WrongHanded
Member
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2017
- Messages
- 4,771
I got my reloading bench set up and operational earlier than I had expected, and carefully set to work. I just returned from the range after shooting my first batch, with some mixed results, but no damage or injuries. I recorded my loading data before hand and my results afterwards.
I used some once fired nickel plated Remington .357 brass. Case length was averaging 1.283" to 1.284". I tumbled it and cleaned the primer pockets. Then I resized and primed with CCI 500 small pistol primers. I also did this with 50 Federal cases, but have yet to load those. I noticed when priming the Federal cases were harder to prime than the Remington. I say the Federal were harder because I did those second and have no other basis for comparison. The primers all appeared, upon inspection, to be seated flush to the case bottom.
I flared the cases before I had the powder, at which point I crushed one of the Remington cartridges, so I was then working with 49 cases. Less learned.
Unable to locate the Alliant 2400 powder I wanted to use, I settled for IMR 4227. The Lyman load data did not list the need for a magnum primer with this powder. The starting grain weight for a 158gr bullet was 12.2gr, which I very carefully measured by hand for each cartridge. I most definitely zeroed the scale, and did so with the pan on. The scales are RCBS 5-0-5, and I triple checked my setup.
The bullets were 158gr .357 dia, poly coated lead SWC. Unfortunately, the place I bought them had likely received them as bulk and separated them into batches of 200 with their own name on the package, rather than the manufacturer. I carefully seated each in the flare of the cases mouth and found the right die adjustment to get the case lip right to the top of the cannelure. Then crimped each to what seemed an appropriate degree.
The finished product looked pretty good. There was slight case bulge on one or two where I must not have sat the bullet quite straight enough, but otherwise they seemed uniform. I check the OAL. 1.609"-1.610". Uh-oh! Too long. I missed that important step when I seated the first bullet, and just didn't bother to check any until I was done. However, after slide a few into a GP100 and seeing approximately 1/8th of an inch between the bullet face and the end of the cylinder, I decided to try them anyway.
The first 6 went off just fine. Slow single action, no problems. But after a few cylinders I started shooting double action. Doing this 1 or 2 in each 6 failed to ignite the first time around. They all went eventually, but not all went the first time. This particular revolver has never had an issue with light strikes. It is stock, and has been flawless.
Next, the gun started jamming! The cylinder would not turn freely. Oh no, I hope I don't have crimp jump?! No. Unburned kernels of powder from the previous loads, that I had not noticed until now, we're getting caught between the ejector star and the cylinder. And also down in the crane mechanism. I was keeping the revolver pointed down during reloads and plucking the cases out by hand after pushing up slightly on the ejector rod. I stopped doing that, and the gun then worked correctly as it always has.
A little mentally worn out, I took the target out to the 25yd maximum of the range and shot the last seven as precisely as I could manage. Which wasn't very precisely at all, as it turned out. I got five within 2 inches of the bullseye. The other two were on opposite sides of the bull, both 5 inches from center. That would be my poor and rattled shooting, I'm sure.
I can't say the load was inaccurate because I wasn't at my best and my best isn't great. But the unburned powder and the failure to ignite on 1-2 of 6 double action shots, is troubling.
I have no idea what the powder issue is, but I think I might have an idea about the failure to fire. Perhaps the difference between the force needed to prime the Remington cases versus the Federal, was not because the Federal cases had tight primer pockets. Maybe it's because the Remington cases had loose pockets. Perhaps some of the primers slipped forward when struck by the firing pin, which reduced the strike on them. But after they were seated further forward and had nowhere left to move, the firing pin could set them off on a second or third strike? If the same issue occurs with the Federal cases, I will know it is either the primers, or something has changed with the gun. If the issue does not repeat with the other cases, I'll assume the pockets on these particular cases are simple too loose.
Any thoughts from anyone about the unburned powder would be appreciated. As I said, 12.2gr was the starting load. The top end is 16.1gr.
I will not be buying these particular poly coated bullets again, but can anyone comment on exceeding the cartridge OAL?
I used some once fired nickel plated Remington .357 brass. Case length was averaging 1.283" to 1.284". I tumbled it and cleaned the primer pockets. Then I resized and primed with CCI 500 small pistol primers. I also did this with 50 Federal cases, but have yet to load those. I noticed when priming the Federal cases were harder to prime than the Remington. I say the Federal were harder because I did those second and have no other basis for comparison. The primers all appeared, upon inspection, to be seated flush to the case bottom.
I flared the cases before I had the powder, at which point I crushed one of the Remington cartridges, so I was then working with 49 cases. Less learned.
Unable to locate the Alliant 2400 powder I wanted to use, I settled for IMR 4227. The Lyman load data did not list the need for a magnum primer with this powder. The starting grain weight for a 158gr bullet was 12.2gr, which I very carefully measured by hand for each cartridge. I most definitely zeroed the scale, and did so with the pan on. The scales are RCBS 5-0-5, and I triple checked my setup.
The bullets were 158gr .357 dia, poly coated lead SWC. Unfortunately, the place I bought them had likely received them as bulk and separated them into batches of 200 with their own name on the package, rather than the manufacturer. I carefully seated each in the flare of the cases mouth and found the right die adjustment to get the case lip right to the top of the cannelure. Then crimped each to what seemed an appropriate degree.
The finished product looked pretty good. There was slight case bulge on one or two where I must not have sat the bullet quite straight enough, but otherwise they seemed uniform. I check the OAL. 1.609"-1.610". Uh-oh! Too long. I missed that important step when I seated the first bullet, and just didn't bother to check any until I was done. However, after slide a few into a GP100 and seeing approximately 1/8th of an inch between the bullet face and the end of the cylinder, I decided to try them anyway.
The first 6 went off just fine. Slow single action, no problems. But after a few cylinders I started shooting double action. Doing this 1 or 2 in each 6 failed to ignite the first time around. They all went eventually, but not all went the first time. This particular revolver has never had an issue with light strikes. It is stock, and has been flawless.
Next, the gun started jamming! The cylinder would not turn freely. Oh no, I hope I don't have crimp jump?! No. Unburned kernels of powder from the previous loads, that I had not noticed until now, we're getting caught between the ejector star and the cylinder. And also down in the crane mechanism. I was keeping the revolver pointed down during reloads and plucking the cases out by hand after pushing up slightly on the ejector rod. I stopped doing that, and the gun then worked correctly as it always has.
A little mentally worn out, I took the target out to the 25yd maximum of the range and shot the last seven as precisely as I could manage. Which wasn't very precisely at all, as it turned out. I got five within 2 inches of the bullseye. The other two were on opposite sides of the bull, both 5 inches from center. That would be my poor and rattled shooting, I'm sure.
I can't say the load was inaccurate because I wasn't at my best and my best isn't great. But the unburned powder and the failure to ignite on 1-2 of 6 double action shots, is troubling.
I have no idea what the powder issue is, but I think I might have an idea about the failure to fire. Perhaps the difference between the force needed to prime the Remington cases versus the Federal, was not because the Federal cases had tight primer pockets. Maybe it's because the Remington cases had loose pockets. Perhaps some of the primers slipped forward when struck by the firing pin, which reduced the strike on them. But after they were seated further forward and had nowhere left to move, the firing pin could set them off on a second or third strike? If the same issue occurs with the Federal cases, I will know it is either the primers, or something has changed with the gun. If the issue does not repeat with the other cases, I'll assume the pockets on these particular cases are simple too loose.
Any thoughts from anyone about the unburned powder would be appreciated. As I said, 12.2gr was the starting load. The top end is 16.1gr.
I will not be buying these particular poly coated bullets again, but can anyone comment on exceeding the cartridge OAL?
Last edited:
