[KegRiver]

I have a question.

To set the stage, I'm working up a load for my 218 Bee.

So I figured I'd look for the most current load date, what I found is Hodgdon's reloading center data.
It seems to be about the only data online and therefor easiest to access.


The formula is; Winchester model 43 in 218 Bee, WW brass, CCI small rifle primers, 40 grain sierra SP bullets and 12 grains of Lil'Gun


So I start just below the min. load listed and load five rounds. First one shows very flattened primer and difficult bolt lift.
Thinking I must have screwed up that load somehow I go to the second round. Second one shows flattened primer and difficult bolt lift. and possible start of case separation. So I stop, return to the bench, pull the remaining bullets, and re weigh the charges thinking I had somehow loading the wrong weight.

So maybe I messed up somewhere else, so I re-calibrate everything check and double check the powder type but find nothing obvious.

Not knowing where else to look I decide to try a third round so I reload the remaining three, being very careful to get the weight exactly to the weight specified. 12.5 grains of Lil'Gun and test.

First round, second attempt, suffers complete case separation, hard bolt lift and severely flattened primer.

Now I am sure I did not mess up the load so what's going on?

One of the reasons I chose to go with new data is that I wanted to use Hodgdon's Lil Gun and none of my manuals list that powder.

None the less I decide to check my old manuals to see if there is any differences in loads listed in them and the new Hodgdon data.
I wasn't expecting any, they are all supposed to be safe loads for the majority of guns are they not. So I was just grasping at straws, or so I thought.
What I found shocked me.

I have been using IMR 4895 for that load as per my reloading manuals, with no issues. The Hodgdon data showed loads for IMR 4895 starting at what Sierra and Hornady listed as max loads.

Okay, I know Hodgdon bought out IMR so maybe they changed the powder they acquired from IMR so I check loads for other powders and other cartridges. I find an alarming number, including some Hodgdon powder loads that list starting loads that my manuals list as max loads.

So what gives?

I'm not looking for reloading advice or what charges to use. I only want to know if anyone knows why Hodgdon now lists loads so much higher then even their own load manual.