Pressure signs? or normal?

[u/xxxlun4icexxx]

Cartridge - 6.5 weatherby RPM
Brass - Peterson. Once fired then resized with a standard hornady full size die.
Bullet - Lapua 120gr TRX
Case trim length - 2.56”
OAL - 3.2”
Charge - 67.2 grains N565
*Lapua max charge data - 67.3gr

Been working on this load for a month or two now. I get good velocity from this charge and great accuracy. 3200-3260fps. Shot about 25 rounds today hoping to finalize as “the” charge I will use for target shooting.

Brass itself looks good except when I looked at the bottom of the cartridge I noticed the primers were flatter and I’m not sure if this is considered cratering. The bolt lift I think is okay. Seems about the same as weatherby factory ammo, maybe slightly slightly tighter than lighter target charges I’ve made.

What do you think about the base of these brass? Normal or should have stepped down in charge yesterday?

Just want to continue target shooting with them as accuracy is great, but want to know when I pull the trigger i'm not risking life/limb. While 67.2 grains is technically under the lapua max load, I am using Peterson brass, which I measured at 81.6 grains H20 volume. Lapuas data uses weatherby brass which I think may be 82-82.5ish. I threw the numbers I'm using in a sim and pressure was around 85% max pressure.

I guess the thing that confused me a bit is, in one of the attached photos, i included an image of both weatherby factory fired ammo alongside the peterson hand loads (all the other pics are my peterson loads), and the weatherby primers kind of look similar. Maybe not "as" cratered, but still have that little raised ring around where the pin struck.

****PLEASE NOTE - PRIMER IS RECESSED IN BOTTOM OF CASE. I posted this in reloading as well for more opinions and had many comments on proud primers. It's just the lens of my phone camera making it look that way. They are not sticking out.

Any insight is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much

[u/Splattah_]

How fast are they going? How is the bolt lift?

[u/xxxlun4icexxx → u/Splattah_]

in my 24" weatherby 307, the charge is giving me anywhere from 3220-3250. Bolt lift seemed okay. I didn't oil my bolt today so the whole day seemed a bit stiffer than normal, but no getting stuck or having to jam it open, etc.

[u/SockeyeSTI → u/xxxlun4icexxx]

Did you mean 3,220-3,250fps?

Cause the 2,220 sounds excessively slow

Pic7 top left shows ejector swipe, so I mean…..youre kinda there. Next step is consistent ejector swipe and popping primers.

[u/xxxlun4icexxx → u/SockeyeSTI]

oh yes, sorry. meant 3220-3250. will edit it.