Thread: Pressure sign in the single shot

I found that in the example of a small Martini (224 Hornet chambering) the brass case would stretch if the load was an overload. So, fire a sequence of incrementally increasing loads and measure the case length before and after the shot with a set of calipers (remove the primer or the measurement will be inaccurate). The load that could be fired several times without stretching the case was the correct maximum load for that cartridge/rifle combination. Cases are going to stretch to some extent in what is effectively a rear-locking action. I wanted the Hornet cases to last at least 20 reloadings. So, I found the load that would consistently produce at least 20 loads per case. So, decide how many times you want to be able to load each case and work from there. Measuring the increments of stretch in the length of a brass case is a very easy way of knowing the limits on a single shot rifle.