BlueBoy69

An almost full case of Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star with a Hornady 40 gr V-Max will give you velocities near or above the max the Hornet can attain with the same bullet.

No Andy, I don't think I ever have used it? It just sits in the back of the mugs area of a kitchen cupboard.

No, not at present. Unless you can play with things such as the digitised Doppler signal, the FFT (fast Fourier transform) waterfall plot of the Doppler signal, or the signal strength of the reflected Doppler signal of the projectile outputted as a table, it would be a hit and miss thing to try and get this info. The more expensive systems I used had this functionality, but the Labradar doesn't as far as I'm aware. The company that developed the Labradar, Infinition Inc., do make such systems, but they will be very expensive, tens, if not hundreds of thousands of pounds each. Other companies I can remember who make Doppler radars are Prototypa in the Czech Republic and Weibel in Denmark. For some drool-worthy ballistic instrumentation, check their websites. Below. Infinition Inc. Prototypa Weibel Weibel took over the ballistic instrumentation part of the Terma company, and it was generally their Dopplers I used. You're very unlikely to see the system I used, the DR 5000, though I do have a mug with a picture of it on it.

I extensively used Doppler radars as part of a suite of ballistic instrumentation for one of my previous jobs. The biggest problem with Dopplers, after being able to detect the projectile for long enough, is triggering. Get that wrong, especially with high-drag projectiles which small arms generally are, and you can give up trying to get decent muzzle velocity results, or results at all. Bad triggering is more than likely the problem that is occurring here with these small-calibre high-drag projectiles. The Labradar is normally triggered by acoustic noise (pressure), or a change (increase) in the Doppler signal. The Labradar has three acoustic triggers, the inbuilt high noise level one, plus two external ones, the air-gun trigger and the archery trigger. The inbuilt should work with most unsuppressed guns, the air-gun trigger for air-guns and suppressed guns, and the archery trigger is self-explanatory. For acoustic triggering, this is something we never used as it was generally impractical on big guns as it was too variable and hence impossible to get the precise muzzle exit times. Precise muzzle exit is required for accurate muzzle velocity prediction, especially on high-drag projectiles and when measuring automatic weapons. A piezo pressure gauge fitted near the muzzle, which would require a hole to be drilled and tapped, was a good pressure trigger but obviously totally impractical for many weapons for many reasons. Doppler triggering, which is generally caused by the high-pressure propellant gases venting or the projectile as it enters the beam, was used for simpler Doppler systems we used and the error with low-drag projectiles was acceptable. For small arms, their drag is so high in comparison to larger projectiles that a slight error in what is perceived to be muzzle exit will result in an incorrectly calculated muzzle velocity. Also, if the trigger is late and the Doppler low powered, the projectile can be out of detectable range before measurement can occur. It should be noted that precise muzzle exit times are only required for muzzle velocity prediction, not the measurement downrange. Saying that, a good muzzle exit trigger is required so that the said measurement can at least take place. If the trigger is late and the projectile is out of the beam, or its reflected signal is too weak, you’re not going to get anything. For me, the Labradar falls down in a number of ways, the first of which is its power supply which is abysmal. It should have a far better battery power system, such as an external battery pack as standard with nothing internal, and an external mains power supply system. It could certainly do with a better non-contact muzzle exit detector, such as a flash detector. It could do with the ability to set the offset distances of the acoustic trigger, to the side and backwards and forwards, so geometric correction of the trigger and Doppler can be made. It would be nice to be able to do some post-analysis, so the ability to save of the digitised raw Doppler signal, or whatever else it might be able to saved, would be nice. The standard tripod is lacking and the aiming ability isn’t very good either, but over the ranges, it works over, probably not much of a problem. And as an afterthought, well comment, if you want to know the 'muzzle velocity', get an in-bore Doppler, radar or laser. Muzzle velocity is a bit of a misnomer anyway as the bullet is still being accelerated by the existing propellant gases for a few projectile calibres anyway, so the peak velocity isn’t at the muzzle!

Hi M, You could try the H&N 110, 125 and 165 grain lead alloy, copper-plated and then plastic coated bullets. I use all three in my 300 AAC Blackout, and many at the club use them for downloaded 308 Winchester rifles. The bullets can be purchased from a number of places, Black RIfle being a good choice. They have all three weights of the bullet in stock. https://www.blackrifle.co.uk I have the H&N reloading manual too and that has loading data for the 308 Winchester. If you want me to pass the data on, let me know. Neil

As far as I can tell, as I don't use the device, the entries with bracketed data are personalised drag models (PDM). The code likely refers to the rifle/person who submitted the PDM. http://www.appliedballisticsllc.com/Downloads/ABLibrary.pdf I would simply take the non-personalised version and then modifty that if you need to, this creating your own PDM. Hornady's own data is an average G1 BC of 0.646 and an average G7 BC of 0.326. https://www.hornady.com/bullets/rifle/6-5mm-264-140-gr-eld-match#!/

I shouldn't worry, I don't think it's a very common occurrence with small arms, or even the big guns. If I remember rightly the gun had fired a few 10s of thousands of factory rounds 30-06 power level ammo over its rather long life as a hunting rifle. They fired a round one day and the barrel split. The only time I saw a big guns blow up was due to bore prematures. This occurs with high explosive projectiles when the fuze fails for whatever reason, or the high explosive has flaws in it (cracks/voids) which collapse under the acceleration of firing, setting it off. Whatever the reason, the shell goes off in the bore and there's not too much left around its burst point, or with the bigger guns, not much left of the barrel and sometimes the gun at all. Going back the main subject... well sort of, you can even get optical and laser bore measurement systems for small arms now. I only saw them for bigger guns when I worked at the aforementioned place. Some info below. https://www.novacam.com/barrel-inspection-and-3d-measurement/ http://www.laser-ndt.com/documents/LTC Product Sheets/Small Caliber Bore mapping systems.pdf http://www.laser-ndt.com/defense.html

I had the option to start a temp job as a gunfitter for work experience, or wait 3 or 4 months, for my main job when I first started working as a contractor to the MOD in instrumentation/photography/radiography field. While working in said temp job I can remember looking at various barrels using borescopes. Boy was it a wake-up call. Gas-washing, heat-cracking, chrome plating delamination and stripping, ripped off lands due to things coming off projectiles as they were fired. These were big guns, tank and artillery pieces. I can remember one of the scientists telling me heat-cracking, often combined with chemical attack by the propellant decomposition gases due to the high temperatures and pressure, can result is cracks forming that travel into the main body of the barrel. This can result in barrel failure even though the pressure was never enough to cause a fatigue life failure due to repeated pressurisation, ie firing it. Fatigue failure is a failure due repeated loading past a material's fatigue limit, below that limit you 'should' be able to cycle it repeatedly for ever. I think Ive seen one example of a hunting rifle blowing up of which this was effect was the probable cause.

I'll send you a PM about directions.

Hmm, I realise you are joking, but there's really so little between them ballistically it makes no sense to do this due to the cost of re-barrelling. I can understand the advantage that the Creedmore brings, factory cases from more than one source and lots of factory-chambered firearms, but in reality, the 6.5 Creedmore is essentially a 'Made in America' version of the 6.5x47 Lapua. As far as I can tell, the Lapua's failing commercially (not competitively) is that it wasn't really a factory-chambered round. If it had been, they'd have been no need for the 6.5 Creedmore and no doubt Hornaday, Starline, etc., would have been making 6.5x47 Lapua cases for some time. I wonder if it was simply Lapua being funny about allowing production by other companies, such as the licensing costs being too high, or simply the good old 'Made in America' bugbear again? I'm sure someone like Laurie (Holland) would know.

Not tried it in mine, as I use Reload Swiss RS 60, but the Vihtavouri 2019 reloading manual (actually since the 2008 version) does list a load with N140 and a 123 gr bullet. Barrel length: 27" (700 mm) Bullet: 123 gr (8.0 g) Scenar Lapua COAL: 2.736" (69.5 mm) Powder: N140 Min charge: 33.2 gr (2.15 g) Min velocity: 2,520 fps (768 m/s) Max charge: 36.4 gr (2.36 g) Max velocity: 2,756 fps (840 m/s) There's loads on the forum about loads with N140. If not try one of the other powders recommended, there's so many suited to it.

Martin, I'm the range officer at the Reigate range this coming Sunday morning (10th). You could pop along if you wanted to, though I might be rather busy running the range. If not some other time. Let me know if you want some help? Neil

Hi Martin, Is see you're based in Reigate. I'm in Horley and have quite a .224 bullets in my collection, along with reloading and testing gear. Do you go to the Reigate Miniature Rifle and Pistol Club? I could meet you there, or you are welcome to meet up if you want some help with reloading your Tikka M55. Neil

Hmmm, I've had or have quite a few lever actions, but mostly Marlin and one Henry. Marlin's were: a 22 LR 39A TDS (short-barreled takedown); a 25-20 WCF 1894 Classic; a 32-20 WCF 1894 Classic; a 38-55 WCF 336 Cowboy; a 44 Remington Magnum 1894; and a 45-70 Gov. 1895 XLR. All bar the 45-70 was pre-Remington and were very well made. The Remington-era 45-70 needed a lot of fettling, as there were sharp edges everywhere and the trigger wasn't very good. The 32-20, 38-55 and 45-70 were all very accurate, within the limitations of the firearms, but for gallery rifle shooting, with low-power ammo, all were one ragged 10-shot hole-capable at 25 yards. The Henry Big Boy Classic, in 327 Federal Magnum, is well built and accurate with both low- and full-power loads. Only negative is that it's temperamental with the bullet head shape and its material, along with the round length. Plus, in my model, ejection is very poor compared to all my Marlins. I have tried fellow shooters' Brownings (Mirukos) Rossis, Winchesters (Mirukos) and Ubertis. The Brownings, Ubertis and Winchesters are generally very well made, the Rossis more basic. I don't have enough range time with them to say more. I wish Marlin made a comparable model to the now-defunct 32-20 1894 Classic, but in 327 Federal Magnum. I loved my 32-20 1894 Classic, but the case life was terrible, mainly as they are paper-thin as they were originally designed to hold bulkier black powder charges. The 327 Federal Magnum round is like the high-velocity versions of the 32-20, but on steroids, its performance in a rifle similar to the 30 Carbine.

You could try a rifle chambered for the 358 Winchester. The case essentially the 308 Winchester necked up to 0.358". That should give you around 2,000-2,150 ft⋅lb of muzzle energy with 200 to 250 grain bullet out of a 12" barrel. Cases are still made by Starline and Hornady. That or just neck-up 308 cases.

If it's not already in QuickLOAD, you need QuickDesign to model, well design, the new case correctly. QuickDesign is a separate purchase. You could modify the data for the base cartridge, adding in the new volume. This would crudely model the AI version of the case. Obviously, in real life, the shape of the shoulder would affect how the propellant bed moves under the ignition pulse and how the case pressurises during propellant combustion. I can't remember how QuickLOAD treats this, but if I remember rightly it is modelled. The manual would say, but I'm at work at the mo and can't peruse it to check.

Ah... no, yours looks rather heavier. But then again, yours seems to have a Quadlock, and mine's a Quadlite, so by the very trade name itself, mine must be slightly lighter 🤔

I've had my RPA in 6 mm PPC USA for, I don't know, almost 10 years? I got it second hand and the person I brought it from had received from a friend who had passed away, so third-hand. Goodness knows how many rounds have been through it, but it still shoots 0.5 MOA or less if I do my part? Yes, it's heavy, yes it's a bit bulky and yes it's a single shot model, but boy is it well made, reliable and accurate. All I've ever had done to it was change the stock's paint job to black (it was a weird blue before). A picture of it, set up for bench rest shooting, is below.

No problem. I've checked my load data, and my memory was actually correct for once, 4.8 grains. The load was the 165 grain H&N RN, 4.8 grains of Trail Boss, and a CCI 400 primer, the COAL was 2.010". My rifle has a 16" barrel, its rifling is very shallow, with three-grooves, the twist 1:8.5". I've only tested Trail Boss so far, so I'll have to do a reload test with N32C Tin Star as I've got very little Trail Boss left.

I'll have to have a look when I get back home as all the load data is with the ammo in the safe. I vaguely remember it being around 4.8 grains of N32C, but don't quote me on it. Accuracy was about 1" at 50 yards, so fine for pinking. I really haven't done much load testing for accuracy, to be honest. I did find that, as the charge weight was increased and hence the velocity increased, accuracy dropped off. Even at the top charge weight, its velocity was predicted to be subsonic, but a slight, but noticeable crack started to be noticeable. This was most likely due to oblique shocks being formed. These form, even though the bullet is still subsonic, as the air flowing over it needs to move at a velocity above the speed of sound. Just do a search for 'oblique shock formation' as I'm probably not describing it all that well. For heavy 308 powder-coated bullets, 195 grains, I did find a shop in the UK the imports Czech powder-coated bullets. The URL link is below. https://hfammunition.co.uk URLs to the Czech company, their shop and a shop in the Czech Republic that I presume might ship them to the UK if you want bullets not imported by the above are below. https://en.strobl.cz http://www.ares-gun.sk http://www.ares-gunshop.sk

A great example of the two powders relative bulk densities. Going back to cast, etc., for subsonic velocity rounds. Yep, as any rimfire user will attest, the lead and lube deposits certainly gunk-up your silencer. For the suppressed 300 AAC Blackout rifle I have, I just use H&N 165 grain plated and plastic-coated round nose bullets with Tin Star or what's left of my Trail Boss pot. They make more noise impacting the target than on firing. These, or preferably other heavier plated, or powder-coated heavy 308 bullets should be suitable for 308 Winchester subsonic loads... if you can find some.

No problem Paul, Shell House Bullets are normally pretty good. I've used their plain (well bevel) base bullets in my 38-55 Marlin Cowboy for years and have also used the same type of bullets in 25-20 and 32-20 Marlin rifles. If the bullets you have are gas-checked and from the aforementioned company, they are likely hard cast, so around 22 BHN (Brinell Hardness Number). So will probably be fine for full power cast bullet loads and certainly fine with lower loads. Going by data I have, hard-cast air-cooled plain base bullets should be OK up too about 22 kPSI (11 TSI, 152 MPa, 1,520 bar). The same, but water-quenched, 26 kPSI (13 TSI, 179 MPa, 1,790 bar). For gas-checked hard-cast bullets, the respective figures are 31(15.5 TSI, 214 MPa, 2,140 bar) and 42 kPSI (21 TSI, 290 MPa, 2,900 bar). It's not exact, but if you can't scratch them with a nail, they are pretty hard. Technically, if they were 22 BHN, you could use them to scratch pure aluminium, though you're not likely to find that just lying around! Shellhouse used to list what the hardness level of their bullets was, but they don't seem to now for some reason? You could always email them I suppose? Neil

Paul, In general, just go with the data for 169-170 bullets suitable for the type of bullet you have. The main variables are what the bullet is made of (its alloy and hence hardness), if its lubed or powder-coated, and if it's gas-checked. If it's plain based, lubed and not too hard, keep to the low side of the charge weights. If it's as above and gas-checked, you can go higher. The highest you can go, which will be near jacketed bullets load speed, would be with hard-cast, high-speed lube and gas-checked bullets. Do a load level ladder test to see what suits the bullets and gun combination you have. And as always, err on the side of caution. If you need more load data for 169-170 gr lead bullets, I think I have plenty. Neil

No problem 'One on top of two'. It's a common misconception that detonation and deflagration are one and the same. Ian McCollum from Forgotten Weapons is always making the same mistake. I did email a few times when I worked for Jane's, but he didn't bother to reply. Deflagration is 'simply' burning, so a thermal conductively-driven process. Detonation is a shockwave (shock pressure) driven event. The initial shock, from a detonator for instance, causes the decomposition of the explosive material. The decomposition components react together, releasing energy. This energy reinforces the shockwave which continues to propagate through the material until all of it is consumed. You do have the process called 'deflagration to detonation transition', DDT for short. This is where the burning process progresses so rapidly that the pressure level reached is high enough so that it can transition to a shock pressure-driven event, aka detonation. Many detonators and other similar devices work in this way. For note, nitrocellulose-based and many other similar smokeless propellants are in reality denatured high explosives.

I think this is one of those internet/shooting community fallacies or the phrase I like to use, it's one of those folkorical statements. From a background of actual weapon testing as a contractor to the MoD measuring chamber pressures and many other things when a gun fires or a bomb goes bang, along with research into this, its highly unlikely detonation occurs. Firstly detonation is a shockwave driven decomposition event and what happens here is something different, a combination of extremely rapid burning (deflagration) due to the grain geometry (a flat bed, or towards one end or the other) and the effect of pressure wave formation on the propellant's burning rate. As far as I can remember, what happens is when the case, or chamber for caseless guns, is mostly empty or partially full, the ignition phase of the propellant can result in dangerous pressure wave formation. These waves can reflect off the walls of the vessel without much attenuation as there's not much propellant there. If waves arrive at the right moment, they can add up, so increasing chamber pressure. Increasing the pressure increases the burning rate, which increases the pressure, which increases the burning rate, etc.. This oscillation occurs until the propellant burns away, the gun fails (the so-called detonation event), or for some reason, the phenomena stops. Anyway, that's the basics of the more likely real reason for these blow-up with light charges of fast-burning powder in large cases. The other reason for this is probably double, or more loads of fast pistol powder by accident, something no one wants to own up to. If you've actually seen the detonation of a high explosive within a chamber or the bore of a gun, the damage signature if very different to a high-pressure burst due to overpressure. Anyway, for more info of pressure waves in guns, try the paper listed below. Charge Design Considerations and Their Effect On Pressure Waves In Guns - ARBRL-TR-02277 (1990) That or get the book titled 'Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics: Vol 66 - Interior Ballistics of Guns'. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Interior-Ballistics-Progress-Astronautics-Aeronautics/dp/0915928329 I have a copy, but due to its cost now, there's no way I'm lending it to anyone.