Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Blown primer 280 ai rl 22 ,barnes 145 lrx

Got a new to me 280 ai, used a load that i have been using on my other 280 ai 63.5 gr rl22 140 accubond at 3200 fps,in the new gun getting 3300 fps and light ejector marks,i then tried the barnes 145 gr lrx 63.5 gr rl22 .010 off lands in new gun got 3350 fps with a healthy ejector mark 1st shot ,second shot was 3360 fps and i got a shot of gas and primer in my face,i was wearing glasses no harm done,opened action primer fell out and case head had a strong ejector mark that was burned,wondering how much i need to back off on powder and i read somewhere about seating barnes bullets .050 off lands
Thanks for any input

Same issue here but with the new RL23. What brass are u using? Primer? I talked to Alliant and Nosler. I use the Nosler brass. Also using gold medal match large rifle non magnum primers. I was told that the federal primers were LARGER than say Winchester. I backed off the load I was using which was at but not over the H4831SC load I had been using. I was blowing primers, sticking bolt and showing minor split at case head. Alliant continues to be very slow in putting out info for this powder in the AI in particular. Burn rate is also hard to get a handle on but cannot use RL22 loads.

You substituted a pure copper jacket with an already beyond max load of 63.5 grains using a guilding metal jacketed bullet. Pure copper, whether they be all copper barnes, or swift A-frames with the pure copper jackets, always produce more pressure.

Work up your powder charges for those pure copper bullets. Be careful and don't get too hopped up on velocity. Very rarely do we get a second chance.

I suspect you are using some pretty thick brass.
Based on your velocities etc., you'll need to back off at least 2 grains.

That's simply not true. It largely depends on bearing surface area, and the relief grooves in the LRX make a difference.

I will agree, however, that it was very unwise to use that load right off the hop without working up, and especially unwise to continue shooting after the first chrono reading was off the charts (3300 fps with a 140 is 7RM territory, and 3350 fps with a 145 is well above 7RM velocity).

I agree with Jordan, you are pushing to hard.

RL-22 is one powder that you just don’t substitute copper bullets for a guilding metal bullet’s proven load, as has already been stated. My experience with 22 has shown it to be a powder that will let you know real fast (and suddenly) when you’ve reached the edge of the envelope. I love 22 but I always respect the fact that it can be a “moody” powder, even with lot to lot variations. Don’t forget it’s reputation for temperature insensitivity as well.

Yeah, I agree with the others who said back off. All things being equal, your pressures are sky-high and you know that. 3200 fps with R22 and 145 LRX should be at the upper end of what's safe.

Not familiar with the 280ai, but Nosler is showing RL 22 at a max of 64.0 with the 140 grain and its 106% compressed. Almost all the loads shown are compressed. That normal for the 280ai?

"Bigshot" is going to make a big boom in his rifle, then one in his pants... Some people have no business handloading...

Holy ph uckomite.. you are over 300 fps faster than anything Barnes has listed.

I attended Bob Hagel’s school for several years long, long ago and this sounds like a class that I have memories of.

Back off 4-5gr & work back up.

Yes Me too back off at least 4 grains. Good ole Bob, enjoyed his writing especially on his .338 adventures.

Ole Bob ‘I hate brass life’ Hagel. More experience than I’ll ever have & damn I respect what he did professionally but darn if he didn’t cost me lots of expensive magnum brass plus I wasn’t smart enough to just buy a bigger rifle if I needed that speed (which I eventually did with a 340 Wby, 300 wby & 7mm UltraMag) but seldom use them now - funny how that works out.

I think he should keep adding powder....so he can find that upper accuracy node.

1.) shoots loads in a new rifle without charge workup
2.) gets ejector mark and 100fps faster than book data; keeps shooting same charge weight while admiring ejector marks
3.) switches to a bullet known to generate more pressure, again without powder work up
4.) again gets ejector marks and velocity well in excess of book data....keeps shooting rounds

If the above aren’t red flags, maybe metal parts flying back in his face will get the picture across.

Every reloading manual ever printed has cardinal rules not to do the things you did.....and you had to post a thread to figure out why you blew a primer. For your safety and those around you, buy a reloading manual and read the front section on how to hand load. Hell, I think you can download the Hornady app and read the how to section without paying.

And we’ve all done it. , shoot same load we use In our other guns . Good reminder NOT TO DO IT!

Flirting with disaster.....

There should be a Darwin award Emoji and the recipient should be required to display it at the shooting range so you can get out of the shrapnel range.

The monos like the Barnes with multiple relief grooves can actually have lower pressure than a soft cup and core with a long bearing surface. The soft bullet will obturate more and make fuller contact with the rifling.

I am plenty happy with 3200 fps in my 280 AI with the 25" barrel I can usually get there at half a grain under max. I loaded one grain over just to test safety margins and only got 3,225-50 fps and quit there.

Definitely pulling all barnes loaded rounds backing down to 60 gr,my 140 accubonds (with safe in other gun load )63.5 rl22 at 3200
Shot 3320 fps in the gun that blew primer , with 3/8 group 5 shots only pressure sign was one round with slight ejector mark but i believe 3320 fps is too fast believe i will pull rest of these and back down to 62 gr
Also primer was not pierced but blown out of pocket fell down into mag when i opened bolt,
only other time i have had mishap anything like this was in a 308 with factory fed gmm round split 1/8 " above casehead and gave me a temporary tattoo on cheek bone around the rim of my glasses which i was glad i had on,called federal and they were very anxious to get the round back told me to take the gun to gunsmith on there dime and send box of ammo to them,they said in was brass contamination corrosion and sent me $500 worth of ammo for my trouble

I definitely should not have started with a top end load 63.5 rl 22 with the new gun with same bullet accubond,and damn sure should have started with 63.5 gr rl22 load with the 145 gr barnes,i know better but was trying to take short cut