Over crimped..!!

[Daryll]

Ok, I think I know what the answer is going to be, I just need the collective to confirm it....

Last weekend I made up a batch of 100 .308 rounds, (GGG cases, 178gn Amax, 37.0 gns of H335), and I managed, (don't ask me how!), to set my Lee Factory crimp die one whole turn too far.
I noticed there seems a little more resistance than normal, but put it down to it being a while since I'd loaded any....

I noticed my mistake on Monday when i went to load up another batch.

So.. what to do...?? I have pulled one, and it has crimped the bullet, so i know accuracy is going to be affected, but i can relegate these to plinking rounds, my main concern is presssure... it that extra hard crimp going to put pressure dangerously high..??

37gns of H335 is at the low end for that bullet weight, so I'm starting with fairly low pressures... will i still be in safe limits..?

TIA

Daryll.

[kennyc]

you cant really overcrimp with the FCD, I doubt you will ever notice the effects of a mark on the bullet, is there a reason why you are loading 100 cartridges with a light charge ? seems like a waste of heavy bullets and money ?

[Daryll]

Its not exactly a powder-p**f load... :)

178gn works well in my 18 inch 1:10 barrel (and I got a load of the bullets at a bargain price!).
The Hodgson load data gives the range of 38 to 41 grains of H335 for that weight, and as I'm using mil surp GGG cases i dropped the changes by 1 gn because of the reduced case capacity, so I started at 37 up to 40.
The 37 grain loads were the most accurate...

[kennyc]

Out of interest what mv are you getting? Back to question I see your point with the loading ,I still don't think you will have problems with accuracy personally I would shoot some of them and see.

[Daryll]

Off the top of my head (I'm at work at the moment ), I think its around 2200 fps, which ties in with the published 2350 fps from a barrel 6 inches longer than mine...

Daryll.