reloading .300 savage
reloading .300 savage
everyone talks about watching for pressure signs but ive also read the due to the low SAAMI max pressure for this cartridge that your first pressure sign could be your last as the gun blows up. While reading that article there was a picture of a savage 99 that essentially split in half at the chamber/receiver. So my question to this is, what if any pressure signs have you guys witnessed? Also i noticed while depriming my case that most of the hornadys necks had a pushed in flat spot along with some of the remington cases, has anyone experienced this? Thanks
Re: reloading .300 savage
The best advice I can give is to use only the recipes provided in reputable reloading manuals, keep your cases trimmed below maximum length, and do not exceed cartridge OAL. Then you should never have excess pressure problems. I'd add that, if at all possible, neck size only to counteract any excessive headspace conditions that may exist in your rifle.
There are crude indicators of excess pressure, such as primer flattening, primer cratering, case sticking on extraction, and case head expansion. You can look those terms up. But as I said, these are crude and not at all quantitative. If you blow out a primer, you really do have high pressure. It's much tougher than most people think to blow up a gun, even with a barrel obstruction. There have been tests performed with the M16 that have shown it will hold together at peak chamber pressures of over 150,000 psi. The main cause of a so-called blowup is a case head failure. A shooter is well protected against that by the design of the model 8/81 - but of course the gun may be severely damaged. I have seen dozens of "Blowups" with M16s and M4s, but have never seen anyone seriously injured. Such blowups are mainly the result of failures of the bolt to lock up properly, and not the ammunition, i.e., "Out-of-battery" firings.
I have no idea what you mean by a polished flat spot on the neck.
There are crude indicators of excess pressure, such as primer flattening, primer cratering, case sticking on extraction, and case head expansion. You can look those terms up. But as I said, these are crude and not at all quantitative. If you blow out a primer, you really do have high pressure. It's much tougher than most people think to blow up a gun, even with a barrel obstruction. There have been tests performed with the M16 that have shown it will hold together at peak chamber pressures of over 150,000 psi. The main cause of a so-called blowup is a case head failure. A shooter is well protected against that by the design of the model 8/81 - but of course the gun may be severely damaged. I have seen dozens of "Blowups" with M16s and M4s, but have never seen anyone seriously injured. Such blowups are mainly the result of failures of the bolt to lock up properly, and not the ammunition, i.e., "Out-of-battery" firings.
I have no idea what you mean by a polished flat spot on the neck.
Re: reloading .300 savage
concerning the flat spot, im talking about the top of the neck as if you are looking into the cartridge. Its not perfectly round. There is a flat spot. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this. Neck sizing brings the neck back true so im not overly concerned.
Re: reloading .300 savage
Not at all uncommon with auto loaders. Check out below what a modern one like the AK does to ejected brass! 
The case mouth is hitting on the way out of the receiver or even when it hits the ground in your shooting area. Like you said not a big deal.
The case mouth is hitting on the way out of the receiver or even when it hits the ground in your shooting area. Like you said not a big deal.