The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

tackb wrote:I've settled on 47g of N560 under a 140 Amax (non moly) with a br primer seated to max mag length in my badger kit . Usual rules , work up to it in your rifle etc

Tackb.... thanks for the update... looks like your rifle is happy to eat a greater powder load than my current 44.5g of N560 with a 139 g Scenar......although as I said in my original post I have seen absolutely no pressure signs as yet and still have to Chrono-check what speed I am getting with that load.

Whilst I am a cautious 'sort' with loads nearing the supposedv max it's still annoying / disconcerting that the Viht manual invariably seems to be very conservative with its top-end load recommendations.... makes you wonder if fear of litigation is making them put artifically low 'caps' on their book max figures.

Bottom line is that we are all responsible for our own loads and safety.

Cheers

DaveT

I think the conservative loads are predominantly due to America and the higher levels of litigation

Ovenpaa... I am sure that you are right re the USA & potential litigation.... as I see it the problem created though is that doubts creep in about what is truly a reasonable maximum load 'banding' ... and then people are tempted to get silly about their own max loadings after seeing 'Nitroburner' or someone recommend enormous loadings on the internet. I guess that we all recognise that the only solution that we can control directly is education about (amongst many other factors) measuring your own rifles Max COL properly re seating depths , working up loads and ensuring that you can recognise pressure indications (hopefully before going WAAAY over the top!) I just think that its damned silly to have manufacturers knowingly under-cutting load maximums rather than putting up load ceilings that reloaders accept are REALLY the top-end (so no messing about!)

Just in case anyone thinks that I am a 'Max Load bloke'......I don't advocate going to the 'max' with everything as the accurate load is usually either above or below that level.

I use lyman manuals and the load I use is for the 142 sierras , I worked up to it and found an accuracy node at 47g with the 140amax .

Older lyman manuals are less conservative , I wonder if modern rifles are built with inferior steel compared to older rifles ? I DOUBT IT !