Hello Friends ,

While trying to develop a load for my R 93 243 barrel, I decided to stay with an old load which has given me very good results in my Model 70. However, I was shocked :!: when I found that the bolt of the R 93 wouldnt open and took a lot of force to eject the case. The case showed pressure signs with a flattened primer and shine on its base. Unlike in my other standard turn bolts, there was no cratering around the firing pin indent.
I tried another reload, same results. Extremely hard extraction and similar pressure signs.
My load was 42 grains H 414 in Partizan cases once fired in this barrel , CCI 200 LR primers and 100 grain Speer soft point spitzer. The same load is a well established safe load in my Winchester Model 70. Bullets were seated slightly shorter than a standard factory load of Partizan 100 grain. Cases were resized in a lee die turned 1/4 turn to cam over in the press. No trimming or neck turning done in these once fired cases.
I then tried 40 grains of H 414, keeping all other parameters the same. Again very hard extraction and pressure signs.
I then loaded one round with 37 grains H 414 and got the usual smooth extraction of the Blaser R 93. Also the cases have been fired in this same chamber. Bullets are not seated out in fact are slightly shorter than factory loads to compensate for any major ogive differences.
Did not chronograph these loads as yet as I was in the process of finding some accurate starting point.
I am wondering whether there is any special procedure to follow for reloading for R 93 s or what on earth I am doing so wrong :?
The rifle shoots some wonderfully accurate groups with RWS ammo and I was trying to see what it would do with reloads.
Thank You for any suggestions.

Hi Skeetshot, welcome on board! And now onto the real business:

Reloading 1-0-1: when loading for a new rifle, ALWAYS work up towards max! I guess you just learned the hard way...

Sorry, I don't load .243, so I can't comment on your specific loads from experience. Hodgdon lists 40 grs as max for H414 with a 100 grs bullet, though (my old Speer manual lists 41 grs as max for H414 with 105 grs bullets - albeit with a magnum primer...). So your initial two test loads were 1-2 grs over and right on book max... That is a pretty agressive move in a new rifle...

Given the R93 is not a true turn-bolt, it has weaker extraction (lack of primary extraction at bolt lift) than a regular bolt action. However, what you describe clearly sounds like loads running at too high pressures for *this particular* combination of rifle and components.

I take it you have made sure your cases have not exceeded max case length? I also take it, you have checked your bullets do not seat into the lands? (OK, I know this is unlikely, given you load them shorter than factory loads, but you still need to verify this). How did the over pressure loads chamber before you shot them, smoothly??

I load for, maybe, 12 R93 barrels, and none of these are particularly prone to produce pressure signs with loads approaching book max. I have 2 (magnum calibers) where book max loads are hard on the brass, but nothing like you describe. In fact, in keeping with most factory rifles, Blasers tend to have chambers on the large side - which normally reduces pressure a bit.

- mike

Thank you MHO for your suggestion.
Nice also to know that you are familiar with reloading for Blaser R 93 barrels.
I checked before preparing the loads, and the Hogdon manual lists 43 grains H 414 as max for the 100 grain bullet.My loads were 42 and 40grains of H 414.
Except for the tighter chamber specs of the R 93 barrels, I cannot figure out what went wrong.
The manual lists 39 grains as a STARTING load.
While I agree that the manuals are only general guide lines,my limited experience so far has always shown that the manuals are conservative on the lower side.

Manuals vary, even recommendations from a single manufacturer may vary over time. If you look on the Hodgdon website, you'll see that Hodgdon's current recommendation for H414 is as I stated in my reply above. Why this variation?? Beats me, perhaps the test setup was changed, perhaps the powder was changed??

Anyway, arguing about whose numbers state what and why makes little sense. The long and the short of it, was that you elected to cut your load development short, and it turned out not to be such a great idea. Hard to say why one gun will accept a load and another will not. Even harder to predict up front, so you work up.

It will be interesting to see what your chronograph says.

- mike

This quote from Speer #14:

quote:

WARNING Do not substitute other brands of cartridge case. Excessive pressure may result.

Speer used Winchester cases to work up their load data. It is common knowledge that Winchester brass is lighter weight, therefore thinner-walled and thus having more case capacity than most other brands including Partizan cases. Plus, you also increased pressure if you loaded that ammo to a COAL of less than the Speer recommended 2.625" Plus, plus, Speer lists 40.5gr as a MAX charge with their three 100gr bullets. Compounding all your errors gave you high pressure indeed.

Yet another example of someone who worked down from a good load in another rifle rather than the time proven and always recommended working up from the start load data. It's almost like you never read the load manual at all.

lyman 49th edition with 100gr hornaday btsp remington case,rem 9 1/2 primers ,h414 beg load 35.1 gr max load 39gr 2.630" OAL.

Thanks friends

In spite of a few years of reloading under my belt, I have made a fundamental mistake of not consulting the other manuals and depended on my past experience with this round in another rifle
Will go back to the basics and revert
Good to have some steady helping hands to consult

On an unrelated note, have you tried H4350 powder? H4350 is by far the best powder I have ever used in any of my .243 rifles, it yields high velocities and small groups. I still haven't found a powder that worked better for me in any of the .243's I've owned.

Thank you for your suggestion dixiedog

Any suggestions for 4350 ?

With H4350 I start all 100 gr bullets at 37 grs and work up until accuracy drops or I see pressure signs. With the 3 .243 rifles I own right now my optimum loads range from 39.0 - 39.5 grs.

I have a Blaser R93 offroad standard weight barrel in 243 Win
My load is AR 2206 35.5 gr, Lapua Brass, SGK 85 gr (#1530). I can not remember the COL
Its a stiff load and its a tackholer.
Never any signs of pressure.
I'm not sure what the IMR equivalent is you can see the chart at:
http://www.thalesgroup.com.au/...uide/equivalents.asp

I had a Remington 788 in 243 used a nosler load with a 100gr nosler spitzer sp , 33.5gr of IMR 4895 with a cci lr primer.100 yard group cloverleaf in the bull.

I tried what Bob from down under suggested and . . . .HEY!! YOU WERE RIGHT clap

I used RWS cases instead of Partizan and loaded upto 38 grains of H 414 and got no pressure signs or difficult extraction whatsoever.

Now I need to work up and try to get some accuracy.

I bought the Blaser sysyem to get accuracy but dont seem to be getting what I expect out of factory ammo. So far the best results have come with RWS KS 95 grain but at 150 metrs all I get is 1.5 inches with 5 shots. Frowner

The Partizan 100 gr goes + 2 inches and I got some PMP South African 100 grain Premium stuff which was also disappointing.

BUT, I have reloaded some very carefully assembled loads with 40,41,42 grains
IMR 4350 and 41 grains H 414 and am hopeful of something on the weekend Cool

Will keep you all posted