Compression of the powder?

Buckskin Bruce · Post by **Buckskin Bruce** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 9:10 pm

I got all the items that everyone suggested I get to load my .45-110. I have found several loads to try. I have one question, I understand the compression of the powder, but what how do you determine for example a compression of.440? Please explain. I am want to get shooting. Thanks Bruce

LJBass · Post by **LJBass** » Mon Apr 18, 2005 10:15 pm

Bruce, Once you've got your powder in the case and an over powder wad on top of it; take your calipers and measure from the case neck to the wad. Add .440" to that number and you'll have the depth you need to compress to, to get .440" compression.
Regards, LJ

PowderFlask2 · Post by **PowderFlask2** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 5:50 am

Another way

First determine your bullet seating depth (Overall loaded length)

Take the length of the bullet plus the length of the case and then subtract the overall loaded length.

This gives your seating depth

Then subtract .440 from that and this is your target column height as measured down from the case mouth.

Keep adding powder and inserting wads and measuring till you find the charge that will reach this distance down from the case mouth

This takes a little playing with the case and charging several times but hey this is the kind of stuff that is fun right.

horsefly · Post by **horsefly** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:46 am

Good morning, Bruce;

In my humble opinion, this compression thing has been greatly overblown. It is not a goal in itself, but is what you have to do to get enough Goex in the case to burn right. Use enough powder and compress it to get room enough in the case for the bullet.

Y'all be good.

horsefly

bucksnort · Post by **bucksnort** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 10:10 am

In reading the above responses, do we first insert the wad BEFORE compressing? Thanks, ED

Buckskin Bruce · Post by **Buckskin Bruce** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 11:01 am

Thanks for the information. I can't to get started shooting. Bruce

horsefly · Post by **horsefly** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 12:36 pm

Good morning, Mr. Snort;

Insert the wad before you compress.

Y'all be good.

horsefly

PowderFlask2 · Post by **PowderFlask2** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 1:53 pm

I agree with Mr. Horsefly, the compression number is not a goal in itself.

I do like to know what my bullet seating depth, Overall length etc. are and keep a note book with those things in it. and the height of the powder in the case including the wad is important if for no other reason than to insure there is no air space between the wad and the base of the bullet.

By playing with different powders (1F, 2F, 3F, Swiss, Goex etc) and in different amounts you will eventually find an accurate load for your rifle and then you can measure the compression and impress everyone with your knowledge.

It took me about 2 months to find a load that I thought was good enough to compete in silhouette with when I first started and that was with help from these boards and my shooting pard.

I enjoy going to the range on off days and trying new things and comparing different loads etc. side by side to see if I can tweak a little better group out of a gun.If you do to you will find that magic compression number and learn a lot more during the journey.

Good luck and have fun

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 3:30 pm

Mr. Horsefly is correct! The only reason to know the compression of a given GOOD SHOOTING load, is to be able to adapt that info to another rifle, shooting a different bullet, with a different chamber dimension. Even then, one must tweak that info to their rifle, chamber, bullet, etc...
Keep on hav'n fun!

bucksnort · Post by **bucksnort** » Tue Apr 19, 2005 6:47 pm

Thank you gents. Up until now, I've been shooting the 'non-black' powder in my .45-70 (Browning BPCR). I got hold of some 2F, Walters wads and will give it another go around. ED