Hello,

I went out to the range this weekend with a bunch of loads to try for antelope. I had the Hornady 117 SST loaded with RL22 and 53gr. was less than 3/4 MOA. My question is, is 53gr. too much? I am getting conflickting data from the books and the internet (I know your not supposed to believe anything you read on the net, but I trust the AR crowd). I have one source that claims 49gr. as a max load, another says 53.5gr is their max. The brass is Remington, once fired during fireforming with Win.WLR primers. The bolt wasn't sticky with any of the loads, but that doesn't mean that they are safe!
Any opinions are helpfull. Thanks in advance!
Randy

Select a single case. Reload it and shoot it repeatedly with your subject load. If, after a few firings, primers still seat with a reasonable amount of resistance, then your loads are within an acceptable pressure range. If primer pockets are stretched after only a couple of firings, then you need to back off.

There are other, perhaps more sophisticated, ways to gauge pressure, but this one is unarbitrary and fairly straight forward.

Randy
According to Quick Load your load generates 60955psi that is with a case volume of 63.0gr H2O to overflow. This is a max load but a variation of plus or minus 5000psi could make the load excesssive.

A loaed of 52.0gr would be 57054psi this load with an inclusion of 5000psi variation would be much better. Reloder 22 is a very good powder for this type of load. I use this powder in a 25-06 and a 100gr TSX bullet with phenominal results, both on game and in velocity.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
Select a single case. Reload it and shoot it repeatedly with your subject load. If, after a few firings, primers still seat with a reasonable amount of resistance, then your loads are within an acceptable pressure range. If primer pockets are stretched after only a couple of firings, then you need to back off.

Stonecreek is dead on target with this suggestion. I'm fully appreciative of this test. I've had loads that seemed good but the second reloading failed to hold a primer.

As far as listening to AR members.....wellll.....there's an abundance of talent here and some great amout of experience. I still start low and work up cautiously. Even a good load is subject to a typo error.

quote:

I still start low and work up cautiously. Even a good load is subject to a typo error.

That is the way to go. The primer pocket expansion will tell you that you have high pressure. Depending on the the make of brass the pressure could be really high.

Lapua brass is really tough and so is Winchester and wen you have any sort of expansion in the primer pocket you are way in the red zone.

Besides there is considerable variation in the case head construction of the various cases which makes it very hard to get visible pressure readings.

The web has a great deal to do of what happens to the primer pocket. Since it too has to stretch.

Thanks for the responses. I knew this was the place to ask. I think i'm going to play it safe and load 52gr. RL22 with the 117 SST. 53gr. measured just under 3/4", but 52gr. was just over 1". I'm willing to sacrafice a bit of accuracy for a safe load. 1" is still going to be MOA (minute of antelope). Now I just need to run them over the chrony to figure out my drop table.
Thanks for the help,
Randy

Randy you might try playing with the seating depth to augment the accuracy you are looking for. My favorite load has been 52 grains of IMR 7828 with 115 Trophy Bonded bullets. This gave me 3,000 + ft/sec's and 1/2 MOA. Seated to function in a Sako medium action. Barrel length is 25 inches. I also used the 120 Nosler solid base and 120 Partitions in Africa for Impala and babons. Very good results where ever the rifle traveled...

quote:

Originally posted by Randy Pacella:
Thanks for the responses. I knew this was the place to ask. I think i'm going to play it safe and load 52gr. RL22 with the 117 SST. 53gr. measured just under 3/4", but 52gr. was just over 1". I'm willing to sacrafice a bit of accuracy for a safe load. 1" is still going to be MOA (minute of antelope). Now I just need to run them over the chrony to figure out my drop table.
Thanks for the help,
Randy

Randy,
Don't over look 100gr. bullets, they kill deer size critters extremely well, shoot flatter, and hit with authority. My choice being Sierra # 1620.
Stepchild