338 edge pressure, something seems odd...

[Huntsmart338]

I'm shooting a .338 edge, 30" barrel, 300 grn berger hunters, Bertram brass.
I seem to have high pressure at low grain weights of powder- I'm down to 86 grns of h1000, still has an ejector swipe and slightly cratered primer. I'm headed to try 85 grns...Velocity is headed south- This lot of H1000 came straight from the factory 6 mon. ago in two 5lb kegs, don't know if I got a hot lot or what, but something seems fishie... The rifle validated originally at Defensive Edge at 90 grns with Rem brass, and obviously a diff lot of h1000 powder... Any ideas why the large discrepancy, could it just be hot powder coupled with Bertram brass??

 

[gohring3006]

Different brass different lot of powder.
I would reduce charge down to no ejector swipe, check velocity with a reliable Chrony and go from there.

 

[LongBomber]

I finally used up my supply of H1000 from around 2006 or 7. My old load was 91.5g with the 300 berger - with no pressure signs till 94 gr, where I also got the nose slump issue on the original berger 300's. Now I have pressure signs at 88 and hard bolt lift at 89. Only thing that changed was the powder, still using some of the original brass, same lot of bullets, but defintely a pressure change.

I dropped my loads down and have shot a few groups- cant seem to get the same accuracy with the new powder, I am getting more vertical in my groups than I ever did before, I even shot the last of my original loads in the same range session as the new loads. 1/4moa or less vertical with the old powder, 1/2-2/3 moa vert with the new lot of powder. Kinda frustrating to start all over.

 

[Okanogan]

tagging in
I have to go back to the range and confirm but it seemed like my first round at load development with a similar set up to the op did fine with 91.5 gr H1000. Last time out it seemed like I was seeing pressure at 89 & 90 gr.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I'm shooting a .338 edge, 30" barrel, 300 grn berger hunters, Bertram brass.
I seem to have high pressure at low grain weights of powder- I'm down to 86 grns of h1000, still has an ejector swipe and slightly cratered primer. I'm headed to try 85 grns...Velocity is headed south- This lot of H1000 came straight from the factory 6 mon. ago in two 5lb kegs, don't know if I got a hot lot or what, but something seems fishie... The rifle validated originally at Defensive Edge at 90 grns with Rem brass, and obviously a diff lot of h1000 powder... Any ideas why the large discrepancy, could it just be hot powder coupled with Bertram brass??

Your brass has less capacity than the Rem brass, simple physics.

In my own Edge, using re-formed 300RUM cases I can safely load to 90gr and better the Lapua by slightly more than 100fps, BUT, if I switch to ANY other brand other than Norma, I can't get anywhere near 90gr before excessive pressure is reached.

Even with less capacity, what I find strange is that you say velocity is lower, this may be due to a faster lot of H1000, although I have used several lots so far and I find no more difference than 30 fps between lots, whether this is due to getting the stuff here where it's made or not I don't know.

It is a mystery.

Cheers.
gun)

 

[Bullet bumper]

H1000 is made in Australia by ADI . We find it a very reliable powder and little variation between batches although variations can and do happen in all rifle powder production.
The powder is sent to USA in bulk and repackaged by Hogdon so what happens during "repackaging "is anyone's guess . I would suspect that Hogdon does not change the powder in anyway . It could be that the Bertram brass is thick and has low internal volume.