Work Up To Maximum Loads Safely
INCREASING the charge in small increments, he waits for danger signals to appear - sticky extraction and/or leaking primer pockets - before backing off his loads slightly and calling it quits. This is risky business but there are procedures which will allow him to reach maximum levels safely without drama. "Load development" should be done properly after careful planning.
"Pressure" is normally the main worry when working up a safe maximum load. Internal chamber pressure generated when a cartridge is fired supplies the projectile with its velocity and energy. But the handloader must be able to control how much pressure is generated.
Standards set by SAAMI and European CIP control manufacture of guns and ammunition, and ensure shooters need not worry about excessive pressure with factory loads when fired in modern rifles under normal conditions. It's the handloader who will likely encounter excessive pressure because he can put as much propellant into a case as he wants. But he must learn how to recognize pressure signs so his own loads will be safe.
Today, modern rifles have advanced metallurgy designed to be able to withstand
