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What are we going to see in a 30-30 lever gun to indicate excessive pressure? A sticky bolt? Takes over 65,00 PSI. Cratering of primers? Lose primer pockets? Case head expansion? Brass flow into extractor? We talk about "working up" but what are we going to see that indicates high pressure at only 40,000 PSI? If I blow a primer in my bolt gun I know that I am over 70,000 PSI and well into the danger zone. If I blow a primer in a lever gun, I assume it would take similar pressure levels to blow a primer, my gun would be in the scrap metal zone as in grenade.
So what am I looking for to indicate excessive pressure in a good tight lever gun? Case head measurement? According to Ken Waters that is a good indicator but only for matching factory loads. So what about modern lever guns and cartridges? The 45-70 and 35 Rem are well underloaded by the factory for use in weaker old guns. So how do we know when we are approaching safe maximum load levels in modern guns? A pressure gauge is the only way that I know. Not having a pressure gauge I must rely on the loading manuals and the use of a chronograph. If there is another way to determine or detect pressure tell me I'm listening.
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