reading pressure signs

[Spitpatch]

I came home from the service with no guns after all were stolen.

I bought a Ruger Single Six (because I could defend myself and shoot a rabbit for supper if need be).

Then I bought a .25-06. Mice to Moose until I could get something else. Despite my intentions, your experience with it on elk exceeds mine.

Clint Eastwood would be proud of ya: "A man's got to know his (cartridge) limitations." You've operated well within.

 

[Koda]

Then I bought a .25-06. Mice to Moose until I could get something else. Despite my intentions, your experience with it on elk exceeds mine.

If there was ever a caliber that could fit that "mice to moose" exaggeration it would be the 25-06. I still cant call it a true elk gun but it works well within its limitations.
This article is a fun and good example of its versatility that made it a classic cult caliber.

3 Versatile .25/06 Loads for Hunting Big Game and Predators

The .25/06 has kept the .25 caliber alive for more than 50 years, because a hunter shooting just three loads in his rifle have him prepared for everything from marmots to deer.

www.outdoorlife.com

 

[Spitpatch]

Thanks for that! It reads like the torture test I put mine through, being my only highpower for a while!

 

[orygun]

This thread has prompted me to buy the "one" tool I've been missing. Hornady Case Comparator on the way!

Also, I've been neck sizing 30-06 AI cases since I started and while I firmly believed in what I was doing, I've been thinking a couple thou bump on these case shoulders would be a good idea. Full length sizer on the way, too.

You guys are good at stimulating the economy!

 

[Koda]

This thread has prompted me to buy the "one" tool I've been missing. Hornady Case Comparator on the way!

Also, I've been neck sizing 30-06 AI cases since I started and while I firmly believed in what I was doing, I've been thinking a couple thou bump on these case shoulders would be a good idea. Full length sizer on the way, too.

You guys are good at stimulating the economy!

I would add the Redding Competition Shell Holder set.
Grant it im still new to this but was struggling to get consistent couple thou bump by backing off the die just right. The Redding shell holders made everything easy for me in a full length sizing die.

 

[orygun]

I feel embarrassed to tell on myself.
I shot the last of the small batch of ammo I'd loaded three years ago. The next to last round seemed super fine until I went to pull it. The bolt had a little more resistance than normal... Racked the last round and set the sticky one aside, segregating it from the others. Popped off the last round. Perfect.
The lower group is the last four rounds. I know the one to the right was the second shot and I know who's fault it was. I don't know the order of the other three.

Later I checked that segregated case for length in my fancy, new Hornady tool and compared to the others. Right in the middle of the entire batch. Bolt face super clean. No ejector cut flow, no nuthin.
Then this. Look at the stain. Only case like this.

Took a bent wire and probed the case. On the inside the case is so dished right there I think this is what a case looks like right before it comes apart like @Koda 's did and the color is due to heat. I also think the stiffer bolt could have been because the case was literally brazed to the chamber wall. (insert unhappy face here) Time for this batch of brass to hit the scrap and great time to be investigating ladder testing and working up a good load.

There's that elephant.

 

[Koda]

Time for this batch of brass to hit the scrap and great time to be investigating ladder testing and working up a good load

Yeah, same here... Tossing my used brass and starting over with new, ive been looking over my notes and thinking about starting with a new ladder test to work up to a decent _safe _ velocity.
In the mean time i got lucky and scored some new powder, different and plenty to use... Ramshot Magnum. Got this for a different lighter weight bullet but its listed to work with my heavier partitiins. Trying to decide if I should switch. Regardless, im going to work up to a safe velocity that my rifle gives and not chase a max velocity a load data shows.

 

[tac]

Post deleted.

 

[orygun]

Regardless, im going to work up to a safe velocity that my rifle gives and not chase a max velocity a load data shows.

Yup. I have been using RL22 and will start over. I have a lot of it and really hope it's what the rifle wants. I also have some RL19 and am going to work with that at some point.

 

[orygun]

Post deleted.

Not before I read it.

 

[Spitpatch]

I feel embarrassed to tell on myself.
I shot the last of the small batch of ammo I'd loaded three years ago. The next to last round seemed super fine until I went to pull it. The bolt had a little more resistance than normal... Racked the last round and set the sticky one aside, segregating it from the others. Popped off the last round. Perfect.
The lower group is the last four rounds. I know the one to the right was the second shot and I know who's fault it was. I don't know the order of the other three.
View attachment 1025135
Later I checked that segregated case for length in my fancy, new Hornady tool and compared to the others. Right in the middle of the entire batch. Bolt face super clean. No ejector cut flow, no nuthin.
Then this. Look at the stain. Only case like this.
View attachment 1025122
Took a bent wire and probed the case. On the inside the case is so dished right there I think this is what a case looks like right before it comes apart like @Koda 's did and the color is due to heat. I also think the stiffer bolt could have been because the case was literally brazed to the chamber wall. (insert unhappy face here) Time for this batch of brass to hit the scrap and great time to be investigating ladder testing and working up a good load.

There's that elephant.

Our very own Elon Musk:

You had yourself a little rocket engine (or at least a side-thruster) in your gun!

 

[Spitpatch]

Laundry list of particulars, please?
Case
Times Fired
Power Level of times fired: mild to hot?
Bullet?

and anything else you can think of.

Thankyouforyoursupport.

 

[orygun]

Case - Remington
Times fired - many, 6 (2 as 06, 1 to fireform, 3 as Ackley Improved)
Power level - 90-100%
Bullet - Sierra #2160 180gr Gameking
62gr RL22 Win Magnum primer
5 rounds averaged 2885fps 22" barrel
Sierra 5th Edition lists this as a maximum load at 2900fps out of a 26".
I know this is plenty warm but the rifle exhibits no other pressure signs besides this one case.

I threw away the entire batch of cases from that bunch and found myself out of Ackley cases.
Tomorrow I will fireform some cases start with a "fresh" batch. Once fired, reloaded Remington cases.

edit: I checked several of the other cases with the hook and they were not dished out like the "bad" one.

 

[Koda]

Power level - 90-100%

How do you determine power level?

 

[orygun]

How do you determine power level?

I load at 90-100% of the loading manual's data. At least that's how I interpret that part of the question.
He actually asked "mild to hot" and I'd have to say hot.

 

[Koda]

I load at 90-100% of the loading manual's data. At least that's how I interpret that part of the question.
He actually asked "mild to hot" and I'd have to say hot.

makes sense if your developing a hunting load. Although thats what got me over-pressure here...

 

[Spitpatch]

This corresponds almost exactly with my catastrophic case failure described previously: hot loads in cases fired multiple times, and lends me some reassurance that my "five times" rule on brass for such usage is prudent. I also examined the lot of brass involved and found no "incipient case separation" signals in other cases of the lot, but trashed them anyway. There always has to be a first soldier in the ranks to fall.

You and Koda got gentle warnings. I wasn't so lucky.

 

[orygun]

This corresponds almost exactly with my catastrophic case failure described previously: hot loads in cases fired multiple times, and lends me some reassurance that my "five times" rule on brass for such usage is prudent. I also examined the lot of brass involved and found no "incipient case separation" signals in other cases of the lot, but trashed them anyway. There always has to be a first soldier in the ranks to fall.

You and Koda got gentle warnings. I wasn't so lucky.

I'll be keeping better track of the cases used going forward. My plan involves using one batch of cases for testing, discarding them when done. This will fall in nicely with your "5 times" rule. Also, one less than the last troublemaker.
Then I have another batch of cases for hunting.