How To Regulate Pressure When Reloading

We live in a society that believes in “the bigger the better,” right? We have sayings like “the more the merrier” and “go big or go home.” We’ve all, at one point or another, have used these sayings. It's even true among many gun enthusiasts, buying a gun solely because it shoots harder or is bigger than the ones you currently own. In the world of reloading, some are even inclined to believe that the bigger the boom, the better the round is. However, especially in the case of reloading, there is such a thing as too much.

Know the limits

Most seasoned reloaders know better than to load outside of the outline parameters for each caliber. However, an increase in pressure can also occur when the cartridge is loaded within the specifics mentioned in the manual. There are many factors that attribute to the pressure caused when firing a round. These include: powder choice, casing, primer, bullet, and even the gun you use. So, it is important to know that the limits outlined in the manual were tested with a specific powder and firearm that might not equal what you are using.

Get a baseline

Because of the difference between the manual readings and your own gun, it’s important to get a baseline using your firearm to enable you to know what is normal for your gun. To do so, shoot factory ammunition that best matches the grain of powder you are using, bullet size and style, as well as head stamps. This allows you to see how normal pressure affects the rounds ejected from your gun.

When doing so, pay close attention to how your firearm reacts, such as the amount of recoil and how it ejects the rounds. Also, examine the spent casing to see just how your firearm affects the brass, such as the indention on the primer and expansion of the case itself.

Signs of too much pressure

Though it’s not always the case, there will most likely be signs that you have an excessive amount of pressure before fatal damage occurs on the case and firearm. These include:

• Excessive Recoil: If the powder and bullet weight in your loads are similar to those used in the past, it should be easy to determine if your gun has more recoil than normal. However, unbiased sensitivity to the recoil can only be gained after shooting hundreds of rounds down range.
• Hard Extraction: This is considerably easier to notice than recoil. Too much pressure in the round will cause the cartridge to be ejected harder, thereby making it go further. Also, not enough pressure can cause the round to be ejected softer or even not at all
• Extruded Primers: this is an instance where having a baseline from a factory round for comparison will be beneficial. Some firearms will produce a crater effect on the primer on each round it fires, due to the round being shot back into the firing pin when fired. If this happens to every round you shoot, and not just reloads, the problem isn’t too much pressure, but rather a loose fit between the firing pin and opening. However, if this only occurs on your reloaded rounds, it is a sign of too much pressure.

These are just a few of the more prominent signs of excessive pressure. If your loads begin showing signs of too much pressure, start over. Remember, starting small and working your way up is the safest way to reload.