In the last installment, bobc and I went to the range to shoot my Rodda. She does not seem to care for the first 2 loads with IMR4831, 80.0 &80.5, 400 gr. Woodleigh soft, so we moved on to the tried and true R-15 loads. 70.5 gr. looked good, but 71.0 brought them in to around 2"@50 yds and at that point, we ran out of ammo and we had no chrono with us, so that was it for the day. Reasoning that if 70.5 was good and showed no pressure signs, I loaded up some more with the same load and a few more with the 71.0 load, but substituted Winchester magnum primers for the CCI 250's that I had used on the first set of loads. I am not using the Fed 215's as I felt that other magnum primers are just as hot, and federal has very soft cups and since I shoot Garands, M-1A, and Fal's, I really don't want any primers around that I cannot use in everything. That said, changing to a different primer was why I started with the lower load, just as a measure of safety. I have tested many loads that were max in bolt rifles, and swapped primers with little to no diff in pressure signs. Well, guess again Lads! these doubles really are different! The 70.5 load seemed fine, but the 71.0 load was definatley hot, stiff opening. Evidence of primer cratering, which was not present with the CCI 250. My first thought, was that maybe the cup was softer on the Win, and that the cratering might be dragging on the standing breech, but that was not true, there were pressure signs on the case itself, so that was that. The temps that day were almost 10* cooler than the first trip and all rounds were in the shade. The conclusion that I came too, is that the WLRM primers are hotter than the CCI. I decided to conduct a little non-scientific test and load 2 cases each with both brands of primer. My reasoning was that if there was and cup hardness diff, that comparing the firing pin indention between the two might give some indication, when I was a teenager, I worked summers in a heat treating plant, and we brinell tested for hardness by using a special device that struck the metal with a precise blow which left an indention much like a firing pin. You used a special scope to measure the diameter of the indention, harder metal, smaller diameter indention etc. This test was inconclusive as both samples looked identical, so I am guessing similar hardness. The next thing I noticed was that the WLRM primed cases had more sooty blast residue at the neck/mouth, which leads me to conclude that it is a bit hotter, or maybe just cleaner, but there was quite a bit of diff between the residue deposits. So much for unscientific testing! I did run the 71.0 R-15, WLRM, 400 gr.Woodleigh softs, 2 gr. dacron, crimped load across the Chrono though, and they were 2105 and 2120 fps with my 24" barrels. Prudence dictated that the load needs to be disassembled and redone with the CCI primer to duplicate the previous good results and pressures. I have been handloading and chronographing loads for over 30 years, and currently load for over 40 different cartridges, so this a'int my first rodeo, But, you learn something new everyday, and at least my double, can go from pussycat pressures to excessive pressure with as little as a primer change! I may just have to rig up my old portable loading bench in the back of the truck to save some time on further load development, and keep from having to disassemble unsatisfactory rounds. I will soon be working up and chronoing loads for the Woodleigh solid also and will keep you posted. Lee.

This was good reading my friend. I have never hand loaded in my life, but I hope to in the near future.

I try to learn from you all who are "old salts" at it.

At 46 I am old enough to be an old salt, but alas, I am just a zero experience no nothin'.

I personally use Federal Bench Rest Magnum primers

Rusty, almost everyone recommends the Federals, as they were originally developed at Weatherby's request for a hot primer to ignite his overbore magnums. no flies on them, but I doubt that they have any real world advantage over most other stuff. They do tend to have soft cups, and I am discovering that primer condition is more important in doubles than in bolts. My experience in bolt guns has been that measuring case expansion at the "belt" is far more reliable than primer condition per se. Then again, the softer cups may give more early warning, condition-wise, than harder ones in double rifles. I just like to experiment and there is a definate learning curve here! Anything I learn will be usefull, as good info on reloading these guns is on the thin side. Hopefully I will be off this weekend to do some more experimenting, anybody up for a trip to the range?
BigFiveJack, you are never to old to learn and reloading is a very satisfying hobby! I load for many of my friends and have developed some very accurate loads for their rifles, that in some cases, were very indifferant to factory loads. Try it, you'll like it! Lee.