So I thought I would share my first and hopefully last reloading mistake. I have a 300 WM and I would consider myself a novice reloader. My standard load is 73.5 grains of H4831 with Br2 primers and RWS brass topped off with 180 grain Accubonds. I wanted to try some 200 because of the better BC. I opened my reloading book and it called for a Max of 84grains of Retumbo. Well I have read a 1000 times to work up but everytime I have a reach and then pass the "Max" load with no pressure signs, so I thought what would be the difference with this. Well I do not have a drop funnel and 84 grains would not even fit in the **** case(keep in mind it told me it would be a "compressed" load) so I drop down to 83 grains.(By the way I used some CCI magnum primers for this) I have to fill the case half way tap it on the table so the powder will settle and fill it the rest of the way. When I was seating the bullet I should have know that there was WAY to much compressing going on..."but hey i'm a full grain under max"....I made it to the range squeezed off the first round and I could tell something didnt feel right. This was more than sticky bolt this was stuck bolt. I loaded the gun and went back to the house. I used a cleaning rod and it didnt take much for the bolt to free and the case to come out But when it did I was surprised to see the primer was no longer in the case. The primer pocket is so loose that you can just drop the primer in and it will just fall out with no problem. So how close was I to really hurting myself? Or worse yet someone else?
Sometimes I can be a *******.....
- Thread starter AtownBcat
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I don't know how close you were to hurting youself but you know what they say.
Close only counts in Hoseshoes and Hand Grenades but you were pretty **** close.
Close only counts in Hoseshoes and Hand Grenades but you were pretty **** close.
MontanaRifleman
Well-Known Member
Well according to the Hodgdom site, you were 5 gr over. I would say you were very fortunate. The one time you take a shortcut it bites ya in the butt.
So tell us where you got 84 gr from???
So tell us where you got 84 gr from???
Fitch
Well-Known Member
83 grains of Retumbo is a 112.5% compressed load. It doesn't model nearly as hot as some "internet" loads I've seen - but clearly in your rifle it was too much. The fact that it is such a slow powder saved your bacon. Had it been H4831 (116% compressed load - probably won't fit) you might have had a lot of pieces - that models at ~60% over pressure.
According to QuickLOAD Ramshot Magnum, RL25, N570, IMR7828, IMR7828SSC, N560, and a bunch more are all better powders for the 200g AB than Retumbo. Retumbo is way down the list.
Fitch
PS You might start low and work up ...
frw
According to QuickLOAD Ramshot Magnum, RL25, N570, IMR7828, IMR7828SSC, N560, and a bunch more are all better powders for the 200g AB than Retumbo. Retumbo is way down the list.
Fitch
PS You might start low and work up ...
frw
If you were loaded with the bullets touching the lands, you were at about
73700psi, but if you back off the lands about .020 your pressure should be fine acording to quikload. Do you know if the bullets were jammed into the lands ? Did you reset your seating die for the 200gr bullet to be seated .020 off the lands?
73700psi, but if you back off the lands about .020 your pressure should be fine acording to quikload. Do you know if the bullets were jammed into the lands ? Did you reset your seating die for the 200gr bullet to be seated .020 off the lands?
sniperjwt
Well-Known Member
yes please tell us the name of the reloading manual you got that load out of so we can stay away from it. lol Seriously though i run into the same thing i always end up going over max but have yet to just jump straight to the max load (although i have thought about it before) and thanks to your post i dont think i ever will.
Seriously though i run into the same thing i always end up going over max but have yet to just jump straight to the max load (although i have thought about it before) and thanks to your post i dont think i ever will.tackdriver10
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I'm wondering if you seated the bullet deep enough to work in your magazine. If that was the case, then I'm sure it was a very compressed load. What kind of rifle are you shooting?
I got the info out of a book they sell at Cabelas "complete reloading guide" for the 300WM. Im sure you guys have seen it, it is just photo copies of all the 300WM sections from the different bullet makers and powder suppliers.
Reason 2 I am a dumb ***....I always figured that a 200 grain boattail was a 200 grain boat tail and maybe it is.....but the book did not have a 200 grain accubond, it had a 200 grain NOS PART, so I thought .."close enough" (This is in the back of the book in the "Hodgdon Powders")
My rifle is a remington 700 action and Kreiger barrel.
Reason 2 I am a dumb ***....I always figured that a 200 grain boattail was a 200 grain boat tail and maybe it is.....but the book did not have a 200 grain accubond, it had a 200 grain NOS PART, so I thought .."close enough" (This is in the back of the book in the "Hodgdon Powders")
My rifle is a remington 700 action and Kreiger barrel.
RockyMtnMT
Official LRH Sponsor
Thanks for posting your experience. People need to see this from a personal note to drive home the fact that it is imperative to work up a load. I have loaded a string of cartridges ten long and pressured out on the second shot. If I had started high I very well could have been in trouble.
The only other thing I will throw in: If a person is loading for a wildcat or components with little or no data, study burn rate charts and educate your self before you drop any powder. I do a lot of home work, and then when I settle on a powder, a call to the powder maker is good insurance. With my wildcat loads I start really low. I wind up pulling many bullets afterword.
Glad you are OK,
Steve
The only other thing I will throw in: If a person is loading for a wildcat or components with little or no data, study burn rate charts and educate your self before you drop any powder. I do a lot of home work, and then when I settle on a powder, a call to the powder maker is good insurance. With my wildcat loads I start really low. I wind up pulling many bullets afterword.
Glad you are OK,
Steve
Broz
Well-Known Member
Yeah, sounds like some experiences I have had with Retumbo in a 30-378. Under max, all was good, stepped up 1 gr and sticky bolt and primer pocket toast.
Retumbo seems to go over the line quick. I know Reumbo is accurate in some rifles. But I sure like H-1000 in my 300 wins.
Glad your ok and thanks for posting.
Jeff
Retumbo seems to go over the line quick. I know Reumbo is accurate in some rifles. But I sure like H-1000 in my 300 wins.
Glad your ok and thanks for posting.
Jeff
boomtube
Well-Known Member
"Sometimes I can be a *******..... "
I've been meaning to talk to you 'bout that.
I've been meaning to talk to you 'bout that.
Hodgdons website loading guide is free.
The difference between for 300 wm with 200 accubond vs 200 partition is six grain with retumbo. That is a big difference and the partition max load is only 90fps faster over the accubond max load.
The difference between for 300 wm with 200 accubond vs 200 partition is six grain with retumbo. That is a big difference and the partition max load is only 90fps faster over the accubond max load.
