Hey guys, was wondering on your thoughts. I have a Savage 11VT that has a Choate Stock and SWFA 10X42 MilQuad. However I have been having issues with over-pressure.
Even reloading factory Hornady factory ammo I find loose primer pockets. I can not approach max loads on Hodgdon website for fear of blowing primers.
I find that I can not load an ELD-Match bullet at Factory Length (2.800) let alone SAMMI length of 2.810. I show 2.750 with that bullet to the lands. As posted in previous post. With 0.050" crush into the lands no wonder it over pressures.
Other interesting note... If you take fired brass and drop it into a GoNoGo gauge it will seat and check OK when you add light finger pressure as you would to just check fit. Does not drop in completely but when you go to feel it it sure does. Need to tap out lightly. Gauge is Lyman multi-cartridge unit.
Also noted in previous post even the 178 ELD-X while it can be loaded longer seems to hit pressure signs very early too. Lee manual says 44.7 gr of IMR 4064 for 180gr and 45.6 gr for 175 gr. Even at 2.825 COAL if I shoot 42 gr of IMR 4064 I see signs of over pressure.
What the heck is going on? The ultra conservative as I am told Hornady Manual says 42.4 for Varget (the IMR 4064 for bullets above and below are within 0.1 gr of Varget) and I am using Hornady Brass.
After a long discussion today with one gentleman at the store of the range I went to today and a guy he said was a guru of .308 they both seemed concerned and said I should get my rifle inspected by a GOOD gunsmith. They were thinking of sending to see one guy near my house but said I should see a really good guy just a bit up the road. No they did not sell me anything. Would not. Said gun needs to be checked first.
I even checked my rifle tonight with a full length resized case and chambered OK. Nice and easy. Then checked with a lightly Lee Collet Neck sized piece and it would not chamber easily. Found the Collet Neck sizer would also not fit GoNoGo guage. Hmmm......
Do I have an undersized chamber and SHORT throat?
I am so frustrated. Just seems it should not be this hard.
Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated.
What do the cases look like if you use loaded factory ammo?
Second) what type of scale are you using to measure your powder charges. ?
I do not trust the cheap digital scales.
RCBS 505 beam scale in my opinion is a good scale for the money.
Third) I can not see .050 on your bullet seating depth causing that kind of high pressure. Not on a rifle case. If it was a pistol case like 9mm then that would be a problem, on a rifle case not so much.
Forth) Sorry your having problems.
Whatever ever the problem turns out to be, let me know.
I have blown a few primers in my Maten 308 when using Hornady match brass and Varget. I thought it was my overzealous removal of the factory crimp.
I had quite a bit of Norma brass and couldn't find Varget in the 8 lb. container, so I decided to try Norma 202 and 203B. No pressure signs with either.
My gun guru thinks that the Hornady brass may be softer.
Also, the primers were really easy to seat with the Hornady, compared to the Norma brass.
If the gunsmith says your rifle is fine, then I'd suggest trying a different brand of brass.
FYI, I did not try the Hornady brass and Norma powders, or Norma brass and Varget. I still haven't decided what I'm going to do with all of the old Hornady.
Well the brass looks normal but when you remove the crimp and reload (some without crimp) some have loose primers.
Scale used is a Hornady digital but originally used the RCBS 505. Still use it to verify accuracy. Scales agree.
I have a couple savage rifles and they do have tight chambers . Never had the type of problems you are having. It's something that I am aware of and just make sure when I change bullets that they do not engage the rifling. ( now that will cause pressure problems)
I think I would have a gun smith check it out, better safe than sorry.
Never had any concerns with my Remington 700.
One similar loadings for 260 lapua vs hornandy brass...hornandy is definitely softer with shorter expected life span. Not sure if this is a possible issue if they were reloaded a few times. Basically use reloaded hornandy brass from off the self ammo Mainly for fouling and rough sight in if I remove a scope.
I sir, am a .308 guru 😀 Hornady brass is very soft. What is your neck neck tension?
I do not have a measurement but use the Lee Collet Neck Sizer even if I had used the full length Sizer. After much measuring I found and pretty sure verified my throat are is very very short and not cut properly. After numerous calls and not a warm fuzzy (very dismissive) from Savage I just decided to rebarrel the rifle. I ordered a Shilen in stailess. Should have that next week then will get it installed. After talking with Hornady suspect a minimum if not slightly undersize chamber as well.
Anyways, should be interesting.
Looking forward to the update!
Like Geoff said Keep us posted on the progress. Sorry to hear savage was not much help.
I definitely will. I even pulled out the compartor again, and painted the bullet and when seated against the lands I got no marks????? Maybe I can get some Cerrosafe and do a chamber cast. My dad does lead bullets can't be that hard.
in the last 6 months I have had one bad ar15 chamber and one bad ar10 chamber. Both were reputable manufacturers and Both required a gunsmith and a reamer. In the middle of last year I had two upper assemblies from Brownell's that would not eject the fired cases ever. Had to send them both back.
In the 25 years leading up to this year I had one bad chamber in a couple dozen ar builds and a couple dozen factory bolt guns. In my O'pinion, last year during the haste to get out as much product as possible leading up to the election, some quality control shortcuts were taken and some inferior products went out the doors of some manufacturers.
Anyway, Shilen makes quality barrels. You should be good to go now.
Pcfitz
I agree 100% . I have been in manufacturing for nearly 30 years. When production gets rushed, quality goes down for sure. ( cause and effect )
At the end of the day it cost more money and maybe your reputation.
I see it over and over again through the years.
I am starting to see some huge price drops on some rifles and hand guns.
The higher quality guns seem to still be holding there price. The higher mass produced ones are dropping.
Well, I took it to the range yesterday and today.
Fired 178 ELD-X.
The same 44 great of BL-C2 that caused hard bolt lift and no signs of pressure. Fired the Hornady factory loaded 168 ELD Match and same thing. Wow what a difference. Shot under and inch at a hundred. The BL-C2 was .75 ish to 1.25ish but nothing to write home about really.
Well for today 43 gr of Varget at .2 gr intervals and then .1 gr to 43.4gr as listed over max in Hornady's book. Could not tell the light from heavy stuff and bolt lift was nice and easy.
I shot the 43.1 and 43.4 into ragged one hole groups except a flier. The 43.4 was a known misload to 43.3 did not tear down and reload. The 43.1 was me. So two 4 shot groups at just over .5 inch at 200 yards today.... I think we have a winner.
This was my second time at 200 yards shooting for groups. Also the BL-C2 test was done about 15° hotter day then sticky bolt session. Rifle shoots better than me.
Gonna have to continue on up to see where pressure is and adjust seating depth a bit. And continue to do. load development.
Also the COAL shot today was 2.855 or 0.010 off the lands. Was told try in neghborhood of 0.003-0.006. so will try that as well. Also now have two batches of fireformed brass.
How do you put two big thumbs up on here?
Also of interest was the guy white really pushed me to get my rifle checked (changed barrel instead) said no kidding in last two weeks seen three guys with Savages with factory flaws in the barrel.
Hmm. I'll keep that in mind when I get some funds to the next rifle!
I might get another Savage as the basis for a build and some are great ask Rex.. but man mine started giving me the heebie-jeebies when I finally learned what was really going on. Be fun to build another just gonna do thing different or maybe......... Lol
Woohoo! Sounds like you gotter nailed down. Glad it finally worked out. I'm thinking about a shilen barrel for my next build....ar10 in 6.5 Creedmoor. All I need is moor money....haha.
Very happy you got it straighten out. Sorry you had to spend the extra money.
I would like to hear more as you get shoot it more
Someday I want to get someone to re barrel my Remington 700.