One observation & a lucky load
Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 5:12 pm
While I'm not at all new to handloading I'm absolutely new to the 300BLK so I'm amazed by this cartridge. I get it that it's not new to lots of you folks who have been with it for years.
I got enough 9mm ahead to where I could convert the loader over to 300BLK and set up the dies. I have a mess of load data but nothing exact for my components; what's new there? I have lots of Lil'Gun, WW296, and some A1680. The bullets I have are Rainier plated 180 FP & HP and they say to treat them as though they are lead. I had a few brass from recently fired S&B loads. I guessed and put the big powder bar in the loader, and I was hoping that it would meter a small enough amount of powder to keep me subsonic.
In looking over the data and not having the precise components to fit any of the listed loads I hedged my powder charge. One listed charge was pushing a 208gr jacketed bullet and used 8 some odd grains for a subsonic load. A supersonic load for a jacketed 180 used 16 some odd grains (? Don't quote me on that and for sure don't anyone load that!) . Then putting powder in the measure and gently screwing the bar down all the way I couldn't get it down to the 8 grain load. But OK, it's not a 208 grain bullet but 180, and also not jacketed, so more powder would be OK. I had plenty of wiggle room on the charge. I upped the charge a little bit to give myself some adjustment both ways and came up with 11.5 grains for a starting load. A COL of 1.195 fits the Lancer mags fine with a little room to spare. Gee, that's not much powder! Intellectually I knew this cartridge was going to just sip powder, but this is just silly frugal! It uses less powder than many of the handgun cartridges I load!
So I went out of the shop and fired it*, no chrono' set up, I just wanted to hear it go bang. It did indeed go bang. I didn't hear any sonic crack. The new build (10.3" barrel and Amtak can) locked open on the empty mag' and the carbine spring I put in it worked fine. The brass was found at the correct clock position telling me that I don't even need to play with buffer weight. Could I have been lucky enough to get a sub sonic load out of the gate? Setting up the chrono' is a bother so I'll probably just up the powder charge until I hear the crack then back it down, then work from there for accuracy. That's the plan anyway. I might chrono' the final load if I can work up an accurate one.
*No I don't live in Chicago where gunfire is common, but I live in a rural setting where gunfire is commonly heard, but unlike Chicago it's not normally accompanied by dead bodies. No one gives shooting any thought here and no one ducks for cover or checks for holes in their home. No one thinks anything of it if someone goes for a walk with a firearm either.
Off the wall question... Does anyone know of an online reloading program? Or can someone run my load to check pressure & velocity with their program? I know it's safe I'm just curious.
I got enough 9mm ahead to where I could convert the loader over to 300BLK and set up the dies. I have a mess of load data but nothing exact for my components; what's new there? I have lots of Lil'Gun, WW296, and some A1680. The bullets I have are Rainier plated 180 FP & HP and they say to treat them as though they are lead. I had a few brass from recently fired S&B loads. I guessed and put the big powder bar in the loader, and I was hoping that it would meter a small enough amount of powder to keep me subsonic.
In looking over the data and not having the precise components to fit any of the listed loads I hedged my powder charge. One listed charge was pushing a 208gr jacketed bullet and used 8 some odd grains for a subsonic load. A supersonic load for a jacketed 180 used 16 some odd grains (? Don't quote me on that and for sure don't anyone load that!) . Then putting powder in the measure and gently screwing the bar down all the way I couldn't get it down to the 8 grain load. But OK, it's not a 208 grain bullet but 180, and also not jacketed, so more powder would be OK. I had plenty of wiggle room on the charge. I upped the charge a little bit to give myself some adjustment both ways and came up with 11.5 grains for a starting load. A COL of 1.195 fits the Lancer mags fine with a little room to spare. Gee, that's not much powder! Intellectually I knew this cartridge was going to just sip powder, but this is just silly frugal! It uses less powder than many of the handgun cartridges I load!
So I went out of the shop and fired it*, no chrono' set up, I just wanted to hear it go bang. It did indeed go bang. I didn't hear any sonic crack. The new build (10.3" barrel and Amtak can) locked open on the empty mag' and the carbine spring I put in it worked fine. The brass was found at the correct clock position telling me that I don't even need to play with buffer weight. Could I have been lucky enough to get a sub sonic load out of the gate? Setting up the chrono' is a bother so I'll probably just up the powder charge until I hear the crack then back it down, then work from there for accuracy. That's the plan anyway. I might chrono' the final load if I can work up an accurate one.
*No I don't live in Chicago where gunfire is common, but I live in a rural setting where gunfire is commonly heard, but unlike Chicago it's not normally accompanied by dead bodies. No one gives shooting any thought here and no one ducks for cover or checks for holes in their home. No one thinks anything of it if someone goes for a walk with a firearm either.
Off the wall question... Does anyone know of an online reloading program? Or can someone run my load to check pressure & velocity with their program? I know it's safe I'm just curious.