Pressure signs.
While I have reloaded for some time, I have alwas stayed pretty much by the book. Recently I begen to beef up a load for a 223. I have steadily stepped up the load and now shooting 3750FPS with no pressure signs. Can some one tell me how fast I can expect out of a 26"bbl shooting 40g Balistic tip, and is there a pressure sign I may be missing.
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You need to talk to Gary Kieft at DILLON PRECISSION in Scottsdale, Az.
1-800-223-4570...
Captain Kirk, Tech Staff0 -
ejector marks on the case head
primer cratering
primer flattening
sticky bolt lift
loose primer pockets
and even sticky chambering with a loaded round
why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
Got Balistics?0 -
Along with the other advice given I'd like to add a method I use. And that is to scrape your fingernail across the fired primer you will be able to feel the tiny ridge where the metel starts to push (flow) back over the firingpin. If you feel it, it's to high presure. This may be the primer cratering already mentioned, I dont know. Good Luck
You'v gota kill it to grill it0 -
You said it in your description,stay by the book,just my .02 0 -
oldwiseone;
Over pressure signs can be obvious or very discreet. If you are not seeing them on the cases, Bear in mind, it may show up in the barrel. As volocity, pressure, and HEAT build, barrel erosion will accelarate, sometimes at greatly disproportionate rates. While you are "stepping" up the volocity, you may be sharply ramping up barrel wear. It is possible to shoot out a barrel and never see over pressure signs until the damage is done. This recent trend of "improving" proven loads is troubling. The levels of these loads are established through painstaking research and development, to be safe, function reliably, and accurate. Hot rodding these loads can be very detrimental to the firearm and in extreme cases the shooter. Be very careful how much you improve the ballistics of the .223, it may come back to bite you're rifle or you.
Kill all the lawyers and the world will be much better for it.0 -
Usually best accuracy is found at velocities well below maximum. Pushing the envelope may give someone a chance to boast a bit, but as Python noted, the wear on throat / barrel may well damage intrinsic accuracy before you realize it - not to mention the safety issues. 3750 fps out of the .223 is real high. This is the velocity range I use in my .220 Swift, with its much larger case. Y, I know I can get another 400 fps out of it safely - that was the Swift's original claim to fame, after all - but this where I have the best accuracy. My Swift is almost thirty years old, has fired thousands of rounds, and still drives tacks when I do my part, despite the reputation for eroded throats. Why? I rather suspect a lot of it has to do with the loads being somewhat less than maximum - to say nothing of over max. And I doubt like Hell the targets (woodchucks, crows, etc.) can tell the difference.
You may see some, all or none of the pressure signs listed above. Depends on the firearm, the loads . . . many factors. If you want to push the envelope in this way, I also suggest you use a paperclip to feel around the head area inside the case as you will have accelerated stress in this area and at max+ loads, you might well *not* see the signs of an incipient head separation externally before one occurs.0
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