I just joined your 24hourcampfire forum this past week. I was a little suprised to find I'm not exactly the "toast of the town" here. I use ReL15 in my 35Whelens. But I feel the need to clarify a few things about my personal page -
http://www.35cal.com/loading.html Uh, I just looked at the data you reference. I consider it way over maximum and the man's loading practices ill-conceived. I advise everyone reading this to steer very clear of thhis data.
Ok - some over published max - but take some time to read the text not just the tables throughout the page referenced. I'm not a dangerous dim wit. Experimental reloading (load development) has been my hobby for almost two decades now. I'm fixated on 35s though I also load for other calibres. In the early days I had a few primers fall out upon opening an action (excessive pressures) and a few sticky bolt lifts. Beyond that I have had no unscheduled moments of extreme excitment related to over inflated brass, breeches or barrels. I hope the trend continues.
...The 0.020" of expansion he experienced is probably measured on the pressure ring of the case body, not the head. True case head expansion of 0.020" would indicate astronomical pressure.
Yep it would if it happened. But to clarify - the (.511/.531) is not a before and after measurement at all. But rather a measurement taken on the case body immediately ahead of the belt (.511) and another taken on the belt immediately ahead of the extractor groove(.531) after firing the round. In other words, at the range I simply noted down after firing a test round its diameter at two points on the case. I keep my micrometer beside me when shooting often. I often mic cases as they go into the breech and then when they come out - I measure any difference just ahead of the extractor slot primarily.
And then we have the statement, "but no ejector slot imprint yet." An imprint of the ejector slot in the headstamp of a case indicates the brass is flowing back into the slot due to astronomical pressure. If the man typically adds powder to his loads until he sees this imprint, he is flirting with disaster - even death.
How else does one say that there is no ejector slot imprint observed when the fired case is examined other than just say it (mauser type slot in this case). It's instructional to note that sometimes elevated pressures can be noted by one indicator and not another. No I did not shovel in more powder in this case precisely BECAUSE the case head was indicating an unacceptable level of expansion to me.
Lastly my "Loading page" does not present load data in the usual sense anyway - but simply range results with my personal comments to self. They are load notes and observations - warts and all. Some loads are well over max according to some published sources. Yes I know - I ought not. But I do not "recommend" them to any one - see my disclaimer. Going public with my load development notes on this page has sometimes been misunderstood though I try to be clear.
Any who - I'm thru.
