2400 and 158lswc

[joshlm]

Anyone know what the max load is for a 158g cast semi wad cutter with 2400?This combo is not listed on alliant web site

 

[Kamicosmos]

Lyman 48th Edition says:

for .357 mag, 155 gr lead
10.6 starting 14.0 max.

it doesn't list 2400 as a choice for .38 special with 158 gr lead.

 

[joshlm]

Thanks for the info. It was the 357 I was interested in, sorry that wasn't clear. I have seen some postings on the www that listed a charge of between 15 and 15.8 grains and I thought that seemed alittle high.

 

[Odessa]

As noted the new Lyman #48 (2002) lists the #358156 (155 grn LSWC, cast with Linotype) as being loaded with 10.6 start to 14.0 max of Alliant 2400.

Lymans Third Edition Cast Bullet Handbook (1980) lists the exact same load data, so it has not be "loaded down" in over the last 22 years due to more modern test equipment or lawyers! The 15.0 - 15.8 loads are a little high.

Odessa

 

[Bob C]

With the usual disclaimer that I only know how my reloads work in my guns, I've settled on 13.2 grains of 2400 with a standard primer for my .357's. I usually use LaserCast 158 swc's.

In my guns it's relatively mild, but you still know it's more than a .38 when you fire them.

 

[joshlm]

Thanks for the help. I worked all the way up to 14 grains today without any problem. The 14 grain load is deffinitly hotter than anything commercial i have shot,

 

[Clark]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

My experience:
38 sp brass, 158 gr. LSWC, 15 gr. 2400, S&W 60:
1.590" flat primer, easy extraction
1.465" top hat primer, cylinder rotationally looser

My advice:
Do not use 2400 and 158 gr at absolute max.
H110/W296 or LIL'GUN are better for really hot loads.

 

[joshlm]

clark

Are you trying to say that you can get higher vol. at less pressure with the other powders? also I see allot of people loading magnum loads in 38 cases. What exactly is the benefit of doing this.

 

[Bacchus]

2400 is a relatively slow handgun powder, so you will probably have a lot of unburned powder in 38 loads. Don't know about 357, though.

 

[Clark]

Joshlm,
Just an experiment.
I don't recomend it.

 

[Kamicosmos]

loading magnum loads in 38 cases. What exactly is the benefit of doing this.

Splitting lots of cases I'd imagine, maybe even blowing up a Special only gun. Pretty sure 38 special brass isn't made to handle magnum pressures. In other words, accident waiting to happen. Let me rephrase that: Negligence waiting to happen.

 

[mtnbkr]

Splitting lots of cases I'd imagine, maybe even blowing up a Special only gun

There is a Keith style bullet out there that has a crimp groove lower on the bullet so you can 1) Seat it in a 38special case and still be at 357mag lengths, and 2) get more powder volume than if you put a standard bullet in a mag case.

Chris

 

[Quantrill]

The bullet that MTNBKR refers to is the Lyman 358429. I have used this bullet for many years crimping it on the crimping groove for .38 spec. loads and crimping it on the leading edge for .357 mag. loads. Keith recommends 2400 powder in some rather large amounts in his book, SIXGUNS, and always mentions that those loads are for "N" frame pistols only. Quantrill

 

[JohnK]

As recent as last week they still had 15.3 gr listed as the max load for a 158gr LSWC, looks like they've not only removed it but cut the jacketed max load down to 14.0gr.

I've used 15.5 gr in my M27 and GP100 without any problems with 2400 purchased in the last couple months.

 

[mec]

14 Grains 2400 cci standard primer.
There is a machine cast 158 swc common among the commercial bullet casting companies. It will sit right on top of 14/2400 /magnum case. This load will do just over 1400 fps from my Ruger 6" and in the 1300s from a 4"
Extraction and primer appearance are unremarkable and the shot to shot velocity variation is small.

the 358429, Crimped in a magnum case in the crimp groove with all other factors being the same as above, clocks just under 1300 from the 6". It also sits right on top the powder column and gives fine accuracy and low velocity variation. the reason for the lower velocity seems to be less bearing surface bullet to bore. The front band on this lyman cast hollow point is slightly reduced and this apparently reduce the peak pressures.

I once loaded a 158 cast round nose over 15.2 2400 /cci standard primer. ( This is definately over most current handbook maximums with most lead bullets) It was unproblematic in my 4" gp100 - 1466 fps and in an 8 3/8" Smith 27 - 1520 fps. The chronograph numbers were the same as claimed for the original .357 load. I would suspect that it is hard on guns and do not recommend it.

 

[C.R.Sam]

Are you trying to say that you can get higher vol. at less pressure with the other powders?

Yes.
For an extreme example, look at Winchester loading data under .357 Mag and 125gr bullet.
One powder runs bout 10,000 higher pressure than the other.
One powder pushes it out bout 300-400 fps faster.
The lower pressure load (296) shows the higher velocity.

And that is within the products of a single manufacturer.

Sam