Strange (low) velocity readings while starting Ladder

[41mag]

Hey Al,

Several years back, before I had anything that I thought was a LR rig, I loaded up some heavy 165gr '06 loads. I used the RL-22 and was getting right at 3000fps with the Nosler BT. The laod was 63grs, and it shot one hole at 100 and just under 3" at 450. The stuff rocked like a 300 mag as long as temps were above 60 degrees. Once below that, the load fell of to just what you described.

I found that the primer was just not up to lighting off that much compressed powder in the load. I switched over to RL-19 and got the velocities but the accuracy went south. THe last load I worked up, and stayed with, was using IMR 4350, and it has been great out of close to a dozen rifles. The velocity isn't anything amazing, but when you figure all of those rifles shot the same load into less than 1" at 100, it can't be all bad.

[Alan Griffith]

Mike,

Besides being an experimenter who likes to prove things to myself, I have powders which shoot dang near bugholes from this rifle. Especially this rifle. It was my dream rifle 24 years ago weighing only 6 lb 8 oz. The 'smith who built it for me took a bunch of metal from the action and bolt, glass bedded the action, free floated the barrel, turned down the barrel to toothpick (.550" muzzle) dimensions and gave it a supurb 3-lb trigger. It shoots H4350 and H4895 sub MOA. The best is .337" @ 100 Yds and 1.90" (5-shots) at 300 yds, and this with a Leupold M8 4x scope. The H4895 shoots tighter than the H4350 but only to about 2665 fps. Obviously the H4350 shoots faster but not as tight as the H4895. I wanted to try Hunter due to it's rep as being temperture insensitive and Rel 22 due to it's faster velocity potential.

If I wanted to live with 2675 fps, I'd just stay with H4895 (I still might settle on that powder) but I want to give Rel 22 it's full shot and see if a magnum primer, properly worked up, could beat H4895 in the velocity arena.

Big Al

[Alan Griffith]

I ran a back-up test this morning.
I believe it was the batteries. I inserted fresh ones and ran another 9 round test using WLR primers then a 9 round test using Fed 215 Mag primers.

Here is the results.

WLR primer pressure test
grains velocity Expansion in .0001"
57 2467 1
58 2502 1
59 power was off 2
60 2590 1
60.5 2605 1
61 2638 0
61.5 2655 0
62 2682 3
62.5 2696 0

New pressure test using Fed 215 mag primer
expansion in .0001"
57 2442 3
58 2487 0
59 2515 2
60 2577 2
60.5 2604 0
61 2628 0
61.5 2648 1
62 2649 1
62.5 2696 1

Something I've notices with this Rem 700. When I seat my Nosler 180 BT's, out touching the lands, I've got the bullet seated so 1/2 the neck has bearing surface seated. This give me extra case volume and I've been able to get about 3 grains of powder over any book max I've ever seen.

Big Al

[Jimm]

You have only mentioned using case head expansion as a over pressure test . What about flattened/cratered primers ,heavy bolt lift or hard extraction ? Have you experienced any of this with the loads you have worked up to ? Also what about loosened primer pockets ?

If you haven't then you may be still quite short of a "max" load for that rifle and RE 22.

Jim B.

[Alan Griffith]

Jim,

Yes, I do all the normal tests for pressure; primers look awesome, flatted a bit but not crattered. No heavy bolt lift or hard extraction. Primer pockets do not seem loose.

And, I agree.

Big Al