Overloaded cartridge?

[cavalrymedic]

I recently bought the ranchdog 265 grain mold for 444 Marlin. I cast up a mess of boolits and decided to load 10 cartridges. I looked up the ranchdog data sheet and I totally misread the thing. I have IMR4227 and he lists 40.2 grains as the load. To the far right of this, there is the number 42.0. I somehow interpreted this to mean that 40.7 was the starting load, and 42 was the max load. So I loaded up 42 grains of 4227. Now later, in reviewing, I noticed that the 42.0 was in a column marked Pmax (k). I now think that this must be a refrence to max pressure, and not a max load for 4227. Here is a link to that data: http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/bin/TLC432265RF/data/loadnotes03.pdf

So, I have not shot these cartridges. Do you think they are safe to shoot? The loads are not compressed, but they are close to capacity. It's only 1.8 grains more than RD's max load, and his max load is 10% less than SAMMI Max, which is somewhat below absolute.

[btroj]

No way do i shoot them.
I would pull the bullets, empty the cases of powder and start over.

It only takes one over pressure cartridge to make a believer out of you.

[Jim]

I'm with Btroj. You only get one chance to blow up your firearm and put yourself in the ER. Pull 'em!

[Wayne Smith]

Absolutely! Never take a chance like that. If you don't have a bullet puller as a reloader you are not a real reloader! We WILL make mistakes. Pulling the bullets and starting over is the only solution.

[swheeler]

As with all new loads for YOUR rifle, start at starting load and work up. I wouldn't shoot them in my rifle.

[Salmoneye]

I'd pull the bullet...Adjust the charge to 36.5 grains of IMR-4227 (10% less than the suggested max of 40.2 grains), and reseat the bullet...Repeat till done...

But I sure as heck would not fire a new unknown load at 5% greater than listed max...

[Nobade]

Quickload says 41,000 psi for that load. Likely won't blow you up, but probably not terribly accurate either. Since you only loaded 10 either pull them or if you have enough cases load more with the start load and work up. If you reach 41gr. and are still happy then try one at 42gr. But I suspect you'll reach best accuracy a lot earlier than that.

I just shot some 44mag loaded with 240's and 28gr. IMR 4227. Good for 1900 fps. That load was plenty powerful and in fact too hot, the cases are hard to remove from the chamber. Nearly twice that much powder in a 444 has got to provide some kind of epic recoil at 2200 fps.

[cavalrymedic]

In my soul I knew that I should pull them. I needed someone to tell me so cause I just hate admitting I made a mistake. Anyway, I will get busy pulling the bullets soon and spare my rifle, shoulder, and possibly face from an unsafe load. Thanks for the wake up

[Silver Hand]

Buy a bullet puller if nothing else a Kinetic hammer type. It will solve a lot of problems in short order now and in the future. It will happen again a mistake that is.
Be thankful you remembered and can still do something about it.
I woke up at night a few days ago wondering about double charges in my pistol boolits. I was gonna pull a color coded and recorded of test lot of thirty, for one maybe.
After thinking long and hard I doubled the smallest powder charge in the same case and I was comfortable then it did not happen.
Keep your hands and fingers in tact and don't lose an eye or worse.
Silver Hand

[Wayne Smith]

I just hate admitting I made a mistake.

Yes, I know the feeling, but why do you have a bullet puller?? I mean, why do you have one already? Mistakes will happen and accepting this basic fact and expecting it will save us a lot of soul searching.

[1Shirt]

Not worth the chance of you know what! Pull those loads and be safe.
1Shirt!

[cavalrymedic]

I pulled them today and will adjust my load back to the starting loads. I only recently purchased a kinetic puller of my own. I've been using a friends when I needed to. I keep waiting for Lee's promised bullet puller that is press mounted. I saw a John Lee preview over a year ago and it's still not available. I would but the Hornady but it requires a seperate, and expensive, collet for each caliber.

[ebner glocken]

You're lucky! You only loaded up 10. A mistake of my youth was similar but I loaded on a progressive and didn't bother to run a small test run. Lesson learned. Lesson learned harder when you spend two days with a kenetic puller correcting your mistake.

Nowdays I read, rearead, and make a small test run. Only after this do I go yanking out a production run.

Ebner

[Silver Hand]

I pulled them today and will adjust my load back to the starting loads. I only recently purchased a kinetic puller of my own. I've been using a friends when I needed to. I keep waiting for Lee's promised bullet puller that is press mounted. I saw a John Lee preview over a year ago and it's still not available. I would but the Hornady but it requires a seperate, and expensive, collet for each caliber.

Others are available with collet application RCBS lists one and they are a fine tool.
If what you have is a kinetic hammer, may I suggest placing a piece of cloth down inside the bullet column next time you find a use for it.