Well I'm just getting started at reloading, so Saturday I bought a box of 50 grn Blitzkings #1450 and H4198 for my first try at handloading. I plan on running these through a 700 222 and 700 22-250.

Keep in mind the store I bought this from closed it's doors at 5 pm Saturday for good (they had a big sale, 50% off).

So I get home and the bullet is not listed in the Sierra 4th edition, but the worst part is the seal on the powder jar seemed the be unsealed around a short length of the rim (they have a seal like a vitamin or tylenol bottle).

So my question is, could somebody have fooled with it, should I use it or burn it or as the Sierra site recommends use it as fertilizer (never would have thought it would be safe for that, i guess just throw out by hand and water in good).

The Sierra site says to use the same reload data at the other 50 grn bullets but I sent them mail for the suggested CAOL. I checked the 222 by putting a bullet in dummy case and chambering and came up with 2.288 which is a little longer than the case trim length (1.690) + bullet length - .224 = 2.258. So with .010 clearance, .020 doesn't seem too much difference.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

RJS

Don't take this as gospel, but I have had new cannisters of powder that have had the same seal condition you describe. I think maybe they just don't stick well everywhere and when the lid is taken off it comes loose. As far as COAL, take the bolt out, drop a bullet(don't force it) into the chamber and use a cleaning rod inserted from the muzzle 'til it touches the bullet seated against the lans. Remove the bullet and replace the bolt and do the same thing. The difference between the two marks is the max! COAL and should be shortened a bit to prevent high pressures. Make sure you have a blunt/flat tip on the rod so that it rests against the tip of the bullet and doesn't slide over the tip and give a false measurement.

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Originally posted by RJS:
Well I'm just getting started at reloading, so Saturday I bought a box of 50 grn Blitzkings #1450 and H4198 for my first try at handloading. I plan on running these through a 700 222 and 700 22-250.

Keep in mind the store I bought this from closed it's doors at 5 pm Saturday for good (they had a big sale, 50% off).

So I get home and the bullet is not listed in the Sierra 4th edition, but the worst part is the seal on the powder jar seemed the be unsealed around a short length of the rim (they have a seal like a vitamin or tylenol bottle).

So my question is, could somebody have fooled with it, should I use it or burn it or as the Sierra site recommends use it as fertilizer (never would have thought it would be safe for that, i guess just throw out by hand and water in good).

The Sierra site says to use the same reload data at the other 50 grn bullets but I sent them mail for the suggested CAOL. I checked the 222 by putting a bullet in dummy case and chambering and came up with 2.288 which is a little longer than the case trim length (1.690) + bullet length - .224 = 2.258. So with .010 clearance, .020 doesn't seem too much difference.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

RJS

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RJS/ You should destroy the powder!but don't give up on loading....4198 is a great powder for the 222...and the 50 grain bullet is good for both the 22/250 and 222....the Cartridge Over All Length is only a concern with the shell fitting the magazine of a gun...the seating depth is the important length for bullet tension and grouping...this will be the length the gun likes the bullet seated from the start of the rifiling....check on a comparator for measuring the deating depth of precision ammo and stoney point makes good tools for this or use the old methods of a split neck case or partically resized case to find the touching depth for you guns loads..and if you want to load both cartridges with one powder don't get 4198 for the 22/250 try 4895 for both or BL-C(2) or H322..these will be ok for both cartridges/check back
for any problems that come up,you have good cartridges and guns to start the enjoyable pastime of handloading.....good luck and good shooting!!!

BDT,

I forgot about the magazine length, I will have to check it tonight.

Anybody use the new Hodgdon Benchmark powder, the free Hodgdon manual I picked up has data for the 222 and 22-250. I will also check my manuals, seems I saw data for BL-C(2), will check again for it and 4895.

Thanks,

RJS