Looking for advice

[GerryU]

I also got my hands on a pound of lil gun, and have been pondering the 275 gr Barnes.
I have a 18 inch Trident upper, and would also like a place to start with loading this round.
Looking forward to any info that can be given...safety 1st, always starting low and working up a ladder.

[pitted bore]

All of my previous reloading experience has been with 338 lapua on a Dillon press that we use to pump out those very large/expensive rounds. I've not reloaded a straight necked round before.

Dan-
Ulp! My apologies for assuming you were a novice in my post above.

... First, this is a hunting round for large wild pig. The goal for these rifles and rounds is effective killing power out to (hopefully) 300 Yards. I am NOT looking to push the limits of any barrel/case pressure safety. The entire goal is consistent, predictable killing power within this range. With that goal is mind, am I at the right starting point for the first load attempt?

A phenomenon that Hoot noted in some of his earlier work with the Barnes XPB bullets was a lack of expansion at extended ranges, due to velocities dropping off. The bullets were not traveling sufficiently fast to initiate expansion. The bullet will almost certainly poke a 45-caliber hole throught a pig, which may or may not be adequate for your purposes.

You might play with some ballistic calculators to find 300-yard velocities for your loads. It may be also worth while performing some tests with bullets slowed to those velocities using lighter loads to shoot water jugs and perhaps also a medium such as packed dry newspaper to evaluate bullet performance. Hopefully Hoot will chime in here. I've used the 200-grain XPB bullets on a pig, and at 50-60 yards the hog was most sincerely whacked.

Secondly, crimping may be the most confusing thing I've read on this site. I must have now read about 4 - 6 completely different opinions on crimping based on different projectiles, die sets, and presses. In an attempt to simplify this (since I haven't reloaded a round like this before) knowing that I am using the Hornady Die set on a Hornady press. Is there simple starting measurement that will help me understand the difference between, "no secondary," "light," and "heavy" crimping?

If you can cite the post (thread, date, and author) that described the three degrees of crimp you mention, then perhaps the original author may elucidate. If not, some of us may make an attempt to translate the meaning.

In general, with a bullet as heavy as the 275, a simple one-pass taper crimp that leaves the mouth diameter at 0.475 inches should be perfectly adequate. Be sure to set your seating die so that the built-in roll-crimp shoulder does not engage the case mouth. (The Hornady 450B seater die doubles for the 460 S&W cartridge, which does use a roll crimp.)

If I've mislead you in the above, hopefully the true gurus will gather around and fix things. Please post the results of your initial attempts. Thanks.
--Bob

[Th3DAN]

much appreciated Bob. This is very helpful. I will probably load a dozen or so on the first pass and post some initial pictures and data.

[3rdgeargrndrr]

Secondly, crimping may be the most confusing thing I've read on this site. I must have now read about 4 - 6 completely different opinions on crimping based on different projectiles, die sets, and presses. In an attempt to simplify this (since I haven't reloaded a round like this before) knowing that I am using the Hornady Die set on a Hornady press. Is there simple starting measurement that will help me understand the difference between, "no secondary," "light," and "heavy" crimping?

Lastly, I have the reloading manual for Hornady, a couple reloading Bibles, plenty of data from test loads on this site. Is there anything (data) that I'm missing before I start the first batch?

!

Assuming we are all talking about loading with Hornady dies,
a light crimp is a light taper crimp,(works case mouths less)
heavy is a heavy taper crimp
and a Secondary crimp is actually the double crimp combo 45-70 and factory die crimp.
see the 45-70 crimp thread.
Velocity seekers are using the 45-70 ring crimp first, followed up with a heavy 450 factory taper crimp. A definite must have if loading lighter (<230g) projectiles.
TSD has made some incredible rounds with his double crimping endeavors

this picutre is of the 460 sw, but seeing this picture will give you the idea.
Double crimp middle, and facotry taper crimp on the right

[Al in Mi]

them Purdy lookin bullets.

you cast them?

[Hoot]

Not having any experience with cast boolits, I would have expected the stab crimp to be placed so that it went into one of the grease grooves. Like catching a cannelure.

Hoot