New Brass...load development 280 AI

[jtbiv01]

Load development has gone well with hornady brass, but I am switching to Nosler 280AI brass due to a larger supply. That said, my nosler brass is all new. I understand that I will have to work up a new load with the new brass, but that those results may differ from Once Fired brass results. Would a seating depth test (berger depth test) be valuable with the new brass using a previously determined "light but accurate" load?

i.e. how do I get valuable information from the first firing of this new brass?

 

[jtbiv01]

Does this make sense?

 

[dok7mm]

I'm just starting load development for my son's CA 280ai with Nosler brass & 168 Bergers.

Your brass change will cause some change due to differences in capacity. Just back off to a safe charge and work back up. After it is formed to your chamber, capacity will change again somewhat, and you may have to tweak it a little. Then you're GTG.

 

[STEEL SLINGER]

You didn't state whether you are using Nosler AI brass or fire forming new Nosler brass. Either way, YES, things are going to change and as dok7mm stated, start out a little lower on your powder and work up to your max load. If you're fire forming new standard 280 Rem brass remember to load moderate and jam the bullets into the lands so you don't stretch the case heads. The 280AI is a sweet cartridge and one of my favorites. I too shoot the 168gr. Bergers (it likes the 180's too) over a good dose of RL23 in Norma brass. . .it's a screamer!!! Good shooting!

 

[trumperman]

Tag

 

[jtbiv01]

It is AI brass.

 

[Troutslayer2]

I do not get different results using new or fired Nosler brass in 280AI. I full length resize though.

 

[jtbiv01]

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[bob4]

Unless I have missed something ( which is always possible). Your seating depth for your bullet should not change. My take on the whole Berger thing is " If bullet "X" shoots well in your rifle at .010 off the lands nothing much is going to change that. IE: Brass /Power/primer. Although any one of those will change things bullet "X" likes 010 off the lands.

 

[jtbiv01]

Bob, don't think you missed anything. I was warned that load testing near maximum would yield different results after the first firing of new brass. Intended to form the new brass to my chamber ( I neck size only) prior to incremental powder charge testing. Was just hoping to get something valuable out of the first round of firing the brass. I ended up seating the bullets at 4 different depths with the same powder charge (below max). Not sure I got great info, but I'm still learning.