.223 'compressed' loads???

I am putting together some loads to work up for my FCP-K in .223:
Hornady virgin brass
Remington primers
Sierra 69g BTHP
Varget powder(also have IMR4064 that I have not gotten to yet)
I have been reading personal load data online, as well as the Lyman, Sierra, and One-book-One-caliber manuals. They are calling about 25.9 grains of varget as the max load and a 2.260 COAL They do not call that a compressed load.
However, when I was loading the bullet over just 25.5 grains, I started getting that crunching sound at about 2.295 COAL. It didn't become more difficult to press down, but the sound concerned me. I ended up stopping at a 2.283 COAL - longer than the listed max but my savage will chamber it and still have the bullet slightly off the lands.
My question is, is this considered a 'compressed' load? Should I expect catastrophe?
Of course, I worked down from this load, and brought my COAL down to 2.272, but could still feel the bullet touching the grains at as low as 24.0 grains. My starting load is 23.5 grains, working up .5 grains from there.
Do I fire away and stop if I see pressure signs? Do compressed loads do different things to brass that maybe I should look for?

As long as you are in speck with the load data I would not be concerned about it.

I have found that powder can fill the case differently depending on how it is dispensed. Try letting the powder trickle slowly out of the powder measure, meaning when you drop the charge don't just let it fall but let the handle down at a snails pace. I have found that the powder packs in the case tighter, and changes how high it ends up in the case. If your using a funnel just pour the charge in slow. Also when holding the case with my thumb and index finger, I hold it tight against the drop tube, or funnel and give it a couple of flicks with the middle finger, (Something like knocking the ash off of a cigarette.) and that will help the powder settle. Use of a longer drop tube may also help.

The load info provided is, technically, for the brass used with a particular case capacity. So, you can get compressed loads from one brand or lot of brass to the next.

Switch powders is the best thing to do. Or...switch brass.

H4895 works rather well with 68 or 69 gr bullets in the 223.

You may also try using a drop tube. Some people use straws..and it works! :)

4 to 8 inch drop tube will help line up the kernels for better space saving inside the case.

Compressed loads are near voodoo territory..because not every one will compress the same. Can also push bullets out after seating.

Thanks. I forgot about the trickling 'trick'. But I did tap the brass down against a piece of balsa a few times to 'pre-pack' the grains after feeling that first load. It helped.

All I use is Varget and a lot of the loads compress that powder. Using 69gr SMK's, R-P brass and 24.5 grains of Varget would almost always compress the powder, even with this light of a powder charge when seating for use in an AR15. Using the same powder for light bullets the powder is almost always right at the case mouth unless I shake it down.

As 82boy said you can do some things to keep from crunching the powder but even when I didn't do anything nothing ill happened. As long as you aren't over max you should be fine.

My Stevens 223 loads are at a OAL of 2.43" with the max length being 2.45 with the same bullets. I can't use the magazine but I don't hunt so I have no need for it.

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Originally Posted by bodywerks

Do I fire away and stop if I see pressure signs? Do compressed loads do different things to brass that maybe I should look for?

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I would work up a load based on accuracy and not pressure signs. And yes, STOP if you see signs of pressure even if you aren't close to max. Most of my loads are in the middle of the load data and that is because of the accuracy I was seeing. Work up until you find a promising load then fine tune it, when working up my loads a .2 grain difference caused accuracy to fall off. Also, don't change variables, leave everything the same except one variable at a time when you are working up a load.

You may not end up with a load on the higher end of the velocity range. I would rather have a load I can hit something with than something that is a bit faster but is inaccurate.

Dolomite

Loading up to 25.5 gr Varget in my Winchester cases and not a problem. Seating the Sierra 69gr MK to 2.365". Contact with lands at 2.378" on my Savage 12 VLP DBM (left hand).

Did a case measurement and the winchester cases averaged 30.7gr H2O (water) capacity. Looks like a little more room then the standard case that Quickload brings up for .223 Rem. Per Quickload seating depth .163". These also fit and feed fine.

Still so far best accuracy has been for me with 25.0gr varget using both sierra 69 gr and Hornady 68 gr BTHP. (.216MOA hornady, .364moa sierra for 5 shot groups) My sierra manual has varget 26.4gr using the 69gr HPBT as a max. Plan on trying some at 26.0gr.

Just my observations. I suspect your cases have a little less internal volume.

Cheers