I know this thread is old, but my issue is more relevant to this thread than starting a new one.
I’ve got some of these and some Titegroup as well. A couple questions though. On the Berry’s site, they say that basically any load from a published data source: “You can use any published data as long as it is the same weight (FMJ, Lead, Plated, etc.)” https://www.berrysmfg.com/faq Berry’s FAQ then links to the http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/ site for suggested loads. So once I got there, I entered the 38 Special case, 148 grain bullet weight and it gave a range between 2.7 and 3.3 grains of Titegroup with a OAL of 1.160 using a Winchester Small Piston primer. This is where I am having problems. The Berry’s spec sheet gives a OAL of 1.550 https://www.berrysmfg.com/pub/files/BulletCOLforcatalog.pdf. So I put in 3 grains of Titegroup and a Winchester Small Pistol primer and set the OAL to 1.550 as per the Berry’s spec sheet.
So of course I’m shooting and get one stuck in the barrel...well not even the barrel. Basically just left the case and died. It was simple to push back with a little rod and tapping it with a hammer. Now I come here and see folks are running more Titegroup than what Hodgdon recommends while seemingly shortening the OAL consistent with the Hodgdon data sheet, but shorter than the Berry’s data sheet.
Here’s the weird part: I didn’t hear the bullet even go “bang”. I don’t know if I mischarged it or didn’t charge it—but that would literally be the first time I’ve ever done that in my life. I’ll admit to probably not crimping it enough—probably out of paranoia that I will over crimp it.
I don’t know if you all can help me out by looking at a picture of the aftermath. The bullet was dirty, there was very dirty residue in the case as well. Maybe that helps someone give a reasoned opinion. Here’s what I think are the possibilities to what happened:
No charge. This might explain the “no bang”. I mean I did have hearing protection on but it just seemed like a pop gun. I assume the primer could push the bullet out just a little bit.
Light charge. Say I just got a bad metered charge. Wouldn’t it make “some” noise though?
Charge OK, OAL bad. If the powder charge was fine—and I thought 3 grains of Titegroup would be—could this be traced back to me not seating the bullet far enough in, maybe compounded by too light of a crimp? I used the OAL from Berry’s for this bullet figuring that would be a better number than Hodgon’s data.
Charge isn’t enough. This would mean the Berry’s site—which suggested Hodgdon’s loading data—is wrong to say “any published data as long as it is the same weight”.
I made up 40 of these, shot maybe 5 before it happened—I was mixing them in with other 38 loads to see how they felt. So any fix is going to be relatively painless—except for wasted time, especially if I have to pull them bullet and put in more powder. (In which case I’d empty them all and start from scratch.)
I’ve got some of these and some Titegroup as well. A couple questions though. On the Berry’s site, they say that basically any load from a published data source: “You can use any published data as long as it is the same weight (FMJ, Lead, Plated, etc.)” https://www.berrysmfg.com/faq Berry’s FAQ then links to the http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/ site for suggested loads. So once I got there, I entered the 38 Special case, 148 grain bullet weight and it gave a range between 2.7 and 3.3 grains of Titegroup with a OAL of 1.160 using a Winchester Small Piston primer. This is where I am having problems. The Berry’s spec sheet gives a OAL of 1.550 https://www.berrysmfg.com/pub/files/BulletCOLforcatalog.pdf. So I put in 3 grains of Titegroup and a Winchester Small Pistol primer and set the OAL to 1.550 as per the Berry’s spec sheet.
So of course I’m shooting and get one stuck in the barrel...well not even the barrel. Basically just left the case and died. It was simple to push back with a little rod and tapping it with a hammer. Now I come here and see folks are running more Titegroup than what Hodgdon recommends while seemingly shortening the OAL consistent with the Hodgdon data sheet, but shorter than the Berry’s data sheet.
Here’s the weird part: I didn’t hear the bullet even go “bang”. I don’t know if I mischarged it or didn’t charge it—but that would literally be the first time I’ve ever done that in my life. I’ll admit to probably not crimping it enough—probably out of paranoia that I will over crimp it.
I don’t know if you all can help me out by looking at a picture of the aftermath. The bullet was dirty, there was very dirty residue in the case as well. Maybe that helps someone give a reasoned opinion. Here’s what I think are the possibilities to what happened:
No charge. This might explain the “no bang”. I mean I did have hearing protection on but it just seemed like a pop gun. I assume the primer could push the bullet out just a little bit.
Light charge. Say I just got a bad metered charge. Wouldn’t it make “some” noise though?
Charge OK, OAL bad. If the powder charge was fine—and I thought 3 grains of Titegroup would be—could this be traced back to me not seating the bullet far enough in, maybe compounded by too light of a crimp? I used the OAL from Berry’s for this bullet figuring that would be a better number than Hodgon’s data.
Charge isn’t enough. This would mean the Berry’s site—which suggested Hodgdon’s loading data—is wrong to say “any published data as long as it is the same weight”.
I made up 40 of these, shot maybe 5 before it happened—I was mixing them in with other 38 loads to see how they felt. So any fix is going to be relatively painless—except for wasted time, especially if I have to pull them bullet and put in more powder. (In which case I’d empty them all and start from scratch.)
