Should I Start Load Development At Min or Optimun (Near Max)

[chukarmandoo]

Just a quick question. I took my 6.5-284 barrel off the receiver (RH) and installed it on a different receiver (LH). Do I need to start load development over or can I just keep using same loads? Headspace did change a little as in less. Thanks. Dan

[nso123]

I would work them up again. You may have some baselines to work from with your old loads, but the headspace change will make things different.

[chukarmandoo]

I think your right. Thank you.

[bearcatrp]

I usually start in the middle to save on powder. Always good to start again though when there is a change.

[chukarmandoo]

Well I did start lower, 55 grs of retumbo and rem 9.5 mag primers. It was not good. Immediately there were pressure signs. One thing to note was, by accident, my old load of 3000fps with 140 vld's is 3158 now! Don't ask me how I know.
I will tare it back down and start over once I get my new bolt head.

[GaCop]

I usually start in the middle to save on powder. Always good to start again though when there is a change. +1 :thumb:

[scope eye]

Just Start Over Max and work your way down from there, It works flawlessly and lets face it you are going to end up there eventually. So why waist time Barrel life and reloading components.:crazy:








Just kidding
Bobs your uncle:wacko:

[yobuck]

Well I did start lower, 55 grs of retumbo and rem 9.5 mag primers. It was not good. Immediately there were pressure signs. One thing to note was, by accident, my old load of 3000fps with 140 vld's is 3158 now! Don't ask me how I know.
I will tare it back down and start over once I get my new bolt head.

Why cant we ask how you know that?
Not to say you didnt experience pressure signs, but a 158 FPS velocity increase would be hard to do by just changing actions imop.
What roll does the action play in velocity anyway? I never knew there was any, so id really like to know.

[WinnieTheBoom]

What roll does the action play in velocity anyway? I never knew there was any, so id really like to know.

I have to think that it's caused more so by the difference in headspace than the action itself.

[FW Conch]

^ Yes. He did say he made the headspace less, or tighter. ^

[chukarmandoo]

OK, Got the rifle all put back together last night and hopefully I did a better job this time. I took extensive care this time installing the barrel and made sure everything checked out.
It now, for sure, has a tighter headspace. The reloads I've been using will NOT chamber in the gun. Which I think is a good thing?
My buddy has a custom gun and a few months ago we worked up a load for it and man its a shooter! Never showed any signs of over pressure and went over 3100 with the 140 vld's but the groups started to open up a little. ended up at 3050 fps with bullets touching at 100 yds. I tried to chamber one of my rounds in it and it wouldn't go. This got me questioning how my rifle was setup.
Doing a lot of measuring and checking factory ammo against mine and measuring my go-guage I've come to realize that I was .012 to big, and getting ejector swipes before book max loads. I will start over with load work and thanks fellas for your input. Will be working with Retumbo and RL26 behind the 140 vld's.

[chukarmandoo]

Well after all the work on the rifle and starting over with load development I'm still having huge issues. At below max loads(3 grs. Below book max) things go bad! At 56.5 popped a primer, heavy bolt lift. Fired another round, popped a primer and blew the extractor!
Now I wondering if the action and the bolt are bad! Timing is the worst of all of the savage rifles I have. This is a used rifle built sometime after 1975 but probably not much.Thinking right now of pulling the barrel off and just cutting the action up! How would I know if it is bad? At this point I'd be afraid to sell it.
Another question is, how much clearance should there be from the front of the bolt lugs to the face of the barrel? Also, can the bolt face be cut to deep into the bolt head?

[yobuck]

Well after all the work on the rifle and starting over with load development I'm still having huge issues. At below max loads(3 grs. Below book max) things go bad! At 56.5 popped a primer, heavy bolt lift. Fired another round, popped a primer and blew the extractor!
Now I wondering if the action and the bolt are bad! Timing is the worst of all of the savage rifles I have. This is a used rifle built sometime after 1975 but probably not much.Thinking right now of pulling the barrel off and just cutting the action up! How would I know if it is bad? At this point I'd be afraid to sell it.
Another question is, how much clearance should there be from the front of the bolt lugs to the face of the barrel? Also, can the bolt face be cut to deep into the bolt head?

My advise would be stop right now and find yourself a good gunsmith to check the gun out.

[chukarmandoo]

Well I think I'll reinstall the barrel back on the action that I originally put it on and red tag this action and cut my losses. Thanks

[LoneWolf]

I think I would set it back up to check head space again. Every barrel I've install I tighten it to the go gauge, then back off a hair and check with the no go. Then I re-insert the go tighten the nut (30ft lbs) and re-inspect with both gauges. It's been flawless every time. with 308Win, 243 Win, and 6.5-06 regardless of the receiver the barrel went on. I even shared the same loads and brass with the barrel/action without resizing with no issues. Both on Savage actions (10, 116, and Axis) and the Mausingfield I run now.

[sixonetonoffun]

<~ Accepting red tagged actions for proper disposal :-)

J/K but sounds like the actions fine just needs some love.

[chukarmandoo]

I think I would set it back up to check head space again. Every barrel I've install I tighten it to the go gauge, then back off a hair and check with the no go. Then I re-insert the go tighten the nut (30ft lbs) and re-inspect with both gauges. It's been flawless every time. with 308Win, 243 Win, and 6.5-06 regardless of the receiver the barrel went on. I even shared the same loads and brass with the barrel/action without resizing with no issues. Both on Savage actions (10, 116, and Axis) and the Mausingfield I run now.

I haven't used a no-guage. Used tape on go-gauge after the barrel was tightened down and everything checked out. I annealed the cases, resized them, checked shoulder length, 1.814 to datum line. Go-guage datum measures 1.818. Fired cases measure 1.818 to 1.820 when things went bad. I did take special care installing the barrel. Checked the COAL with bullets touching and they are now over .010 longer due to ware (over 500 rounds). Fired cases have 3 or 4 reloads on them and looked fine. No shiny areas near the web etc.

[chukarmandoo]

<~ Accepting red tagged actions for proper disposal :-)

J/K but sounds like the actions fine just needs some love.

Yes, to having it checked later or destroyed.

[chukarmandoo]

The funny thing is $500 or less and I could buy a whole new rifle and just use the action and sell the rest.
Not worth the headache or injury in the long run.

[BillPa]

I haven't used a no-guage. Used tape on go-gauge after the barrel was tightened down and everything checked out. I annealed the cases, resized them, checked shoulder length, 1.814 to datum line. Go-guage datum measures 1.818. Fired cases measure 1.818 to 1.820 when things went bad. I did take special care installing the barrel. Checked the COAL with bullets touching and they are now over .010 longer due to ware (over 500 rounds). Fired cases have 3 or 4 reloads on them and looked fine. No shiny areas near the web etc.

Just a WAG but have you checked for a carbon ring a 1/2" to 1-1/2" ahead of the chamber in the bore?

Bill