Loading Over Max?

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  • edwea

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    So I've been working on some 6.5 grendel loads and I've got a pretty decent one. It is at max charge, and I don't see any pressure sign.
    I'm tempted to up the charge a .1 or .2 gn and see how it goes. So have any of you loaded past max? Usually I see something, cratered primers or ejector marks.
     

    patience0830

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    Not far from the tree
    So I've been working on some 6.5 grendel loads and I've got a pretty decent one. It is at max charge, and I don't see any pressure sign.
    I'm tempted to up the charge a .1 or .2 gn and see how it goes. So have any of you loaded past max? Usually I see something, cratered primers or ejector marks.

    What qualifies as "pretty decent"? Have you found the max load to be most accurate working up to it? Or did you just start there and say, "Ok. That's good enough. Wonder if more would be better?"
     

    avboiler11

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    Book limits are set by lawyers - let the gun, primers, cases and velocity tell you what “max” is.

    Load past book max all the time (223 with 77/80s, 6 Dasher, 6.5 Creedmoor, 260, 308). Never an issue.

    I did have one 260 round with W760 that was under book max but actually WAY over due to powder temp sensitivity (warm day/direct sunlight), but that’s for another time.
     

    edwea

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    My groups got much tighter the higher the charge. Starting out at mid charge yielded a 3" at 50y group and by the time I hit max, there were multiple shots in the same hole. That is certainly good enough. Occasional flyers have me wondering if pushing it a bit more would pull those last few stragglers in.
     

    Clay Pigeon

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    Book limits are set by lawyers - let the gun, primers, cases and velocity tell you what “max” is.

    Load past book max all the time (223 with 77/80s, 6 Dasher, 6.5 Creedmoor, 260, 308). Never an issue.

    I did have one 260 round with W760 that was under book max but actually WAY over due to powder temp sensitivity (warm day/direct sunlight), but that’s for another time.

    I dont let velocity tell me anything about over pressure.
    Is that not the intended purpose of loading data overcharging?

    I use Quickload software along with cases, primers and gun... Quickload will let you know stupid, before one loads stupid.
    Using Quickload data has almost always been in single digit differences when matched with a crono and LabRadar on the range.
     

    Clay Pigeon

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    My groups got much tighter the higher the charge. Starting out at mid charge yielded a 3" at 50y group and by the time I hit max, there were multiple shots in the same hole. That is certainly good enough. Occasional flyers have me wondering if pushing it a bit more would pull those last few stragglers in.

    It very well may.... What data are you using to tell you its safe to continue up the loading ladder?
     

    patience0830

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    My groups got much tighter the higher the charge. Starting out at mid charge yielded a 3" at 50y group and by the time I hit max, there were multiple shots in the same hole. That is certainly good enough. Occasional flyers have me wondering if pushing it a bit more would pull those last few stragglers in.

    My guess is if you are putting shots in the same hole at max, any flyers are the indians shooting skill, not the arrow.

    Try it if you like, it's your rifle and safety at risk. Choose wisely.
     

    edwea

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    Not using any data. It just doesn't seem maxxed out to me. Pretty unscientific really. Brass still looks good. Primers look good. I don't have a chrono, so that's out the window. I guess I would say that it is an absence of evidence otherwise that has me considering continuing up the load ladder.
     

    OurDee

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    Sep 16, 2017
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    Camby
    I would stop in this situation. I don't see any profit in loading hotter in my oppinion. It is your rodeo.
     

    DadSmith

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    Oct 21, 2018
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    So I've been working on some 6.5 grendel loads and I've got a pretty decent one. It is at max charge, and I don't see any pressure sign.
    I'm tempted to up the charge a .1 or .2 gn and see how it goes. So have any of you loaded past max? Usually I see something, cratered primers or ejector marks.
    I went over .1gr using 8208 xbr. It got the best groups with my 123gr sst bullets.
     

    CCPLuvr

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    Feb 25, 2011
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    Rarely have I ever found published load data to be accurate to my rifle bore diameter, brass, bullet, powder lot, primer... there's so many variables. Generally speaking I'll continue increasing powder charge weights IF I see no pressure signs and groups continue to get tighter.
    If you're shooting a bolt gun you can also get a feel for higher pressure by the bolt lift and case extraction.
     
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    Oct 3, 2008
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    On a hill in Perry C
    Back when I shot benchrest it was common to load over max. We let the signs tell us when we were starting to push the pressure limits. Also if you look in older loading manuals you'll find max loads change over time, sometimes higher, sometimes lower.
    Because of the faster powders used I wouldn't do it with pistol reloading but in a rifle cartridge IF you know what to look for and are willing to take the risk, I see no problem with exceeding max loads IF you work up your loads slowly. Also if you change anything, even using a different lot, back off your load and work back up. There could be just enough of a difference in that new lot of bullet, powder, and/or primer to change a safe load to a marginal or unsafe load. Also not a place to use mixed brass, case capacity from one brand to another can vary widely.
     

    deerslayer512

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    Dec 23, 2014
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    Indianapolis
    Look for pressure signs. It seems that newer reloading manuals are more conservative about max loads than older ones. I have a few reloading manuals from 20+ years ago, and the charges in those books go up way stouter than my new ones. Could be because of lawyers, further testing of powders, who knows. Elmer Keith loaded his 255gr 44 mag with 22grs of 2400. Absolutely zero reloading books would ever recommend anything close to that stout of a load, but I'm willing to bet Elmer put more of those through his Model 29 than most of us have put rounds through all of our guns combined. So, case in point, look for pressure signs.
     

    avboiler11

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    I dont let velocity tell me anything about over pressure.
    Is that not the intended purpose of loading data overcharging?

    Velocity plateaus with increasing charge weights help indicate its time to stop going up.

    Spending the money on QL certainly helps know where the limits may be, though I’ve NEVER heard it being single-digit accurate.

    I tend to look at primer flow and ejector marks, myself...
     
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