Thread: A Soggy Sarurday Put to Some Use

Greetings All,
I got up this morning and it was raining, again. There was another 25 or so mm in the gauge to go with the 63 mm from last week and the place is sodden. This might be a good day to catch up with some loading.
First cab off the rank was the T3 6.5 x 55. I had sorted out a decent load for this back in 2019 but had been using up odd loads remaining in the box. There were only four left. A small batch of Lapua cases was prepped and primed and loaded with 129 grain Hornady SST projectiles over 45.5 grains of recent production AR2209. The load chronogaphed 2,805 fps from the standard barrel. This is quite a bit faster than the Hodgdon data but still well within safe pressures. All done now we just need some fine weather to check the zero and head for the hills, when it stops raining that is.
Next it was the M38 also in 6.5 x 55. I had been using 129 grain Hornady Interlocks in this rifle but had run out. Some 120 grain Speer Gold Dots had been purchased earlier in the year. Some Norma cases had been sized, annealled and prepped. A handfull of the Gold dots were loaded in the Norma cases ahead of 44 grains of an older and slower batch of AR2209. 46 grains of this powder had previously chronographed 2,780 fps with 120 grain projectiles so I am expecting around 2,650 fps. From previous experience this load is likely to shoot close to the remaining 129 grain loads.
Next, after a cuppa and watching a bit of footy it will be time to sort through all the .308 load leftovers from 40 pluss years of loading for it. Tomorrows weather is likely to be much like today so some progress should be made.
Regards Grandpamac.

Good afternoon Grandpamac
I have spent a bit of time on the internet looking at posts on necking down 300 Saum to 7 Saum as I can't find the 7 but I can find 300 Saum.
Do you have any experience with necking down or advice you could give?
Cheers
AMac (will have to change to Grandadamac by December )

I poked together 32 loads for the trebly last night...20grns of 2219 under a 52grn speer HP.... should go bang and exit barrel close to 3000fps so should work well...
interestingly the speers are better than last batch.the jackets on last batch all looked to have a join at mouth of case,doesnt affect them at all just looked off.

Originally Posted by AMac

Good afternoon Grandpamac
I have spent a bit of time on the internet looking at posts on necking down 300 Saum to 7 Saum as I can't find the 7 but I can find 300 Saum.
Do you have any experience with necking down or advice you could give?
Cheers
AMac (will have to change to Grandadamac by December )

Greetings @AMac,
I have necked down .308W to 7mm-08 without problems just by using the 7mm-08 FL die. There is a chance that the necking down will leave a donut in the neck right at the shoulder. This can cause all sorts of pressure problems until it is removed by neck turning. I have struck this just once when forming .30-40 Krag cases from .303 brass. Proper 7mm SAUM brass would be a better bet. I think that Lapua makes it.
Regards Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

I poked together 32 loads for the trebly last night...20grns of 2219 under a 52grn speer HP.... should go bang and exit barrel close to 3000fps so should work well...
interestingly the speers are better than last batch.the jackets on last batch all looked to have a join at mouth of case,doesnt affect them at all just looked off.

Use 748. Magic dust.

@AMac no problem necking SAUM brass up or down....done both

Originally Posted by TeRei

Use 748. Magic dust.

I have been...but had the 2219 sitting unloved so thought why the heck not...it sits between BM1 and BM2 in all the load data... the 52grn HP is definitely minute of hare,used one to good effect tonight.

Greetings Again,
Today dawned with a steady drizzle so it is back out to the bench. An inventory of the loads on hand for the M700 .308 revealed an eclectic mix of geriatric loads, a bit like their owner really. They fell into two types, full power hunting loads and light target loads. The former were loaded as far back as 2009, their 6th load so the cases are old. Some have cracked on firing recently prior to me starting a regular annealing of cases and the decision was made to retire the loads for range use and load some fresh loads, in new cases for whatever hunting I may do with the rifle. The decision was also made to retire the dregs of my Dupont IMR4064 (packed 1979) and use fresh AR2206H for the Hunting loads. There weren't a lot of the light target loads left so it is just a matter of keeping up the supply. These are loaded with the 155 gr Frontier projectiles and 32 grains of AR2206H which chronographs around 1,900 fps. Shoots well if a little grubby so that will be that
A new load will be required for the hunting cartridge. Once again AR2206H will be used with the 150 grain Hornady Interlock. 44 grains was recently tested which gave 2,675 fps in my 20" barrel and 45 grains should deliver about 2,725 fps. In the distant past I worked up to 2,890 fps when the barrel was 2" longer so 45 and perhaps 45.5 grains, the last book max will be tried.
The Bergara is already sorted so that just leaves the SAUM and the rest of the old soldiers.
Regards Grandpamac.

Originally Posted by Longranger

@AMac no problem necking SAUM brass up or down....done both

Cheers Longranger 100 Norma 300 Saum cases arrived yesterday