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AJC1
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That's a lot of boolits. Are you basket coating or standing them up... I'm currently standing them up but If I go for any larger volume than I'm currently doing, I'll give basket baking a test....
357 load development and casual observations
- Thread starter AJC1
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Bearded Phil
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I have 1/4" mesh baskets that I use, with Hitek coating, excepting a few pairs here and there, they don't stick together. If any do I just give the tray a shake back and forth to unstick them before they cool, or if needed, unstick them with a bamboo skewer.
I've found that if you unstick hitek coated bullets that found a buddy before they cool it minimizes the "touch" marks (ie- bare spots that can happen) greatly. On the 3rd coat I'll quench them in water after the bake, and definitely make sure none are stuck together before I do, if they cool rapidly via water they'll definitely have some exposed areas when you break them apart.
This is mostly for aesthetics though, slight touch marks haven't really been an issue for me as far as leading goes.
I finished up the last of the Berrys wadcutter loads in 357 Mag. Split the difference @ 8.6 grains of HS6 and loaded 123 rounds. I again found a bonus bullet in my Berrys box. I had an even 500 primers and 500 bullets and ran out of primers. I think there was an extra one in each box of 250.
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AJC1
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I got out and tested a batch of the shooters world heavy pistol in the 16" marlin lever, with the noe-360-154-rf. My plan is/was to test the same loads in pistol my 4" but I finally encountered the 38 crud ring in the pistol after junior had shot several hundred traditionally lubed 38s. I only make and load powdercoat cast so now that I've had the problem, and those loads from dad are gone, I'll never experence it again. The resolution is exactly the brush wrapped in copper chore boy in a drill to remove...
I ran out and did a couple of cylinders of QC for the recent loading of 357 Mag with Berrys DEWC.
They were a little stouter than I remember but not bad. Shot with two hands and one hand respectively, from 10 yards. They were considerably more manageable with both hands.
Pictures are rotated clockwise. What looks like the bottom is actually the right side.
No misfires and they still shoot a little right of the 38 Special loads with the same bullet. At 25 yards I’d have to adjust the sights. I have them dialed in for the 38 Special loads, so I won’t be changing them any time soon.
They were a little stouter than I remember but not bad. Shot with two hands and one hand respectively, from 10 yards. They were considerably more manageable with both hands.
Pictures are rotated clockwise. What looks like the bottom is actually the right side.
No misfires and they still shoot a little right of the 38 Special loads with the same bullet. At 25 yards I’d have to adjust the sights. I have them dialed in for the 38 Special loads, so I won’t be changing them any time soon.
Love them wadcutter holes.
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AJC1
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My crono acted dumb today as I had the SWHP loads ready to test in a clean gun. Swapped to a new battery still no dice. Try again later. I'll get the pistol stats some day!!!
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AJC1
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It's not really thriling me. The numbers out of the 16" weren't fabulous and I was waiting final judgment till after completion of the pistol data... it's not lil gun bad but what is......
I prepped the last of my 125 grain XTP & HS6 loads. This is my social work load for 357 Mag using a near max charge and pushing hopefully a shade over 1400 fps. I’ll shoot either 1 or 7 to check the batch and leave an even number of cylinders afterward.
This load shot about 1.25” during testing, and it appears I didn’t fool myself this time. It typically shoots quite well. The XTPs are too much $$ to shoot for fun but I only had 25 left so might as well load them. No point in doing a new load just for a couple dozen. I might test these at 50 yards just for the fun of seeing peoples reaction on the rifle range.
This load shot about 1.25” during testing, and it appears I didn’t fool myself this time. It typically shoots quite well. The XTPs are too much $$ to shoot for fun but I only had 25 left so might as well load them. No point in doing a new load just for a couple dozen. I might test these at 50 yards just for the fun of seeing peoples reaction on the rifle range.
And now I have some Ramshot Enforcer to try. 2400 has been gone for a while locally and doesn’t look like it’s coming back anytime soon. Time to find a new Magnum powder. I’ll try first with regular primers as that’s what I have then see where to go from there. Then again, magnum primers are pretty common now. Maybe I’ll just get some and be done with it. Any advice?
BJung
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Try AA9
GeoDudeFlorida
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I’ve used Accurate 4100 (same powder as Enforcer) with both standard and magnum primers. What I’ve found is, with my Rugers and Colts anyway, standard small rifle primers work best.
Now, as I understand it, the only real difference between a SRS and SPM is the cup thickness. They will take a lot more pressure than pistol primers without piercing or flattening so be careful with your loading. They won’t show “pressure signs” until you’re way past kaboom.
Anyway, standard small pistol might run fine but in my guns it was pretty obvious I wasn’t getting good burn.
I could spare some of those too. I don’t go above max load even in magnum pistols. 13.8-14 grains is max from both Lyman and Hodgden. My load increments will go from 12.4 to 13.8 by 0.2. I’ll check the local shops. SPM primers are generally available and I’d only need a sleeve or two to try out.
If there had been any in the shelf I would have. That slot was empty, though No. 7 and No. 5 were available.
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On another note, I have some MBC PPC#2 DEWC to try. They are supposed to be for target velocity and only BHN of 12. Any thoughts on trying these at higher velocity, like 1100 or so? The Berrys DEWC work very well at that level, but those were gone too.
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AJC1
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I drive my 12 bhn noe bullets with 13.7 grains of #9. That's plenty hard if they fit good....1650 fps in a carbine isn't the easiest ride...
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AJC1
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Well maybe the first test with the gamin should be the wrap up od my SWHP testing..... that's been in the works waaaaay to long.... then I'll have to figure out how to capture and present that data....
I haven’t measured these but the 158 grain MBC SWC I have are 0.360”. If they’re that big or 0.358” or more that should be fine. That’d be another HS6 load and crimped in the lube groove. These DEWC seated to the crimp groove are nearly flush, maybe 0.06” past the case mouth. For some reason magnum power wadcutters appeal to me.
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AJC1
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Cast has run well out of both marlins and the colt at .358 so I haven't changed sizing bushings for that loading, but I hear some pistols benifit a lot from that testing. If I had more pistols I'm sure I'd have to play that game.... probably also why I'm not a fcd hater....
I’ve basically switched to cast bullets for all my target pistol loads assuming I can find a good load with the 9mm SWC loads I just received. I don’t see why I couldn’t. My S&W pistols seem to prefer heavier bullets than standard 115 grain fare. The Mete shoots about everything pretty well as far as I can tell, and my 9mm rifle is the same.
Boy when I say all that out loud I’m glad I only have one gun in 357/38.
Boy when I say all that out loud I’m glad I only have one gun in 357/38.
fxvr5
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Whose primers are these? Is that what the primer maker told you?
CCI has said no to this for theirs when asked about that.
GeoDudeFlorida
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by golly you’re right. I found a doc I had bookmarked:
“NOTE 1: According to Speer/CCI Technical Services - Both the CCI 550 Small Pistol Magnum and CCI 400 Small Rifle primers are identical in size. Both primers use the same cup metal and share the same cup thickness. Both primers use the same primer compound formula and same amount of primer compound. They can be used interchangeably.“
The Primer on Primers
Due to the primer shortage and some confusion on primers in another thread, I did a little research and came up with this info from the SKSboards site. I thought it would be helpful here... PRIMER CHART & REFERENCE GUIDE Small Handgun Standard .017" cup thickness CCI 500 Federal 100 - Has a...
carolinafirearmsforum.com
Same document says every other brand SPM and SRS the cups are different thickness.
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