Case capacity.

[Eligus]

I finally got a supply of 35gr. V-Max bullets (four months after ordering) and then only 200! I dug out my Lilgun and set about working out a good load, preferably without using up too many of my precious bullets. I decided to try 12.2 gr, 12.6gr and 13gr.
I loaded 12.2 gr into a Hornady case and it looked pretty full, 13 grs filled it to the top!
I had some Remington cases and tried them, the difference in capacity is surprising. 13 grs left enough room to seat the bullet fine.
I have lots of Hornady cases so I hope 12.2 grs works well as that seems to be the max I can get in them.

[223AI]

12.2 is pretty low capacity wise, I have Privvy and frontier brass and they'll take 13 grains no probs, I was chatting to a guy at the RFD the other day and he uses Remington brass and gets 14 grains behind a 45 gr bullet, this is well above hodgdon's max load though so not suggesting anyone tries it.

They seem to have started 35gr v-max production again as there's been a delivery so hopefully they won't be so hard to get hold of now, I had 500 on back order and got 300 and I see dauntsey guns have some in stock too.

I've got about 600 now so that will keep me going for a few years even if they're still slow to come.

[Ben410]

I had the same with winnie brass I only use remington brass now. 13gr Lil gun 40gr vmax. Could get more powder in the brass but I stick to the max.

B

[Eligus]

I was going to order some Prvi brass anyhow. I'm not after the fastest load possible, accuracy and consistency are more important so if 12.2 gr does the job it will be fine. I have been having to use 40gr V-Max bullets up until now, they did very well with 12.2 of Lilgun or 10.6 gr H110. I only used the H110 as there was no Lilgun available at the time, nearly used up now.

[Elwellaxe]

Remington has always had the largest capacity in my experience followed by Winchester, I found with S&B & Privi to use 13 grn lilgun would require compressing the powder, some people do that, but whilst I have Remington brass, that's what I'll use.
Elwellaxe.

[223AI]

I was going to order some Prvi brass anyhow. I'm not after the fastest load possible, accuracy and consistency are more important so if 12.2 gr does the job it will be fine. I have been having to use 40gr V-Max bullets up until now, they did very well with 12.2 of Lilgun or 10.6 gr H110. I only used the H110 as there was no Lilgun available at the time, nearly used up now.

Lighter bullets need a higher charge to build the pressure so you may find you'll need a heavier load for the 35gr VMax, you'll be fine with the Privvy brass though.

[Parabuteo]

Funilly enough I have usually found that compressed (and we are not talking bursting at the seams just a gentle crunch) loads seem to run more consistantly.

Might be something to do with ignition, I see way back a lot of military and commercial loads had wads to keep the propellent in place.

[tacfoley]

I was chatting to a guy at the RFD the other day and he uses Remington brass and gets 14 grains behind a 45 gr bullet, this is well above hodgdon's max load though so not suggesting anyone tries it.

This gets up my nose - just a little - a guy at the RFD - that's a dealer, right? - loading 'well above hodgdon's max load' and that's good by him?

I bet that if YOU did that and caused some damage to your rifle they'd laff in your face and tell you to go away, since you knowingly 'well-exceeded' the documented safe maximum load, from the maker of the powder, no less.

Have you, or has he, ever actually seen what happens when a gun 'lets go' from a well above maximum pressure load?

What's with these people?


tac

[223AI]

This gets up my nose - just a little - a guy at the RFD - that's a dealer, right? - loading 'well above hodgdon's max load' and that's good by him?

I bet that if YOU did that and caused some damage to your rifle they'd laff in your face and tell you to go away, since you knowingly 'well-exceeded' the documented safe maximum load, from the maker of the powder, no less.

Have you, or has he, ever actually seen what happens when a gun 'lets go' from a well above maximum pressure load?

What's with these people?


tac

I have but not in the flesh only on forums / youtube, I'm very new to loading and stick to the OCW method when determining max loads hence my comment that you have highlighted in bold. For both the 40 and 35 grain load that I use in the hornet I use 12.9gr; the load data for the 35s came with the rifle but I worked up from 11.8 in 0.2 gr increments for the 40gr.

I've never loaded a round with more than 13gr which is Hodgdon's max load for seemingly all hornet loads.

Incidentally I am using Nosler 40gr HPs and based on their data (which is more generous on all the other calibres is load as a general rule) their max load for a 40gr bullet in remington brass is only 11grains whereas Hodgdons is 13gr but the COL is much longer 1.723" vs 1.85".