I have to use a drop tube with my .223 load. 27 grains of H4895 doesnt want to fit too well otherwise. I also use a drop tube with my .221 Fireball load. In both cases, the bullet does make contact with the powder. There is no crunching, so I dont consider it too compressed. The 55 grain Vmax in the .223 load does stick down into the case a bit.

If you are using a 120gr bullet, you are compressing the load. The current IMR data shows the max load at 55gr=3105'/sec. They have no approved compressed loads. You are in between a rock and a hard place IMO. In order to keep the pressure down, you are going to have to seat the bullet at least 50 thou off the lands which will further compress the load. Quite frankly, I feel you are on thin ice here and would recommend the 55gr load. I would guess this load would also be far more accurate, 100% safe and the deer certainly will not know the difference.....dead is dead. If you need the speed convert it to an Ackley and go for it. Good luck and regards, Rick.

I would think it would, on some theoretical level.. in all practicality, there's a lot more factors that go into it. Otherwise, we'd be sitting at our benches, hand mic'ing and weighing each individual kernel of powder.

Im loading 110 gr bullets, 57 is max load for that grain.

Do we even want to start about the difference between "compacted" vs. "compressed"??? Yeah, i realize the loading manuals don't mention compacted, but there IS a difference-----

well, this is the reason I asked this question. I didnt even really know what compressed was. I kinda thought compressed meant you heard stuff crunching when you seated the bullet. So no, I dont know the difference between compressed and compacted.

Compressed?Thats when you fill the case with powder, poke it down with a stick, and then dump some more in, isn't it? Kinda like with them muzzleloaders. Fill the barrel with powder, then poke it down with that little stick they give so you'll have room for the ball.

[8D]

You are in great shape then. My cousin is loading the 110 gr Accubond and getting some terrific performance and groups. I think he is using 4831. Good luck and regards, Rick.

Main Entry: 2compact
Function: verb
transitive senses
1 : to make up by connecting or combining : COMPOSE
2 a : to knit or draw together : COMBINE b : to press together : COMPRESS


Main Entry: 1com·press
Pronunciation: k&m-'pres
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Late Latin compressare to press hard, frequentative of Latin comprimere to compress, from com- + premere to press -- more at PRESS
transitive senses
1 : to press or squeeze together
2 : to reduce in size or volume as if by squeezing
intransitive senses : to undergo compression

Thanks, Rebel, for the Webster approach. I've been away for a day and didn't get to spell this out. Ol' Mr. Webster further describes "compress" as "to condense". Back to " condense ", it refers to changing of gases, to compress, to reduce in size or volume and pack into smaller space".
With all that being said, I feel that unless we are altering the physical volume of the powder compared to it's weight, we really are not compressing it. What we PROBABLY are doing is compacting the charge, and if some of it gets a little smashed in the process, so be it. Stick powders are probably the ones that fall under this characteristic more than the ball, spherical, or flake ones, due to the lesser amount of air voids between the individual particles in the non-stick ones.
Anyhow, using whichever term you wish, I'm sure we all understand what we are talking about--------??????