RE: Pressure Signs
deerhunter,
The primer is not a reliable means to indicate pressure.
Start 3 grains below the max in your reloading book.
Start you loads appx. .03 of the lands or if you have no way to measure just make sure they are not too close to the lands or your pressures will increase.
You can always tweak your loads for OAL later if necessary to improve accuracy. I have always been able to get excellent accuracy from loads well off the lands.
Work up .5 grains at a time, shooting 3 shot groups. Start by shooting the 3 loads with the least powder and progress to the loads with the most powder.
You will probably notice the recoil increasing as you go up.
Keep a close eye on the base of the brass after each shot.
As soon as you see a shiny spot on the bottom of the brass where the label is that is the extractor mark. Once you notice an extractor mark stop shooting, you have found your max.
Back off one full grain on your next reloads and you have a max load.
If you do this you should never get to the point that your bolt is sticky to open, but if you do you went way over and you are at dangerous pressure levels.
Keep the brass organized by how they were loaded.
If you notice any of the primer pockets are noticeable looser on your heavier loads you may want to reduce your loads another grain to get more reloads out of your brass.
If you change any of the components of your load start over.
Most of my reloads are up to 100 to 200fps faster than factory ammo.
Kind of the point of reloading.
I have used this method for 20 years, it is simple and it works.