In loads with peak pressures roughly 30,000 psi and up, pressure expands the case to fit the chamber and stretches the head back before the peak is reached, so it doesn't make any difference whether it was sized more or less before hand. With those peaking below 30,000 psi, the sized case capacity does matter.

At 30.9 grains and 2.250" COL, QL gives 61,648 psi. Still above what the Hodgdon cup likely converts to, but under the CIP peak value for the cartridge. With the program's ideal 20" barrel and the default burning rate, this gives a predicted 2,895 fps. A pretty fair clip for that bullet weight. If Santa is nice, I'll be interested to hear what actual velocities you are getting so we can tweak the powder burn rate. Also, if you don't mind, get an actual average weight for the bullet.

Finally, go to the top of this handloading forum and take a look at the new sticky by Tang on Berger VLD loading. It may apply to the long A-max design as well?

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Nick

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"First contemplation of the problems of Interior Ballistics gives the impression that they should yield rather easily to relatively simple methods of analysis. Further study shows the subject to be of almost unbelievable complexity." Homer Powley