I'm getting ready to start loading for my 8mm X 40 Rolling Block... kind of a wild cat...

I've gleened around 30-40 different receipes for the 32-40 ( parent cartridge & closest to my 8 X 40 )... what did you look for in a powder before starting to load for your cartridge ???

I.E. a good share of competitive shooters are loading 32-40 with 4227, but max loads seem like they will only fill the case about 1/3 full... to me, this seems like a receipe for disaster... I'm more inclined to choose a powder with similar burn rates, but with much more bulk, that at least fills the case 3/4 full...

I currently have several cans of 4227... but think I should find a bulkier powder to use???

how do you choose which powders to use ???

I don't really care for an empty case. I look to the powder that should provide the velocity I'm looking for while using as much case capacity as possible.

Magnum Wheel Man, my philosophy is to choose a charge that will not be an overload if doubled or will overflow if doubled. Double charges are a reality! I am using AR2205 (H4227) for reduced cast loads in my 303 Brit. Works just fine, pressure wise, with the right amount. It also works with heavier lead bullets, again, pressure wise. It seems to burn well even at low charges. But I agree with ramrod340.

My rule of thumb is to start with a load that I shot reasonably well in the "mother" cartridge and work up. If you haven't shot the "mother" cartridge choose a load for the 'mother'cartridge just under max from a good manual and work up.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!

i "build" the case in quickload, sanity check it against die formed cases for capacity, and start LOW on pressure at 80% filled cases...

You may want to try N130,680,ac1680,N133 or SR4759. One of the 4198s ,maybe compressed, would do the job.

What kind of bullets are you using? roger

I search online load data and factory load data manuals. Inevitably there will be a couple powders which show up again and again for a specific caliber.

Also, most reloading mfg. sites have burn rate data for their powders. That gives you some insight into choosing.

Generally, I pick a powder which offers versatility and can be used for a variety of caliber reloads. I have a couple favorites for rifles, a couple more for handguns. They're pretty much what everyone else uses too.

I agree with your sentiments about filling up the case. "Flashover" from the primer across an charge in a case can cause detonation. (I'm sure we all understand this.)

1) follow proper load techniques. 2) i load whatever is most accurate. 3) i load imr4227 in a Ballard and a winchester 3240. 4) dont load IMR4227, sent it to me. 5) proper load technique means looking in the case !!! i had 4 bridged charges w/ a redding BR3 measure!!! measure was cold. YES, i have had bridged charges w/ a HARREll.

quote:

i "build" the case in quickload

How much is QuickLoad?

Here is the way I have been doing it for over 35 years. Look at the parent case and, if you are necking it up you can "pretty well" assume the pressures will be lower with a bullet of about the same weight. Necking down? Pressures will go up with a samo weight bullet. Take the 25 Souper for example. I take LC N.M. brass and neck it down to .25. Knowing it is obviously not going to shoot a 150 gr .25 I look to the nearest relative --the 243 Win. If the 243 data says I can shoot a 100 gr 6mm bullet with 39.0/? I can assume I can shoot a [slightly] larger 100 gr [.25] with relative safety. I then drop down a few grains of X powder and work up to max. Reason I drop down is the Mil brass slightly heavier and thus has less room in the case. Just a safety factor. After I determine a absolute max I then go back three grains and work up three rounds in 1/2 gr increments in both flat-base and boat-tails and head to the range to see what shoots best. As a rule I will find the best al-around load in one of these 3 rd groups. This is just my .02.
Aloha, mark

I have learned now that even slow powders can burn well at low pressure. I have tried H4350/AR2209 with cast in my Brit and even when the primer is hardly flattened, it still burns well (no unburned granules on the catch cloth but apparently plenty of muzzle flash going by the degree of melting on the catch cloth). I have been informed that H4350/AR2209 works in a 30-30 but at reduced velocity.

quote:

Originally posted by homebrewer:

quote:

i "build" the case in quickload

How much is QuickLoad?

$150 bucks? more or less .. like a chronograpgh, it saves TONS of money in powder/bullets/primers ..

it does tend to error to the side of caution on pressure, which is a good thing

great product, and if you can brew a proper IPA, you can figure out the tool.

BTW, i've made it to 23% ABV in a mead! yeah, really..

We all understand this, I'm sure, but particularly in a large case, a primer can "flash over" the powder and cause it to detonate rather than burn.

I've never been a fan of fast burning powders. They seem to result in steep pressure spikes. I like to see pressure build in the bore as the bullet is accelerating down it.

(Then again, I've had my share of unburned powder in handgun loads.)

will
we don't all understand WHY that, in certain cases, of a grossly underloaded vs capacity load, that the round can detonate. we all are aware that this has been reported to have happened ....

the conditions are the crux of the matter, not broad generalizations.

the conditions you are talking about are
1:lower powder volume
2: "slow" powders
3: interesting powder location
4: cases so extreme that is it not merely a hangfire
5: grotesquely bad judgement
6: and a planetary alignment as this has NEVER been duplicated in a lab, with the powders and conditions as described

does it happen? might, might not...

but a hang fire WILL happen, and thats not cricket

quote:

we don't all understand WHY that, in certain cases, of a grossly underloaded vs capacity load, that the round can detonate. we all are aware that this has been reported to have happened ....

One possibility is that someone used the wrong powder and then denies it or doesn't know it? I still won't take the chance - it does seem possible! After all, we have all seen partially burned powder granules left in the bore, so..... !

303 -- I agree, though I wasn't going to say it .. even Saint Parker (PO Ackley) found that the best of sources sometimes puts the wrong powder in the case!