stuck bolt assembly

[stangfish]

Just a thought. Some RCBS scales are old. Some have been abused or at the least not cared for properly. The knife edges on the fulcrum can become worn and the beam can become "sticky". Have you test weighted that thing lately?

[foxx]

Just a thought. Some RCBS scales are old. Some have been abused or at the least not cared for properly. The knife edges on the fulcrum can become worn and the beam can become "sticky". Have you test weighted that thing lately?

Thanks, Stang. It's new. But to be sure, I just confirmed by weiging a 69 g bullet. It's true.

What I'm hearing is confirmation that , though I am new to handloading, my basic understandng on all this is valid.

When making those loads, maybe I set-up the scale wrong (I am not above doing that).

Will try the lighter loads this week (and maybe 23.2g) and report my results.

Thanks to all.

[dolomite_supafly]

Where did you buy the powder? We had a local Walmart catch kids on camera mixing powders.

Can you verify the powder is extruded? (looks like small pieces of pencil lead)

I just find it hard to believe you are getting signs of pressure at close to 1 grain under the minimum load.

Do you have a chronograph? My 24.5 grain load was giving me 2,950 fps in a 26" barrel.

[foxx]

Where did you buy the powder? We had a local Walmart catch kids on camera mixing powders.

Can you verify the powder is extruded? (looks like small pieces of pencil lead)

I just find it hard to believe you are getting signs of pressure at close to 1 grain under the minimum load.

Do you have a chronograph? My 24.5 grain load was giving me 2,950 fps in a 26" barrel.

I bought the powder at Jay's Sporting Goods in Clare, MI. Not likely to be corrupted. It is extruded, a hint of an amber color to it (not carbon-black like any other brands I've used).

I have a new chrono, not used yet. Will break-out soon.

My references say Sierra matchking 69g HPBT with Varget starts at 19.9g, and goes up to 26.4. So, accordingto that, I am not at or below minimum, but certanly well below maximum; so I am still with you on that, dlomite_supafly.

Hmmm.

[dolomite_supafly]

Varget is a Hodgdon powder and according to Hodgdon reference the starting load for 69 SMK is 24 grains and max is 26 grains in 223 Remington.

When looking at load data I only use the makers recomendations. Just because someone else says it will work doesn't mean it will.

[foxx]

Dolomite, you are right. I was looking at Sierra's tables. I just assumed they used Hodgdon as a source. Now I dn't know what to do.

[rjtfroggy]

Call Sierra and ask one of the ballistic tecs.. You would be suprised at some of the answers you will get, and these guys know what they are talking about.

[Westcliffe01]

Hodgdon has their reloading data freely available http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

What length are you loading the bullets ? If you seat them too deep it will raise pressure. If you seat long and "jam" them into the lands, it will raise pressure but usually you would only notice at max loads anyway. Seating long increases case volume and actually allows more powder for a given case pressure, provided the bullet still has a little jump before reaching the lands.

The 26gr load is listed as being compressed, so theoretically you would be hard pressed to load too hot with varget. By comparison, a faster powder like H322 achieves nearly the same velocity with a max load of only 23gr and its not near compressed either. That was what I had been using in my 222 and 223 before I switched to the 243 for coyote hunting.

[foxx]

Hodgdon has their reloading data freely available http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

What length are you loading the bullets ? If you seat them too deep it will raise pressure. If you seat long and "jam" them into the lands, it will raise pressure but usually you would only notice at max loads anyway. Seating long increases case volume and actually allows more powder for a given case pressure, provided the bullet still has a little jump before reaching the lands.

The 26gr load is listed as being compressed, so theoretically you would be hard pressed to load too hot with varget. By comparison, a faster powder like H322 achieves nearly the same velocity with a max load of only 23gr and its not near compressed either. That was what I had been using in my 222 and 223 before I switched to the 243 for coyote hunting.

They are seated long. Just off the lands. Not a lot of neck tension, either. I can actually twist and pull the bullet out ( by hand ) a little from the case if seated too deeply.

[Westcliffe01]

I would be careful of too little neck tension. You don't want the bullets being driven into the case by recoil when struck by the forward part of the magazine (not that a 223 has much recoil, this is usually a problem with 308+ cartridges in light guns as well as 357 and 44magnums and up). If that should happen, one would get increasing pressure with every round fired until the mag was empty (last should be highest). I certainly don't think a crimp is necessary, but I certainly can't move a bullet in one of my rounds by hand.

[dolomite_supafly]

I use neck tension to hold the bullets and NEVER crimp, even in my AR15's. I took my sizing/decapping pin and chucked it into a drill. Then I used sandpaper to remove .002". That gives me plenty of neck tension without deforming the bullet.

[foxx]

Before continuing with Varget I am going to try another powder in the same cases. I want to see if I get any high pressure signs at relatively low charges with other powders. If I do not have any problems, I will try 23.2 of Varget again. Maybe I just mis-measured. I STRONGLY doubt it, but why not test dfferent powder for the same "signs"?

I will also try to call techs at Hodgdon and Sierra as well.

[Westcliffe01]

You might just try not firing the last round in the magazine through several reloads and then check if the length has shortened up. I never crimp either but nor was I claiming to be able to move the bullet with my fingers ....

I assume the barrel is clean and all copper fouling removed ? I bought a Galil/Golani from CAI where the "technicians" forgot to plug the barrel during parkerizing and so parked the inside of the barrel. Then the dealer took it out the box to "play with it" at the range prior to me buying it. Of course they never cleaned it either. Lets just say that after 5 days of repeated bore cleaning the patches were just as purple as on the first day. I'd guess that the pressure was a little high on that one... It got a new barrel.

What primers are you using ? You didn't accidentally switch in some small rifle magnum primers by any chance ?

[dolomite_supafly]

You might just try not firing the last round in the magazine through several reloads and then check if the length has shortened up. I never crimp either but nor was I claiming to be able to move the bullet with my fingers ....

I assume the barrel is clean and all copper fouling removed ? I bought a Galil/Golani from CAI where the "technicians" forgot to plug the barrel during parkerizing and so parked the inside of the barrel. Then the dealer took it out the box to "play with it" at the range prior to me buying it. Of course they never cleaned it either. Lets just say that after 5 days of repeated bore cleaning the patches were just as purple as on the first day. I'd guess that the pressure was a little high on that one... It got a new barrel.

What primers are you using ? You didn't accidentally switch in some small rifle magnum primers by any chance ?

I bought a AR barrel, from a MAJOR distributor, for $10 that hard the bore parkerized. I was using it for a 22lr build so I figured it would just lead foul and be fine. That wasn't the case. I used copper bore bruches, then SS bore brushes and gave up after patches made of sandpaper didn't help.

Funny thing is the distributor was not telling any other customer about the issues. When I asked about it the part owner just said Oh Well. I said aren't you worried about them having pressures and he said he didn't care.

[foxx]

I would be careful of too little neck tension. You don't want the bullets being driven into the case by recoil when struck by the forward part of the magazine (not that a 223 has much recoil, this is usually a problem with 308+ cartridges in light guns as well as 357 and 44magnums and up). If that should happen, one would get increasing pressure with every round fired until the mag was empty (last should be highest). I certainly don't think a crimp is necessary, but I certainly can't move a bullet in one of my rounds by hand.

Thanks, West. However, that is not currently a problem b/c I am loading 1 at a time.

[foxx]

You might just try not firing the last round in the magazine through several reloads and then check if the length has shortened up. I never crimp either but nor was I claiming to be able to move the bullet with my fingers ....

I assume the barrel is clean and all copper fouling removed ?

What primers are you using ? You didn't accidentally switch in some small rifle magnum primers by any chance ?

Yep, it is clean. No build-up of copper.

I don't own any small magnums.

Hey, keep trying, guys. I appreciate the ideas and help. :frusty:

[foxx]

I called Hodgdon this morning... tech said I may need to seat bullet further back from rifling. No other real suggestions for me.

Okay, so I decided to try another powder with same seating depth... I used BL-C (2) instead of Varget... I DID get some flattened primers and possible case separation signs at the higher levels... BUT, I also got some decent groups, so I move my attenton to developping accuracy loads with BL-C(2). I also seated bullets .10" from rifling... At end of day I was shooting perfect 3 shot groups at 100 yds with no signs of excessive pressure. :p

At this point I am assuming the Varget loads will be alright after seating the bullets deeper . Will report my results with Varget maybe later in the week.

Thanks, again, to everyone .