michael458
AH fanatic
Compressing Powder, Good or Bad? Opinions Please?
Honestly, the question is way too broad. The answer is, Most of the time Good, but can be bad sometimes.......... LOL.........
The big considerations are the Case and the type Powder...........
The vast majority of my loads are compressed. There would be only a very small handful that are not compressed..... most of those would be various handgun loads, such as 45 ACP and what have you.... loading some 38 Specials today, it is not compressed.
Most of my rifle loads are indeed compressed, and very nearly all of my big bore loads are heavily compressed, some to the point that you have to be very careful, or you will BULGE the damn case internally and it will not chamber.
The vast majority of loads operate the best when compressed. I run bolt guns, Winchester M70s comprise all my big bore rifles. In a bolt gun, one has concerns with the bottom round bullet setback from recoil of the top two + rounds. Compressed loads, you do not have those issues. Compressed is very advantageous in this scenario.
Some powders are not conducive at all to being compressed and will react negatively. One of the strangest powders I have ever worked with is LilGun. It is a very good powder for my Super Short series, which are 1.65 inch WSM cases, in .458, .474, and .500 caliber. Lilgun is the top end powder for these cartridges, you get the most velocity with the least pressure. But you can only compress LilGun to a point, once that point is reached, then the more you compress, the less velocity you get, and pressures actually DROP as well?????? Yes, its insane, and I know of no other powder that will do that. All other times, you add powder, you get more pressure and more velocity, its the law of the land....... But not with LilGun, once its reached its max compression point. At least, this is the experience in these 3 cartridges.
I once compressed too much Bullseye in a 9mm case, and blew the grips out on a BHP, and gave my hand a little sting as well..... from that point on, I avoided compressing Bullseye.
I like compressed loads and most of mine are compressed, even down to .308 calibers and .224 calibers.... I can't say for any calibers in between, as I don't shoot anything in between. I can't think of a big bore caliber I own that is not compressed, and sometimes very heavily compressed.
You have to consider the cartridge and the powder you are using............ I also have a very distinct advantage over all of you most likely, and I have a lab to run pressures on my range here at home. So I can do a lot, and do it safely. I even like to blend powders, one of my favorite hobbies. But I have the equipment to do so and keep a check on pressures.
Like all parts of reloading, proceed with care and caution. At home, you can keep an eye on things by watching, and measuring your brass as its fired, and one important thing, listen to what your rifle is telling you as well......... All these things talk to you, you just have to know how to listen.
Honestly, the question is way too broad. The answer is, Most of the time Good, but can be bad sometimes.......... LOL.........
The big considerations are the Case and the type Powder...........
The vast majority of my loads are compressed. There would be only a very small handful that are not compressed..... most of those would be various handgun loads, such as 45 ACP and what have you.... loading some 38 Specials today, it is not compressed.
Most of my rifle loads are indeed compressed, and very nearly all of my big bore loads are heavily compressed, some to the point that you have to be very careful, or you will BULGE the damn case internally and it will not chamber.
The vast majority of loads operate the best when compressed. I run bolt guns, Winchester M70s comprise all my big bore rifles. In a bolt gun, one has concerns with the bottom round bullet setback from recoil of the top two + rounds. Compressed loads, you do not have those issues. Compressed is very advantageous in this scenario.
Some powders are not conducive at all to being compressed and will react negatively. One of the strangest powders I have ever worked with is LilGun. It is a very good powder for my Super Short series, which are 1.65 inch WSM cases, in .458, .474, and .500 caliber. Lilgun is the top end powder for these cartridges, you get the most velocity with the least pressure. But you can only compress LilGun to a point, once that point is reached, then the more you compress, the less velocity you get, and pressures actually DROP as well?????? Yes, its insane, and I know of no other powder that will do that. All other times, you add powder, you get more pressure and more velocity, its the law of the land....... But not with LilGun, once its reached its max compression point. At least, this is the experience in these 3 cartridges.
I once compressed too much Bullseye in a 9mm case, and blew the grips out on a BHP, and gave my hand a little sting as well..... from that point on, I avoided compressing Bullseye.
I like compressed loads and most of mine are compressed, even down to .308 calibers and .224 calibers.... I can't say for any calibers in between, as I don't shoot anything in between. I can't think of a big bore caliber I own that is not compressed, and sometimes very heavily compressed.
You have to consider the cartridge and the powder you are using............ I also have a very distinct advantage over all of you most likely, and I have a lab to run pressures on my range here at home. So I can do a lot, and do it safely. I even like to blend powders, one of my favorite hobbies. But I have the equipment to do so and keep a check on pressures.
Like all parts of reloading, proceed with care and caution. At home, you can keep an eye on things by watching, and measuring your brass as its fired, and one important thing, listen to what your rifle is telling you as well......... All these things talk to you, you just have to know how to listen.
