I thought I know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Desert Fox · #1 07-14-2006, 11:43 PM

I thought I know there is to know about reloading and boy, was I wrong. I did a boboo yesterday in the form of 308 loaded with 168 grain Nosler Competition and 45 grain of BLC-2. The load was developed during winter when temperature was averaging 60 degrees. When fired at temperature of around hundred degree, the result was catasrophic. You can see from the picture below.

Call Hogsdon and was informed that when using sphirical powder, the load that was develop during winter should never be used during summer. I told Hodgsdon that I know that but I'm 2 grain below max. It didn't even crossed my mind besides it never happened to me before and I had been reloading for over 20 years. Can anyone share some light on this.

sewwhat89 · #2 07-15-2006, 12:51 AM

If you have some loaded up still, pull them, weigh the charge and make sure its BLC2 and not H335. Well, they look the same, but could you have grabbed the wrong color can?

biff's reloading · #3 07-15-2006, 07:46 AM

what am i lookin at in those pics? they are a bit fuzzy.

Coyboy · #4 07-15-2006, 07:56 AM

Biff, Your looking at a couple of case heads that had the primers blown out of them during fireing. Looks like there is considerable brass flow/expansion with those case heads.

Desert Fox, How difficult was extracting those cases?

Thank heavens it wasen't 120 degrees.

Desert Fox · #5 07-22-2006, 10:58 PM

Sorry Coyboy, I was out of town on vacation for a week. Sorry about the picture, my daughter's camera that I'd been borrowing can't focus that close. Extraction was tight. The case head was overblown that I have a hard time removing the case from the bolt. The case head wedges itself around the bolt rim with the extractor claw holding the case. The primer was nowhere to be found. Talked to Hodgdon technical support and was told that any sphirical powder irregardless of brand has a tendency to have higher pressure when subjected to higher outdoor temperature. My load development was done during winter and I'm confident that it will still be good during summer since I'm still 2 grains below the listed maximum. Boy was I wrong. Hodgdon told me that it probably reach 70,000 psi. This was an eye opener for me. I'm using Federal Gold medal Brass, Federal Match primer, 45 grains of BLC-2 and 168 grain Nosler J4 Competition match bullet. COL 2.796

Desert Fox · #6 07-22-2006, 11:03 PM

Sewhat89, I'm positive it was BLC-2. I do use H-335 for my 222 Remington Magnum and I only have two 1- pound container left. I have an 8lb keg of BLC-2 so there's no way I could be mistaken.

larrywillis · #7 07-23-2006, 07:16 AM

The information from Hodgdon is correct. The pressure in your handloads will jump in pressure quite a bit in higher temperature. However, I'll bet that you also have something else going on. I suspect that you might have seated your bullets out a bit closer to the rifling, or maybe you're using a different brand of brass with less case capacity. Also be sure to clean the "inside" of your case necks.

- Innovative