Perhaps I can get some help with you more experienced loaders. I've been reloading for about 5 years, 7mm-8, .223 (lots), .380 acp, 45 acp, 357 and 38spl. I just got a 12 FV in .204 ruger and I'm experiencing something I've not experienced before. The first 20 rounds was with Hornady factory loads cleaning after every third shot. Got my scope sighted in by third shot. Next day I tried some hand loads: 40 gr vmax, new and resized Win brass, cci 400 primers and started at 26.9 grains of imr4895 and went up .3 increments. starting with the 27.2 loads i noticed high pressures signs with the primers, ridges around the firing pin strikes. The 27.5 loads flattened primers as well so I stopped. These loads where under the Hodgden manuals max. I came home and rechecked the load data online and in my Hornady manual. So after some reading I was thinking maybe excessive head space but the factory loads looked very normal and shot very well (3/4" 3 shots). So then I thought maybe over resizing? Well here where it got weird for me and my limited knowledge, I tried chambering some of the fired factory cases with firing pin assembly removed from bolt and they were tight as expected. All of the fired reload cases went in as if the chamber was empty. I plan to order go-no go gauges and set of bump gauges but I never had a need previously. I load for three different .223 bolt rifles using different brass, bullet, powder, and primer combinations and never experienced anything close to this. Can anyone enlighten me? Please?
thanx
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks