12-12-2023, 08:58 AM
Scrape hunter Wrote:Klem my hornady cases held 36.5 grains and my federal cases held 35.2 grains of water .
Scrape, OK that changes things. More capacity = more powder before safe load max is reached.
Hornady predicts max load is 29.4gns 8208 @ 102.3% fill, 2,647fps and 51,973lbs at 2.200" COAL.
Federal is showing 28.5gns 8208 @ 103% fill, 2,615fps and 51,560lbs at 2.200" COAL..
Anything over 103% and it is a compressed load. Compress a relstively fast powder like 8208 and even a 0.1gn increments make a big difference in pressure.
Big difference in max loads due to different internal volumes of the two brands. Federal is likely thicker brass and/or a thicker web.
QL is conservative so Barnes advice about 0.1gn more is fair.
Out of interest, how did you seal the cases to measure? Are they brand new cases or used/sized?