Powder and Bullet space

[Elliott]

Chaps, sorry to be a pain..

I've just loaded up x20 40 grain nosler ballistic tips with the following powder weights:

- x5 @23.8gn
- x5 @24.0gn
- x5 @24.2gn
- x5 @24.5gn

I used SAKO brass trimmed to 1.750" and set the C.O.A.L @ 2.175"

I got some data from the Vhit site but my nosler bullets aren't listed so I chose to set the C.O.A.L slightly higher because the powder seemed to fill right up to the top of the shoulder/bottom of the neck. It's also for this reason that I didn't go up in powder weight. Is this normal? Is it safe for the powder to be compressed? Sorry for the novice questions!

Would you recommend I go up a bit in powder weight and seat the bullet deeper as per the 2.075" listed on the Viht webpage (they don't list nosler bullets)? I tried seating the bullets to 2.260" as per the nosler webpage but encountered some resistance when closing the bolt and noticed a mark on the dummy round when I ejected it so decided to seat it a bit deeper

[bullbarrel]

COL should be set to suit your rifle.

Personally I'd take an average of those weights and try batches with different COLs starts 10 thou off the lands and working back in 10 thou increments. Once you found the best col you can try different powder weights but it will probably just make it go higher.

Powder gives FPS, COL gives accuracy

[223AI]

Chaps, sorry to be a pain..

I've just loaded up x20 40 grain nosler ballistic tips with the following powder weights:

- x5 @23.8gn
- x5 @24.0gn
- x5 @24.2gn
- x5 @24.5gn

I used SAKO brass trimmed to 1.750" and set the C.O.A.L @ 2.175"

I got some data from the Vhit site but my nosler bullets aren't listed so I chose to set the C.O.A.L slightly higher because the powder seemed to fill right up to the top of the shoulder/bottom of the neck. It's also for this reason that I didn't go up in powder weight. Is this normal? Is it safe for the powder to be compressed? Sorry for the novice questions!

Would you recommend I go up a bit in powder weight and seat the bullet deeper as per the 2.075" listed on the Viht webpage (they don't list nosler bullets)? I tried seating the bullets to 2.260" as per the nosler webpage but encountered some resistance when closing the bolt and noticed a mark on the dummy round when I ejected it so decided to seat it a bit deeper

I've just looked ad the nosler site, it's odd as they list N133 for 35gr & 52gr bullets but not 40, so that's no help!

You should be able a to load to 2.26 with no issues as that's the point of having a standard length all standard chambers should take it. The Speer spire point is a flat base bullet Which means it is shorter that a boat tail of the same weight meaning in turn seated to the same length it will take up less capacity so needs to be seated deeper to get the pressure up. Personally I'd try some loaded at 2.23", mark with a marker and chamber a round to make site you're off the lands which I'm sure you will be.

If you've not not got a puller then you'll have to shoot the Rounds just keep a good eye out for pressure signs as you go up the weights.

there's nothing wrong with compressed loads that are within data limits, some people prefer them a them as there is no room for the powder to move as you shoot from different angles so you get the same even burn each time. I've never got near a compressed load without getting pressure signs other than in the hornet so have not really tested the theory.

[Elliott]

COL should be set to suit your rifle.

Personally I'd take an average of those weights and try batches with different COLs starts 10 thou off the lands and working back in 10 thou increments. Once you found the best col you can try different powder weights but it will probably just make it go higher.

Powder gives FPS, COL gives accuracy

Thanks BB, I was planning to find a decent charge weight and then play about with seating depths. There doesn't seem to be a right or wrong way from what I've read.

I'm sure I'll find out in good time!

[Elliott]

I've just looked ad the nosler site, it's odd as they list N133 for 35gr & 52gr bullets but not 40, so that's no help!

You should be able a to load to 2.26 with no issues as that's the point of having a standard length all standard chambers should take it. The Speer spire point is a flat base bullet Which means it is shorter that a boat tail of the same weight meaning in turn seated to the same length it will take up less capacity so needs to be seated deeper to get the pressure up. Personally I'd try some loaded at 2.23", mark with a marker and chamber a round to make site you're off the lands which I'm sure you will be.

If you've not not got a puller then you'll have to shoot the Rounds just keep a good eye out for pressure signs as you go up the weights.

there's nothing wrong with compressed loads that are within data limits, some people prefer them a them as there is no room for the powder to move as you shoot from different angles so you get the same even burn each time. I've never got near a compressed load without getting pressure signs other than in the hornet so have not really tested the theory.

Yeah I thought I'd seated them a bit too deep. I'll knock some more up tonight and seat them a bit deeper. Think I'll buy a bullet puller online, they seem cheap enough and I'm sure I'll need it again at some point

[223AI]

Yeah I thought I'd seated them a bit too deep. I'll knock some more up tonight and seat them a bit deeper. Think I'll buy a bullet puller online, they seem cheap enough and I'm sure I'll need it again at some point

A bit shallower even, yeah if you're going to do lots of load testing they're a cheap useful bit of kit

[Elliott]

A bit shallower even, yeah if you're going to do lots of load testing they're a cheap useful bit of kit

Sorry yeah, a bit deeper than 2.260 Definitely going to need a kinetic hammer of some sorts, they do look very useful

[Elliott]

Just loaded another 20 up at C.O.A.L 2.250"

There was definitely marks on the bullet when set at 2.260" so I assume that was from the lands. Looking forward to seeing how these group

[223AI]

Look forward to seeing the photos mate, I've got 3 loads to test but time is a bit short at the mo!

[Treebone]

Thanks BB, I was planning to find a decent charge weight and then play about with seating depths. There doesn't seem to be a right or wrong way from what I've read.

I'm sure I'll find out in good time!

Finding the ideal charge weight and then fine tuning by playing about with seating depths is the correct way of doing things.

TB.

[bullbarrel]

Finding the ideal charge weight and then fine tuning by playing about with seating depths is one of the ways of doing things.

TB.

There you go, fixed it for you

Many of us find COL first give superior results.