Don
Need some advice on loading for a 30 Bellm in a 13" Encore.
My priority was to duplicate the factory CNC Cartridge load with a 130 Hornady for my deer load this year. Both the factory loads and my handloads are giving 2.5 to 3" groups at 100 meters for 5 shots. I'm loading 27.0 gr. RE7 to the same OAL as factory. I'm using CCI200 primers. MV is 2250 fps. Barrel is scoped with a 2-7X Burris in a VV six screw base in burris Z rings.
I've got some Nosler 125 gr. BT bullets on order.
Can the Hornady bullet load be improved by changing the powder charge, should I try bench rest primers, other suggestions? I had another shooter try it and he shot about the same.
What kind of groups can be expected with the factory load? I was expecting 1.5" groups or better.
Greg

GREG..i have a question for Don too...
sorry too butt in...
but he should read this,
my question is on the thread about the .375 brass..

just thought since you posted his name in the topic header,,,

buckweet

Greg,

I have not worked at all with the 30 Bellm. That is the chambering for Illinois I'm sure. In fact haven't even had one in my hand.

However, I too would expect better performance than you describe. To expect 1.5" at 100 yds is a modest expectation. I can comment about the things you might do to improve performance though.
1. The one thing that will accomplish the most is a trigger job.
2. Going to match primers might accomplish a little, but that step should be made only after several other things first.
3.You might try setting the bullet to touch the rifling. I found with the 308 Bellm that worked well for it.
4. If all that doesn't improve things, you might try a fifferent powder. I have never really liked Reloader 7, but H-322 usually does pretty well and going to a little slower powder might help. H-335 or IMR 4895 might do better, but 4895 is probably slow enough.

If something there doesn't work, e-mail me at donald.shearer@worldnet.att.net and we can discuss it at length.

Buckwheet

I sound like you are OK since you have no resistance with chambering, extraction and don't have any soot on the outside of the case neck etc. There is a quick check to see if your neck with bullet seated is in the right size range too. Take a fired case and try to slip a bullet into it. If the bullet fits with a "slip fit" or even with just a little resistance, you are OK. If it fits with no resistance you are definitely OK. If you can't fit the bullet into the fired case, then you may have too little clearance and should make some careful measurements of the chamber diameter before deciding what to do about it. That is where the brass rod comes in.

Remember, when you fire, the case neck expands to the diameter of the chamber. After the bullet is gone and the pressure subsides, the brass springs back toward it original dimension by about one to two thousandths depending on the hardness of the brass. So if you can just slip a bullet into the fired case neck, that means you have at least one thousandth clearance between the bullet, the brass and the chamber during the high pressure phase of the shot. That much is enough but not much to spare. If you have an easy slip fit you do have enough clearance.

Hope that helps,

Don Shearer

Don...
thank you for your reply,,,yes i've got a slip fit,,goes in easy,,snugg,, but you dont have too force anything,,
some of my books say trim to 1.750 others say 1.740 who is right ???

thanks...buckweet

Greg,
It really surprises me that your Virgin Valley .30 Bellm is only shooting minute of Illinois whitetail. It should be a tack driver.

First question. What is your barrel to frame gap measurement?

Second question. How far do your sized cases AND loaded ammo stick out of the chamber in relation to the gap. The ideal is about .001" less than whatever your barrel to frame gap measures. If for some strange reason your dies do not push the shoulders back far enough,then the size die may need to be shortened more.

CH-4D made the dies the same as the cases for length from shoulder to head inspite of the fact that I asked for them to be shorter. Thus, I have had to shorten all of the dies, but they should all be short enough to push shoulders back. If yours does not, then hi-ball the stripped size die back to me.

Seating bullets out is definitely in order.

Regarding powder, what you have case wise is similar to .30 Herrett, and many of the powders that work well in the Herrett should work well in .30 Bellm, IF there is enough room in the case.

Rel 7 shines in this case, and when I hit on it, that is pretty much where I stopped. I had worked with faster powders and slower, but Rel 7 hit the velocity mark we wanted and shot very well.

I would have to do some digging to pull out my early notes.... stashed them away after hitting on Rel 7. AA1680 should work. I tried it, but do not remember how it chronographed. 4198 is a bit too bulky as I recall, and you may not get enough in.

One thing about it, you are shooting the Encore, and so long as you do not blow primer pockets, you can load as hot as you want.

Mike

Don and Mike,
Thanks for responding. I guess I'll have to take the plunge and download Mike's CD on the Encore trigger and buy some springs.
Here's some further information:
I used H322 with a Speer "Plinker" bullet as my barrel breakin load. I had trouble getting 27.5 grains in the case, even with this bullet. As a guide for this cartridge, I've been using 30 Herrett load data and adding 1 gr. to the max. I've checked MV on the Hornady 130 with:
A1680 up to 26.0 gr. 2200 fps
RE7 up to 27.5 gr. 2290 fps
There are no pressure signs at these levels.
Did not shoot these for groups as my intention was to duplicate factory MV of 2250 fps. and RE7 @ 27.0 did accomplish this objective.
I was loading to an OAL of 2.06" (duplicating factory) and I measured tonight that I can load to 2.09" into the rifling.
Mike, best I can determine is the barrel frame gap is .009" (smallest metal shim I have is .015", so I used a paper shim). I need to size some cases and I'll see how much they protrude.
Based on both inputs so far my plan for this weekend is:
Hornady 130 gr SSP bullet loaded to OAL of 2.088"
RE7 powder 27.0, 27.5, 28.0, 28.5

I'll repeat these RE7 loads with with the Nosler 125 gr BT bullets when they arrive. I'll also do a series with the Nosler bullet and A1680.

As an aside, I shot the Hornady bullet into a gallon milk jug filled with water at 100 meters and was not overly impressed with the damage done. (I repeated this with the same results) I'll do the same with the Nosler.
I'm agreeing with you Mike that I can load these up hotter in the Encore. Hopefully accuracy will follow.
Greg