The gun has a 1.875" barrel, and a cylinder gap that measures between 0.010" and 0.013". It's a new, factory-stock S&W with about 300 American Eagle rounds through it besides the following loads:
Brass was nickle-plated W-W, cleaned with stainless media with clean primer pockets, polished with corn cob, deburred and chamfered.
Primers were Remington Small Pistol Magnum (5 1/2).
Cartridge OAL was set to 1.455"
Bullet: Remington Golden Saber, 125 gr. BJHP. Diameter measured 0.357" and weight 125.0 gr.
Cases were crimped with Lee Factory Crimp die which also sizes the finished cartridge.
Chrono: Competition Electronics 538002-SSI ProChrono
Conditions: Bright, overcast, 43 deg. F., BP=29.9
All propellant loads measured individually on a digital scale that was calibrated with a reference weight just prior to measuring.
BE-86, 6.2 grains (a tenth of a grain over book max. for +P)
778
858
884
804
767
Mean=818
SD=50
LONGSHOT, 7.1 grains (a tenth of a grain over book max. for +P)
853
760
825
894
852
mean=836
SD=44
Other observations: 125 gr. plated bullets were much slower. Those were Berry's Superior Plated bullets. They measured to spec for diameter and weight. With the same powder, they averaged 650 fps and 768 fps respectively. BE-86 was consistent and worked well with lighter loads (5.6 grains), whereas Longshot's SD increased significantly with lighter loads (6.3 grains) or plated bullets.
Max loads of BE-86 and Longshot happened to meter in the powder measure with the same volume. I set the powder measure to throw a charge of 6.2 grains of BE-86 which I confirmed for each cartridge on the scale. I emptied it, cleaned and inspected it for residue, then loaded it with Longshot. The same setting threw exactly 7.1 grains of Longshot. So while the Longshot apparently has more density, both these powders filled equal volume in the cases. They are both disc-shaped, flake powders.
For reference, Federal American Eagle factory loads, 158 gr. LRN
680, 677, 657, 676, 603, mean=659, SD=29
658, 660, 694, 671, 622, mean =661, SD=23
Brass was nickle-plated W-W, cleaned with stainless media with clean primer pockets, polished with corn cob, deburred and chamfered.
Primers were Remington Small Pistol Magnum (5 1/2).
Cartridge OAL was set to 1.455"
Bullet: Remington Golden Saber, 125 gr. BJHP. Diameter measured 0.357" and weight 125.0 gr.
Cases were crimped with Lee Factory Crimp die which also sizes the finished cartridge.
Chrono: Competition Electronics 538002-SSI ProChrono
Conditions: Bright, overcast, 43 deg. F., BP=29.9
All propellant loads measured individually on a digital scale that was calibrated with a reference weight just prior to measuring.
BE-86, 6.2 grains (a tenth of a grain over book max. for +P)
778
858
884
804
767
Mean=818
SD=50
LONGSHOT, 7.1 grains (a tenth of a grain over book max. for +P)
853
760
825
894
852
mean=836
SD=44
Other observations: 125 gr. plated bullets were much slower. Those were Berry's Superior Plated bullets. They measured to spec for diameter and weight. With the same powder, they averaged 650 fps and 768 fps respectively. BE-86 was consistent and worked well with lighter loads (5.6 grains), whereas Longshot's SD increased significantly with lighter loads (6.3 grains) or plated bullets.
Max loads of BE-86 and Longshot happened to meter in the powder measure with the same volume. I set the powder measure to throw a charge of 6.2 grains of BE-86 which I confirmed for each cartridge on the scale. I emptied it, cleaned and inspected it for residue, then loaded it with Longshot. The same setting threw exactly 7.1 grains of Longshot. So while the Longshot apparently has more density, both these powders filled equal volume in the cases. They are both disc-shaped, flake powders.
For reference, Federal American Eagle factory loads, 158 gr. LRN
680, 677, 657, 676, 603, mean=659, SD=29
658, 660, 694, 671, 622, mean =661, SD=23
