Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Kissed, didn't find pressure, may still rock on...

I purchased this Tikka 22 Creedmoor from Landboy. Discovered in the process it was the 223 I'd sold him a while back, and he'd rechambered it.

Took it out yesterday with Alpha brass, WLRP, Superperformance and Hornady 75 BTHPs jammed 0.01" into the lands. Scope is a 6x MQ.

Never did find pressure, at least as measured by primer cratering. I'm liking the 41 grain load.

Might ladder up to the book max of 43+ just to see.

All at 100 yards, all three shot groups.

Looks like 41 gr is the sweet spot. This gives me hope for my, yet to be delivered, 22 Creedmoor. I purchased 8 pounds of Superformance while testing my first custom rifle in 300 WSM. It did not work out. Based on your tests, it looks like I may have a use for it.

Keep us updated.

It has been pretty much found that primer cratering does not define over pressure

Hodgon's guide lists 40.0 - 43.5 for the 73 grain ELDM, and 38.3 to 41.7 for the 77 Sierra HPBT.

It does not list the brass manufacturer, but Alpha's brass is hell for stout.

I'm confident I'm not overpressure.

What method do you use for determining pressure, absent pressure gauges?

Velocity is my primary indicator.
Primers vary in cup thickness and hardness. A soft primer cup will crater before a harder one. Brass varies in alloy, hardness and volume.
Unless you have pressure test equipment velocity is your best indicator.

Very well said.

Though cratered primers do tell me the load is getting too hot for this particular powder. Not that I have any idea what that pressure actually is.

Velocity is a much better indication of actual pressure.

Chronograph for velocity