Safe Hunting Load?

[coaspen]

I have read through all of the topics here about reloads. They are all very helpful. I am taking the advice and loading the 220 grain Hornady Interlocks, with 40 g of powder. Since I have a short barrel, 18", I am considering 4895 for it's faster burn rate. Should I reduce the powder? I think this will yield a muzzle velocity of about 2,000, and 33,000 in chamber pressure, well below the SAMI 40,000.

Here is my question about a safe hunting load for cow elk. I have many 180 grain bullets, and a lot of conflicting information on powder. The bullets are Speer Grand Slam Soft Point, and Nosler Partition Protected Point. The data sheets I have show using between 42 and 46 g of IMR-4350, or between 33 and 37 g of IMR-4895. Another sheet shows between 38 and 42 g of IMR-4895, but the high end yields 38,800 chamber pressure. I would like to keep the chamber pressure safe. Any recommendations on a safe hunting load using these bullets?

Thanks.

[madsenshooter]

Use up to date data, the IMR powders are not the same as they used to be. I'd recommend using Hodgdon's website. Even their data is a bit old as they're using CUP rather than PSI. Start low, work up. You may or may not have feeding problems with the spitzers, might want to make a few dummy rounds to try your bullets first. Nosler has some fairly recent 30-40 data too, no pressure data, but their loads wouldn't be above the SAAMI max.

[psteinmayer]

With spitzers, you might need to crimp the bullets to prevent telescoping during chambering (all of my Krags do this with pointed un-crimped bullets).

As Madsenshooter said, use currently data. I live by the Hornady 9th and 10th Editions! Hogden's is another great resource.

[KWK]

Since I have a short barrel, 18", I am considering 4895 for it's faster burn rate. Should I reduce the powder? I think this will yield a muzzle velocity of about 2,000, and 33,000 in chamber pressure, well below the SAMI 40,000.

I have a 30" barrel rolling block. I get 2000 with the 220 using 35.0 gr of 4895, a load selected using Lyman's pressure tested data. This is about 33,000. At this pressure you will not get 2000 from 18". You will need closer to the full 40,000 for that. Lyman's data indicates 4895 or 4064 can get about 2000 from 18 at nearly 40,000, but I'd switch to 4350 or Reloder 19 to lower the pressure some.

Hornady's data is not pressure tested and dates to before 1973. It was, though, tested in an actual Krag military rifle. My rolling block has the modern SAAMI chamber, as does Lyman's data, so it's not an exact comparison. With 4895, Hornady was not comfortable going beyond 2000 for the 220 from 30", so you will not get it from 18". In their data, 4350 would be the better choice for your goal. (The most recent Hornady data is even milder. They chose to chop 100 fps from the the maximum across all powders, with no explanation given.)

You didn't state what is your fps goal with the 180 gr bullets.

[coaspen]

Thanks, all this information helps out considerably. I am new to this, and reacting to the Remington shortage (although I see it is available now). But I won't get caught short again.

My 180g velocity goal was 2,265 fps. I want to definitely stay at a safe pressure. The goal on both loads is 1,200 to 1,300 ft-lbs of energy to kill a cow elk. I'll simply have to shorten the distance if I cannot get enough velocity/energy.

Thanks again for the help.

[madsenshooter]

The Remington 180gr factory loads churn up 2400fps. I'm not sure what sort of powder they're using now a days.

[coaspen]

Thanks. I chronographed them out of my short barrel, at 2,265 fps.

[madsenshooter]

I didn't note the shortness of your barrel. I don't imagine slower powders would be much help then. I have a short barreled 30-06 that's a real boomer if you load it with 4350 or slower powder. Nice fireball towards evening too!

[BCB]

Old Hornady manuals show 42 grains of IMR-4350 as maximum for the 220 grainer and 45 grains for the 180 grainer. Speer does show 46 grains as maximum for the 180 GS. QL starts to show that is hitting high pressures near the maximum

I think you might need a considerably faster powder than the ones you mention to be all burnt as the bullet exits the muzzle. Those fast enough would not likely be in your favor

Good-luckBCB

[KWK]

Lyman's data indicates 4895 will give you the lowest pressures. Their data was shot in the standard 24" barrel, and you'll loose 100-150 fps in your barrel. For 180 at 2265 from 18", every powder they tested looks as if it will stay below SAAMI's recommended pressure. I'd use 4895 or maybe even 3031. They didn't test 760, but older pressure tested data from Winchester indicates it would also do the job for you.