Pressure signs, do I have any?

[lak2004]

Shooting a tikka 6.5cm with hornady brass, fes 210 primer and h4350 with a 140gr eldm
Had a great load with 40gr h4350 but cut my barrel for a suppressor and wanted some speed back.
Loaded 1 each at 41, 41.5, 42. 42.5 and fires each one today. It was 76* F.
I got a little bit of a heavy bolt at 42.5 and to my eyes I don't see any brass issues but wanted some feedback. Photos below. Primers don't look cratered and I'm not seeing any ejector swipe though I don't have much experience with getting close to pressure.

Thanks for any help.

 

[lak2004]

Decided I'm just gonna load up 30 at 41.5 since that is book max and seems like many folks have good luck at that charge.

 

[Dmoua]

Heavy bolt lift is your first sign.

 

[Mag_7s]

Judging by your photos I don't see any ejector mark, cratering, or primer flow. However, if you are feeling a slightly heavier bolt lift you are at the beginning of pressure. I would absolutely go with the load at 40gn that showed more accuracy over the load that had more speed and flirting with early pressure signs.

 

[bow_dozer]

Can you upgrade your brass? Hornady isn’t know to be the cream of the crop.

 

[SDHNTR]

Am I seeing an ejector mark at 2:00 on pic 2? Nonetheless, the stiff bolt don’t lie. I wouldn’t go over 42 personally, and 41.5 would make me feel better.

 

[Mag_7s]

Can you upgrade your brass? Hornady isn’t know to be the cream of the crop.

Good point. Lapua SMALL RIFLE primer brass will also allow you to run a little more pressure safely.

 

[lak2004]

I loaded up 30 rounds at 41.5. Hopefully shoot this weekend.
Bolt lift was just barely sticky at 42.5.
I'll upgrade brass to lapua at some point but I've got a bunch of hornady that's still useful.

 

[JGRaider]

Nothing wrong with Hornady brass. Been using it for years with my 6.5CM and lately PRC. Are you using a chrono when testing those loads?. I never go to the range without one when working up new loads.

 

[lak2004]

Nothing wrong with Hornady brass. Been using it for years with my 6.5CM and lately PRC. Are you using a chrono when testing those loads?. I never go to the range without one when working up new loads.

Nope, don't care until they group. Once they group I'll chronograph but really don't need to if I shoot at distance (600yds I can do fairly easily close by].

 

[SDHNTR]

Hornady works fine. You may just need to sort it if you care about precision. You load will change if when you move to Lapua and you’ll need to work back up.

 

[lak2004]

Hornady works fine. You may just need to sort it if you care about precision. You load will change if when you move to Lapua and you’ll need to work back up.

Yea ill shoot this brass til it's done and re evaluate then. By then I might be doing a 6cm barrel anyhow.

 

[Mag_7s]

Nope, don't care until they group. Once they group I'll chronograph but really don't need to if I shoot at distance (600yds I can do fairly easily close

I recently changed from this. I care more now about finding a charge that has lower velocity spread than the smallest initial group.

 

[Lawnboi]

I bet 41.5 works just fine!

Hornady will work fine, if it’s mixed lot it can get frustrating as time goes on but it’s not terrible brass.

IMO LRP vs srp brass, srp primer pockets last longer but LRP are more forging to pressure in guessing due to the thicker cup.

 

[Vern400]

It looks like the radius around the outside of your primer is sharper than for new primer. That's not really unusual as you approach max. I've seen that a number of times before bolt lift starts to get a little heavier. I would have said that is NOT a midrange powder charge even if you didn't discuss the charge weights.

I keep a box of factory shells, or well-known handloads to baseline primer flattening. I just compare the edge rounds after firing. That way, if it's the gun, I can tell.

BTW residual Case lube can flatten the crap out of your primers when nothing else is wrong. Don't do that.

 

[Harvey_NW]

IME Tikka actions will develop pressure signs or bolt lift faster than actions with heavier bolt lugs, I haven't had any problems by dropping 1gr from when the bolt starts to get resistance with formed brass.

 

[JGRaider]

To each his own, but a chrono is one of, if not the easiest way to see pressure. Lots of times the supposed pressure signs like bolt lift, ejector marks, flattened primers, etc aren't all that great of an indicator until it's too late. Redlining reloaded ammo is never a good idea.

 

[kevingm1987]

To each his own, but a chrono is one of, if not the easiest way to see pressure. Lots of times the supposed pressure signs like bolt lift, ejector marks, flattened primers, etc aren't all that great of an indicator until it's too late. Redlining reloaded ammo is never a good idea.

Bingo. Speed should always be the first thing you measure. Do you research and find the average velocity for your bullet and powder and barrel length.

 

[Castle Rock]

IME Tikka actions will develop pressure signs or bolt lift faster than actions with heavier bolt lugs, I haven't had any problems by dropping 1gr from when the bolt starts to get resistance with formed brass.

Interesting, do you think the lugs are deforming or compressing?

 

[35WhelenAI]

Whether one brass is "cream of the crop" and another is not, pressure is pressure. Just because one brand takes abuse of over pressure loads better means nothing, it's still over pressure.