What is the maximum load?

[johncmng]

What is the maximum load for my 223 with BL-C2? Is it maximum speed in the book/website? Or is it the maximum load in the book/website? Or do I work my way up until I see flattening of the primer?

[SandDiegoDuner]

What projectile weight?

[DarkSoul]

Regardless of projectile weight (although this is of course a vital piece of information), you should always use a minimum of 3 resources for your load ups if you are trying to get to a maximum load.

If you are trying to load match grade rounds, you need to start a load up ladder to find the best load for YOUR gun. There are some great online resources that can walk you through step by step, but basically, something like this-

Out of your book, take the MAX load listed for the weight bullet you are using and reduce by 10%, with that number load 3 rounds, add 2% and load 3 rounds, add another 2% and load 3 rounds, do this until you go one step past the listed max.

Head to the range, set up targets for as many steps of ammo as you created, say 6 targets. Fire one round of step 1 at target 1, fire a single round of step 2 at target 2 and so on until you get to the max load (second to the last) , you need to start checking for pressure signs now, after you shoot "step 5" and before you shoot step 6, you need to be 100% sure you are still within safe pressures, any signs of over pressure, flattened primers, blown primers, I use a suggestion I learned of using the shell plate from my loading machine, and make sure the case still fits on, so no head deformation, etc.

Once you determine your load limit, start the cycle again, step 1 target 1 , step 2 target 2 until you are all done, pull your targets and aside from any flyers that are your fault, what was the best group?

If you just want to know what the safe MAX is, again, get 3 reliable load up sources, and go with the average of the 3. Usually the actual powder manufacturer is going to be pretty safe.

[GeoffLinder]

There is no one specific maximum for all rifles. The published data is a known point for "most" rifles but many variances come into play. Look up 2-3 load data sources (book data, not others recipes) and settle on a starting load based on lopping 5% off the lowest published max and 10% off the highest published max.

Then, as always, work up to a safe maximum in YOUR rifle by testing a few tenths at a time of charge increase over a chrono while inspecting cases carefully. Then and ONLY then will you know the safe max load for your setup.

Also, remember that a max load is not always the most accurate or best load to use

[gemini1]

^ Hi Geoff. Just to clarify, when you say lopping off 5% off the lowest published. Do you mean loading less 5% from minimum?
The Lyman 49th I just read states that "it is not recommended to go below minimum load data"

[DarkSoul]

^ Hi Geoff. Just to clarify, when you say lopping off 5% off the lowest published. Do you mean loading less 5% from minimum?
The Lyman 49th I just read states that "it is not recommended to go below minimum load data"

For what it's worth, I also have the Lyman's 49th, and I messed around with very low loads, and at the minimum on .45, my glock 21 wouldent even cycle. I think you are more than safe starting at the. Inimum and working up.

[GeoffLinder]

There is not much danger in lopping 5% off a minimum load in most minimum published pistol loads. There is a seldom seen phenomenon knows as detonation that can happen with extremely light loads of fast powders under heavy bullets in larger capacity cases, but 5% under minimum published is pretty safe in pistols.

For rifle loading, 5% under minimum will never be an issue as all loads published are over 1/2 case or more capacity loads to start with.

10% off a published max rifle load and 5% off a published midrange load is what I am getting at here. You are pretty much always guaranteed of being able to start at the minimum published load without lopping anything off provided OAL is at or over published and you are using the bullet weight specified for that load data.

[Pete1979]

RE Max

Pay attention to the weather when working up a maximum load, BL-C2 is temp sensitive so a load worked up in the winter will almost certainly be over pressured in 100 degree weather.

[bigdawg86]

I have shot up to 28 grains BLC2 (per Hornady book) with 55g FMJ-BT projectiles and have clocked just shy of 3000FPS out of a 16" barrel with ambient temp of around 75 degrees. On the same note I have also shot 2850FPS out of the same gun with 26g of BL-C(2) in the Arizona 105+ ambient. Even the minimum load of 25ish grains has cycled my gun perfectly (Adams Arms 16" piston). I am currently loading up 1K at the 28g load, I had zero signs of over pressure when I chrono's my loads in mid/upper 70's ambient... I know this is max load and BL-C(2) is temperature sensitive, but given I don't let the ammo bake in the sun before using I will be GTG... YMMV

EDIT: AA 16" Piston 1:7 twist, 55 Hornady FMJ-BT, Tula SRM, BL-C(2), 28 (max), 2.2OAL, 2977FPS High, 2895FPS Low, 2944FPS Average, 10 shots, 1059 Foot Pounds Muzzle Energy

[johncmng]

I have shot up to 28 grains BLC2 (per Hornady book) with 55g FMJ-BT projectiles and have clocked just shy of 3000FPS out of a 16" barrel with ambient temp of around 75 degrees. On the same note I have also shot 2850FPS out of the same gun with 26g of BL-C(2) in the Arizona 105+ ambient. Even the minimum load of 25ish grains has cycled my gun perfectly (Adams Arms 16" piston). I am currently loading up 1K at the 28g load, I had zero signs of over pressure when I chrono's my loads in mid/upper 70's ambient... I know this is max load and BL-C(2) is temperature sensitive, but given I don't let the ammo bake in the sun before using I will be GTG... YMMV

EDIT: AA 16" Piston 1:7 twist, 55 Hornady FMJ-BT, Tula SRM, BL-C(2), 28 (max), 2.2OAL, 2977FPS High, 2895FPS Low, 2944FPS Average, 10 shots, 1059 Foot Pounds Muzzle Energy

I am loading up to 1K as well. Right now I'm using 24.5 grains of BL-C on a 77SMK bullet (@2590fpds) in a Larue 20" stealth upper. I want to push it out a little further. According to the Ballistic App, the transonic distance now is 780 Yards at 2590fps. My reloading books indicates max. 25 grains at 2804fps, that will put the transonic at 870 yards. Right now I am no where close to the speed I want. I want to know how far I can push it safely to 1000 yards.