Thread: Calculating pressures in hand loads

Originally Posted by 7RMBoy

Hey team,

Is there a way to calculate pressures in your cartridge for hand loads? I know each cartridge has it own “maximum pressure” and load data lists a “maximum load” but how do they actually come up with these figures. I know a few people who load higher than the max load for their specific powder and the cases show no pressure signs. Is this a pointless exercise or is it a viable piece of information that can be used to perfect loads?

Cheers, 7RMBoy

Pressures in reloading manual are not calculated they are measured using specialist equipment, and they are really only relevant in the barrel/chamber they were fired in.
There are programs that can estimate pressure's, but they are just that an estimation and should not be relied on. they don't take into account what primer you use, your paticular batch of powder, free bore in your chamber, condition and exact is and number of grooving in your barrel, etc.
This is the reason that quite a lot of reloading manuals loads are considered conservative.
There are ways to judge pressure that the experienced hand-loader can use but these take time to learn and can be unique to each rifle.