Margin of error in reloading?

[scrolllock]

Hi guys,

I've been doing my reading on reloading and get all the safety stuff in theory.

Min and max loads, COAL length, condition of the brass and all the biz.

All good to follow that, but people do make mistakes of course...

My question is, how much of a tolerance is there for most of this stuff?

I guess I wonder about scales sticking or powder measure wrong or calibres or something like that.

I'm not planning to be careless or anything of course. But s**t happens.

Just wondering?

[agentzero]

Yes and no.

Depend on so many things around the load and rifle.

i.e. If you're .1 gr over max load, or your COAL is 0.01 over max, is your rifle definitely going to blow? No...

Like you said though, s**t goes wrong.

Really it shouldn't be hard to stay within tolerances.

As long as your diligent you shouldn't have any safety concerns.

[Harper]

Stock to manufacturer specs and you'll be right.

They allow a margin of error on each side anyway.

[Usurper]

Check out some reloading manuals by people other than the powder makers.

You'll find a lot of them state max figures above what the manufacturers state and aren't having problems with it.

If you were paying attention and accidentally went a fraction of a grain higher or lower, or longer or shorter for COAL it's not the end of the world.

[Bourt]

You'll find a lot of them state max figures above what the manufacturers state and aren't having problems with it.

Well above in some cases. I think (double check this before doing something stupid) that the Nick Harvey book has .243 loads which are 10gr more than ADI's load data for example.

[Supporter]

If you were paying attention and accidentally went a fraction of a grain higher or lower, or longer or shorter for COAL it's not the end of the world.

I wouldn't say that's exactly true.

Max COAL for example... While a cartridge which was over max COAL might chamber fine in one rifle, it might be pushed hard up against the lands in another.

Even with low loads if the bullet's jammed into the lands it can create high pressure problems.

What's perfectly safe for one may not be for another.

[Hardcast]

Yes my thoughts exactly Supporter,

Plenty of books will tell you to seat your bullet just off the lands, for minimal 'jump'.
That's ok when less than the maximum charge is used, not so ok when there is little room for mistakes such as a long c.o.a.l. and maximum or hot charge is used.
In my dozen odd rifles I've never needed to seat really close to the lands to get a consistent, accurate shooter.
A while back I was having trouble with a couple of my best shooters, tried different powders, changed scopes etc, only to find that my old reliable scales had finally let me down. Some of the loads that had come off those scales were in the vicinity of 10% off the original charge, damn dangerous if loading
3.5 gr. of fast powder.

Just be very diligent when reloading, double check things. It's a dangerous hobby.
Usually consistent accuracy won't come with out a consistent procedure.

[Usurper]

Supporter, Hardcast,

You're right. I didn't mean to be flip about it or suggest OP should just go for it and nothing could go wrong.

I just meant that if you're careful and maintain/check your equipment regularly for accuracy then that should give you piece of mind in terms of safety.

[Lorgar]

Usually consistent accuracy won't come with out a consistent procedure.

On the subject of consistency, I got the RCBS Chargemaster Combo a week or so ago and have done about 200 rounds or so with it.

It's thrown 1 heavy load in that time, and I double checked weights with manual scales on loads 10, 20, 50, 100, etc. which all matched.

Makes any reloaders life easier and better IMO.

[bunnybuster]

Get yersel a good reloading manual,I have used Speer and Hornady from'70s 80s now I have the Hornady seventh edition,yes I've been reloading a long time,

but when you think you know it all,thats what you are! Read through the methods recommended and be safe.Max loads should never be used,thats an

indicator you are on the edge,I have found the most accurate in my firearms are not '"hot "loads so there is a margin of allowable error,that said when I

am throwing powder I check weigh every 10th load,to be sure to be sure.

BB!

[Wheelbarrow]

Max loads should never be used, thats an indicator you are on the edge

Even when following "conservative" data like ADI or whoever you think?

[bunnybuster]

The pressure indicators on a fired case will tell you where you are for your rifle/chamber/barrel,there are slight machining variations

which can make considerable pressure diferences.Manufacturers conservative data is to protect themselves from stupid people

who are too lazy to "work up "a load for thier particular firearm,and just jump in the deep end "yep,I want &^%$ FPS pour it in.

Combining the information you see on the fired case and Chronograph results if you can access one [had one myself until it was

"borrowed"] and group size you will develop the load for your rifle. Be Safe.

BB!

[Harper]

Manufacturers conservative data is to protect themselves from stupid people who are too lazy to "work up "a load for their particular firearm,and just jump in the deep end "yep, I want &^%$ FPS pour it in.

Isn't there some drill which has the warning "do not insert drill bits into any body orifice" or something after some idiot scratched his nose by putting a drill bit up there and gunning the drill?

Obviously this did not go well...

[maxi]

Take the safety labels off everything and let Darwinism sort them out