Played around with some VV N530 this morning. Supposedly the VV N500s are quite temp stable. I've never really had good luck with Quickload before, but for whatever reason, it seems to be matching my results much more closely now. Don't recall changing any setting. Anyway, it appeared N530 would be a good option for a 180gn bullet. There's no load data for N530 and the 338 Fed that I could find and QL showed a max of 46-46.5. After referencing every other source I could find, it seemed reasonable. I worked up from 43 to 47 looking for any signs of pressure. Primers started to be a little flatter at 46.7, but by no means flat and never any stiff bolt, shiny bolt face, ejector mark. Velocities were remarkably close to what QL predicted so I'll trust the pressures. We're talking a few FPS here or there. QL predicts 61k at 46 and 63k at 46.5 with N530. According to QL, the same velocities are achieved as Benchmark with ~3k less psi. I was using 46.5gn of Benchmark which is very accurate and showed no signs of pressure at 2777. The Hodgdon book max for Benchmark is 47gn for 2768fps. QL shows 46.5 Benchmark as 66k and 2763 (for my 23" barrel). So, somewhere between the book loads, Quickload and my observations lies a reasonable solution.
Here's the actual MVs according to Magnetospeed - actual (QL Prediction): 43 - 2604 44 - 2635 45 - 2709 (2693 56.7k) 45.5 - 2719 (2723 58.9k) 46 - 2756 (2753 61k) 46.5 - 2777 (2782 63.5k) 46.7 - 2797 (2794 64.5k) 47 - 2793 (2812 66k)
Next I'll shoot groups and see if there's any accuracy to be found.
