# Pushing the envelope



## Kyle1337 (Mar 22, 2008)

Okay so I've been reloading for about 2 years now(alot of trial and error), got into it and only did .223 reloads, now I do .308, 30.06, .243, 7mm mag, and 30-30, I just got into doing .308 I am using Nosler sp 165gr bullet with IMR 4046 powder my charts tell me max is 45gr and min is 41 gr I usually do mid loads so I would do 42 or 43 gr, now I want a heavy hitter for my .308 and loaded a few 45gr and it seems to be so max the base of the bullet is actually touching(jammed the powder in the shell, what precautions beside paying very close attention during the process, should I take and would this damage my remington 700?

EDIT: I am following the C.O.L to the T and it is 2.80 I believe don't have it in front of me


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## gmaske (Jan 7, 2008)

Many rifle loads are compressed loads. Check....then check again your weighed charge and your data and proceed. For a max load I'd start a few tenths off and work up. Let your rifle tell you when it's time to stop. Hard extraction and signs the primer is backing out or flowing into the firing pin hole are some of the stuff you should look for. Tipicly max listed loads "should" be plenty safe but every gun is a bit diffrent.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

...To which I'll add that, typically, maximum loads are also inaccurate loads.
You want to find a balance between acceptable power and acceptable accuracy. Generally, I suggest that you work toward the direction of greater accuracy, at the (small) sacrifice of power. A lower-power center hit does the job much, much better than does a high-power near miss.


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## clanger (Jan 27, 2009)

A minimum load is actually a START load, and that's where you should start. 

The .308 is already a "heavy-hitter". 
Reload for accruacy and cost savings, not noise and worn out bores and actions. Or worse- you and others wearing parts of your gun. 

Simply pushing a bullet faster than a known recipe rarely ever does any good what so ever. There's a lot of variables involved that overlap like bullet weight, twist rate, MV etc., not just pressure. 

If you MUST have more punch (your reason for more boom is unclear), use a heavier bullet loaded to a known recipe. More weight = more hit. 

Failing that, move up a bore size to a larger diameter projectile.


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