the morning all fine. Saved one round then blasted out 30 rds to heat up the barrel then put that last round of tac in and gave it about a minute. Blew that primer right out of the casing.

The load was very light and the primers were still very rounded when they were cool. So right now I have like 32lbs and wondering what to do with it.

 

[Creature]

I have noticed the same thing. I tested tac in a 223. Everything was fine. Made a batch of confirmation loads and shot them in about 20deg higher. Very first round blew the primer. Took them all home pulled and weighed the charge. Everything was fine. Shot them in the morning all fine. Saved one round then blasted out 30 rds to heat up the barrel then put that last round of tac in and gave it about a minute. Blew that primer right out of the casing.

The load was very light and the primers were still very rounded when they were cool. So right now I have like 32lbs and wondering what to do with it.

Sell it to me for cheap.

 

[excaliber]

Use only Hodgdon extreme powder.

 

[Creature]

This kind of concerns me. I have a bunch of 77s in .223 loaded up with 23.6grs of TAC. Did testing in the cooler months, might jus be a winter load lol.

 

[scudzuki]

I shot 77s over 23.5 gr TAC all last summer without a problem.

Joe

 

[EddieNFL]

Sell it to me for cheap.

I'll split it with you. Some of us managed to get by long before Hodgdon introduced the Extreme line.

 

[AZ.noob]

Update on the 308 loads:

I batched up another ladder, same brass/powder/primers/pills, but a deeper seat; .020" jump to the lands vs. .010" jam on the first ladder. Same result however; pressure signs very early on, so I bailed out again. A perfect example of exactly why you start low and work your way up... I had excessive pressure signs just beyond Ramshot's recommended starting charge. Obviously, that powder won't work with my gear in this temperature range (102*F today, mid-90s for the first test).

Strangely enough, my 223 loads with TAC are fine here (Arizona aka hell) all year long. I run those in semi-autos however, really deep throated chambers.

 

[lte82]

Im shooting 24gr of TAC with 69gr smks and have zero pressure issues in 80deg weather. Will be interesting to see come June / July though and its 95 outside.

 

[1lnbrdg]

I shot 23.5 grains last year with the 77's all year long without problems, 24.6 with 80gr Amax's also without problems. But yes, I've also had issues with it before in .223. I haven't tried it in a .308 but would if it was all I had.

It's been very accurate in the .223 so far.