BHuij
Active Member
When working up LV loads with 30 cal cartridges like .308, .303 Brit, 7.62x54R, etc., one of the problems to overcome is what to do with all the case volume you're not filling with powder. Using a slow rifle powder like you would for a regular-velocity jacketed bullet tends to give uneven, dirty burns because those powders are more likely to perform inconsistently at low pressures, and are often more position sensitive.
I'm assuming this is why most accurate LV loads use faster-burning shotgun, pistol, and magnum pistol powders (i.e. Unique, Bullseye, 2400, 4227, Red Dot, etc.). They burn fast, clean, and efficient in lower quantities compared to a slow rifle powder, and they tend to be less position sensitive.
My question is... how much does it buy you to use a magnum primer instead of a standard one? Magnum primers are hotter and higher pressure, so in theory you might be able to use a slightly slower powder without getting an uneven burn, right? Mind you, this is still for a LV load. But let's say in a .308 casing, instead of using 4227, could you use something like 4198 if you switched from a CCI 200 primer to a 250? Theoretically the slower burn of 4198 might be able to give you the same velocity for less pressure and/or a smaller charge, potentially increasing both accuracy and economy for LV loads.
Just thinking out loud here. If someone detects inconsistencies in my reasoning, I'd love to learn.
I'm assuming this is why most accurate LV loads use faster-burning shotgun, pistol, and magnum pistol powders (i.e. Unique, Bullseye, 2400, 4227, Red Dot, etc.). They burn fast, clean, and efficient in lower quantities compared to a slow rifle powder, and they tend to be less position sensitive.
My question is... how much does it buy you to use a magnum primer instead of a standard one? Magnum primers are hotter and higher pressure, so in theory you might be able to use a slightly slower powder without getting an uneven burn, right? Mind you, this is still for a LV load. But let's say in a .308 casing, instead of using 4227, could you use something like 4198 if you switched from a CCI 200 primer to a 250? Theoretically the slower burn of 4198 might be able to give you the same velocity for less pressure and/or a smaller charge, potentially increasing both accuracy and economy for LV loads.
Just thinking out loud here. If someone detects inconsistencies in my reasoning, I'd love to learn.