Further update: had time to load a little extra and shoot yesterday. Ended up being a good learning session. For those that had a couple questions or comments....... when I start a load using a ball powder I ALWAYS first work it up with a magnum primer. I later may try the load with a standard primer for comparison purposes, but that's the order I do it in. My favorite load for 62gr 223 using W748 worked a little better with a standard primer i.e. I likely will try it without a crimp as well, for comparison later. What I found out - 28grs is the good usable max in my Handi. While it's not the last level that had no signs of pressure, it's the most accurate in my Handi and is within about a grain of where problems got real noticable. Dropping back is the best in my experience, I don't like running anywhere near max. It's probably close enough, sometimes you wish you had a pressure testing setup! Once you get in the area of a grain more web expansion started and other signs of excessive pressure. I also just for grins (usually you wouldn't think the need) measured the brass and chamber. SAAMI calls for .3809 +3 for the chamber and .379 -6 for the brass. Mine measures 382 and 375 which gives me a new brass clearance of 7 thou. While it's all in spec I have a strong opinion this is the source of my sooting problem and tendency to aggrevate pressure problems a tighter chamber might not see. My solution, which worked out real well was to do the straight-wall case equivalent of neck-sizing. The fired cases are a consistent .379 after firing which gives me a .003 clearance, plenty for my purposes, no loading or extraction problems. The sooting went entirely away and as a bonus the spread and deviation went into the low single digits and the accuracy dropped under an inch at 50.
I did work up a quick couple sets using W296 - dissappointing at best. Accuracy was around 4" at 50 and the pressure curve was way too fast for the SB1. Primer intrusion into the firing pin area was way excessive to use. More than likely if I was using an SB2 this would not have presented itself and is the reason I'll be sticking with AA1680. The 1680 is notibly smoother pressure curve. I'm going to try Rel-7 as well but as of now I'm pleased with the 1680 results. Note of warning though - do NOT believe anyone that says you can't get an overload with 1680 in the Max, you certainly CAN.
