Can anyone tell me if compressing powder has an adverse effect on ignition consistency?

I am loading 61-62 gr of RL-22 in 30-06 brass. This load comes about 1/3 the way up the neck. I seat 190gr Sierras to COL of 3.27 to just touch the lands. My ES is usually around 50 fps. Seems pretty high. My brass prep (norma) is to tumble clean, clean the primer pocket, check length. I use a Lee collett die to neck resize.

The loads avg 2801/2826 for 61/62 gr respectively from a 26" bbl.

MM

I prefer to use a compressed load,but I'm likely odd man out(again).

Your ES is less than 2% and I use that as my barometer,to weigh that. you may see a slight decrease,with the deburring of flash holes,but you are using good brass. However,uniformity,is paramount.

Swapping primer lots,may help also. Primer manufacturer,may also reduce deviation........

In my experience, compressed loads of slower powders give MORE uniformity than faster powders with lots of airspace in the case. This is, of course, providing that the expansion ratio of the cartridge/bore combination allows the slow powder to reach a working pressure that is reasonably high.

I have never worked with RL22, but know this to be the case with 4831, H570, H870, WC860, and WC872, all slow to very slow powders, and often requiring compression in many cartridges.

Incidentally, I always use standard force primers. If you're using some hot-shot super magnum primers, try the regular ones instead.

By the way, 50 fps extreme spread, while a bit more than usual with slow powders, would be better than average for something like 4064 or 3031.

[This message has been edited by Stonecreek (edited 01-03-2002).]

I've used the CCI250 and Fed210 primers with no noticeable change in velocity or ES. I ordered some 210M but not in stock so I settled for the 210s. Accuracy is usually pretty good with 10 shot groups averaging right at 1.0 moa with 8 or 9 going under .5 moa. I've played with the seating depth from .02 off the lands to .03 into the lands with no real differences either. I would like to see consistent .5 moa for 10 shots. Maybe a bridge too far but I'll keep working on it. Thanks for the input. MM

Marine, if you're using a sporter, getting a consistant 1/2 moa with 10 shoots may well keep you busy until you retire. If you acchieve it and aren't on the rifle team, you should be.

My rifle is a Rem700 Left-Hand. Douglas #7 26" SS bbl. Badger Ordnance floorplate, recoil lug, 20moa base, rings. Leupold VX-III 3.5-10x40 LR M3 w/USMC MilDot reticle. McMillan A2 desert camo stock. Barrel, receiver, floorplate parkerized gray. All Put together and bedded in devcon titanium by Iron Brigade Armory.

When I finish my load development I am confident it will shoot consistently to .5-.75 moa.

Doing the tinkering is most of the fun. Once I get it sorted out I will have to start on something else

MM

98% of my loads are compressed, and have had no problems.

I always strive for a compressed load. More uniform and consistent velocities. One of my compressed ackley loads has a spread of no more than 10fps!(H4350 & Fed 210)I favor Federal and Win primers. sure-shot

MM __

Sounds like you have a fine piece of machinery. When it gets down to sucking those last 1/16ths of an inch off the group size, it's the little things that count; lessons we learn from the bench-rest folks. Sieving the gunpowder. Segregating the bullets by weight (all the same). Top-of-the line cartridges cases (like Lapua), segregated by dimensions and internal volume (all the same), once-fired and neck-sized only. Flash-holes uniformed and chamfered both ends. Bullet ogive-to-rifling ramp distance "sweet-spot" established, and-on-and-on.....

Luck-out doesn't get it. Attention to details does. Never compromise. I know that I'm telling you something you already know. My apologies for that.

Good shooting. Put 'em all in the same hole.

Robert

I too prefer compressed loads and mainly use "ball type" powders except for a little 4064 I keep. As far as primers I keep Remington 9 1/2 and 9 1/2M, WLR, Federal 210m and Federal 215, CCI 200's and 250's and usually try all of them and use whatever works best. If I run a brick out, I usually start over again as the new brick will not usally work quite the same as the old brick. I have found primers to be a big variable in POI on some loads as well as extreme spread.
If the load is accurate I don't worry about the deviation, though for the most part deviation in extremes hasn't produced a good load. The biggest spreads that will stay accurate in my findings is with Barnes X bullets.

I have 3 bricks of one lot of CCI 250's that is working well for quite a bit of loading I do but there is always room for experimentation and change.

One can never have too many components -----Chainsaw

Stone Creek, I have had great results with WC872 in 7mmSTW and 7mmRem Mag.

I have also started to work with WC846 in the 30-30 and .308 as well as .223. So far I haven't had much time to try the loads in large numbers of shots, but find the BLC-2 Loading data to be close. Hopefully it will work out as I have quite a bit on hand.-----Chainsaw