Thread: Handloading for Placid and Challenging Cartridges

Originally Posted by Jhon

Hi there Gramps,

I guess all my calibres are placid by your definition. But I include 6.5x55 Swede and 303B in that bucket. Curious as to why you consider them challenging? The only load data issue I have had with 303B is the same as for 30-30 i.e. heavy for calibre projectiles. Published data for 30-30 tends to stop at 170gn, with one instance of 173gn. For 303B it tends to be a180gn stop. For heavier load data one has to go to published writers such as old magazine articles or, God help us, firum threads. For a 215gn load for 303B it took me 2 years to dig out Ken Waters Pet Load for the 215gn Woodleigh bullet much favored in Canada. 46gn of RL19. Plenty of locals scoffed at RL19 in the venerable 303B but I tried it and it likes it - for that weight bullet. So for me its more the difficulty of finding reliable load data outside common industry parameters for a given calibre. I guess I'm just not that involved with the esoteric calibres - yet.

Happy hols.

Greetings @Jhon,
I have found that the data for the 6.5x55 varies widely and is mostly low pressure. Data for AR2209 (H4350) is mostly for the older and slower version from pre 2000. I calculated the velocity I should get at modern pressures based on the higher pressure loads for the .260R and 6.5 Creedmoor and the extra useable capacity of the 6.5x55 case and worked up to that. I don't have much faith in "pressure signs" or computer based systems like quick load, especially in 6.5mm cartridges. US dies for the 6.5x55 are very tight, setting the shoulder back 0.012" or more depending on the actual chamber. This all has to be worked in to handloading for the cartridge. The .303 British load data varies widely possibly due to throat erosion in some rifles and case sizing needs a lot of thought to keep case life reasonable. In the late 1970's I swore off ever loading the .303 again and sold two and re barrelled a Martini to .30-40 Krag. Now they are two more in the safe which get light loads in neck sized cases which I enjoy pottering with. I did rather like the last word in the body of your post "yet".
GPM.