Berger bullets showing pressure

[WYO300RUM]

Off topic...apologies to the OP.

A company in FL. was awarded the contract for 800k rounds using the Berger 215 Hybrid.

Berger just finished a run of the 215's....will they make it to market with all the back orders it's hard to say. Fingers crossed.

That's the bullet I use in my 300 Rum . I wonder if that company is making rounds for military ?
I apologize to OP also.

 

[Chas1]

I've had that happen twice while loading for a rifle that I have three decades of reloading experience with. My suggestion is to either download, or put the bullets aside. There maybe a hidden variable that you haven't recognized yet. Could be a carbon ring. Could be bullets, powder, primer out of spec. Could be the chamber or bore. Who knows? The main thing is load manuals or QL is just a guideline. When you see pressure back off. When I first started loading I only loaded for accuracy in the lower nodes.

Agree. All good points. I myself have had same issue and it was a nasty carbon ring that had built up.

 

[Ronin75]

I had similar issues with pressure signs after have a new carbon fiber wrapped barrel installed. The pressure signs we're way below max and way below what the previous barrel allowed. I found out the problem was I was using the old brass from the previous barrel that I had resized. Once I used brand new brass of the same brand , the pressure signs stop and it allowed me to load the charges to what was listed in the reloading manual.
The old brass I mention was camber checked with no problems, but show early pressure signs. I hope this helps

 

[MTbackwoods]

Accuracies is the name of the game. You know what your round or ammo is doing out the barrel. By not fire forming your case you are not getting an accurate reading on what that bullet is doing down range. Velocity change after the case is fire formed. As your barrel brake in the velocity change too. So by the time your barrel is broken in you have your cases fire formed. The other is you need a chronograph to see what's truly going on with your round. To formulate where your bullet is going to be at different ranges. Read up on ES & ED's, that will even get you a better idea on what is happening. If you are only going to shoot under 500yds you don't need as much for sure. 1 lbs of powder will get about 116 loads at 60grs each. That about what it going to take to brake in that barrel. Your velocity generally increases as the barrel brake in. Now I don't have my books in front of me. At 500yds you have a fall of about 40+". Depending on what velocity your bullet is traveling at, it can be even greater is slower. Plus what your hold point is @ 100yds. So holding point where, at the animal, you have probable missed or even worst you have wounded that animal. Can you have a higher end scope to adjust for elevation, but if you velocity are changing, good luck again. You still don't have your velocity settle in yet. That about as simple as I can explain it. I don't wish any ill and good luck!

I've always broken in barrels with factory ammo as I don't want to waste my time and components. Then I switch to hand loads after roughly 100 rounds. All loads are developed with chrono the verified at a minimum of 800 yards. Half minute or better is as high as my bar goes. Again, you're not wrong. Just different strokes for different folks

 

[Grumpy old man]

I did the break-in on my new bergara B 14 wilderness Ridge today. I was shooting 130 grain burger 6.5 mm, and a nosler factory seconds for us. I did powder amounts between 49 to 55. I noticed that some of the braas was showing signs of pressure. I'm not even close to what the max was recommended by Berger. Let anyone run into this in the past and have any recommendations I am still new to reloading.

6.5 prc? Cause creedmoors like 42 h4350 range fill in the blanks

 

[Hunterjones]

I'm glad you are ok….3500fps doesn't come from being in the lands though, imo. I load all th3 time from in the lands on out….I'll bet I've never seen 40 fps change. maybe that one is different.

Yes. I have seen 30-50 FPS velocity increase from being .020 or more off of the lands to touching and jammed .010 into the lands. I'm not saying that jamming that one bullet into the lands a bit DIDN'T cause your issue that time but I usually haven't seen an extreme issue like you had

 

[Calvin45]

Yes. I have seen 30-50 FPS velocity increase from being .020 or more off of the lands to touching and jammed .010 into the lands. I'm not saying that jamming that one bullet into the lands a bit DIDN'T cause your issue that time but I usually haven't seen an extreme issue like you had

Hmmmmm. Perhaps there was something else wrong I hadn't accounted for but I don't know what it would be.

 

[Calvin45]

Hmmmmm. Perhaps there was something else wrong I hadn't accounted for but I don't know what it would be.

It is of note perhaps that the 180 btip in .30 cal is actually a very thick jacketed bullet
As well.

 

[DWier]

I am more interested in what: Brass, Primers, and Powders being used. We know what bullets he is using. Some case have smaller volume than others. So smaller mean possibly more pressure at the start. That with any chamber, no matter what.

I would be interested in what bullet. We know they are Berger 130gr but are they VLDs, Hybrids etc? If Hybrids you can give them 0.020 - 0.030 jump(this won't solve your pressure issue but may solve magazine fit). I'm definitely interested in powder. I don't have my Berger manual with me and have never loaded for 6.5 PRC but have done guide a bit with 6.5 CM. With H4350 above 43gr I see pressure signs. This is with 130gr AR OTM Hybrids in same gun as yours.
Daryl

 

[Ward Thurman]

I have found some errors in reloading manuals over the years. One old Lyman manual had a load for a 500 grain bullet that was a "starter" load in a 45-70. I threw some 500 grain jacketed Hornaday bullets in and on first shot, I thought, "Wow, that was some serious recoil for a starter load." It was on a Sharps replica and when I went to open the action, it was a bit "tight". I fired 2 more before I quit. One of the cases had slammed back against the face so hard, it had smoothed out the primer. Yikes. Went back to the book and discovered they had the same powder weights for all the bullets with that particular powder 240 gr - 500 gr. Moral to the story, check multiple manuals before you pick a load. As an aside, my shoulder hurt for a month! No damage to the Sharps though!

 

[Teri Anne]

I did the break-in on my new bergara B 14 wilderness Ridge today. I was shooting 130 grain burger 6.5 mm, and a nosler factory seconds for us. I did powder amounts between 49 to 55. I noticed that some of the braas was showing signs of pressure. I'm not even close to what the max was recommended by Berger. Let anyone run into this in the past and have any recommendations I am still new to reloading.

Pressure signs are not all that uncommon even when using the best loading data possible, Why? Because the difference in all of the components as well as each rifle are different. Something you load and works well for rifle A sometimes will not work for rifle B. Same cartridge, same load, one rifle shoots it well, the next rifle with the same load can't keep the shots on a target much less a 1MOA area. There are so many variables they are too great to list here. Each and every rifle likes different cannon fodder. Sometimes factory works, other times carefully loaded hand loads for one rifle that puts 3 rounds in the same hole won't hold 2 MOA in another rifle. For each and every rifle work up your loads from the minimum to whenever pressure signs show up or accuracy drops off. For each and every load for a given rifle there is a sweet spot where the rifle shoots it's best. Keep this in mind when loading for your pet rifle.

 

[RidgeTop]

Load some other type bullets to manual specs and OCL or some factory ammo and see if you still get pressure. Measure diam of Berger bullets.

 

[Mike Matteson]

I have found some errors in reloading manuals over the years. One old Lyman manual had a load for a 500 grain bullet that was a "starter" load in a 45-70. I threw some 500 grain jacketed Hornaday bullets in and on first shot, I thought, "Wow, that was some serious recoil for a starter load." It was on a Sharps replica and when I went to open the action, it was a bit "tight". I fired 2 more before I quit. One of the cases had slammed back against the face so hard, it had smoothed out the primer. Yikes. Went back to the book and discovered they had the same powder weights for all the bullets with that particular powder 240 gr - 500 gr. Moral to the story, check multiple manuals before you pick a load. As an aside, my shoulder hurt for a month! No damage to the Sharps though!

I have a lot of manuals. I don't throw then away either. Be surprised of changes going on in the manuals. I generally compare different manuals, if possible.