Looking for 1000-1100fps with 158gr jhp, fmj or plated. (I'll branch out to hardcast lead in the future but I want to get my jacketed data dialed first). Looking to build an inexpensive target load that won't beat up my brass, and has a moderate recoil impulse. I don't want to use up all my H110 and SPM primers punching holes in paper ( that stuffs' expensive). I'm just curious about cfe cause I have 3 pounds, I also have 2 pounds hp38.
That hp38 should get you there. 1100 fps is easy in a 357. I'm getting over that with a 170. The start load of true blue got me 1140 in a 4" 8.8 grains. That load is in the western manual. I prefer 8.4 Silhouette which is not. Silhouette works great with spp.
This is good to know thanks for the advice! My manuals have load data for this powder so I'll have to work up a load. I just need some cheap projectiles to work with. Xtp's are great, but a bit expensive for high volume target shooting. Cfe seems to work great for my .44 with 200gr xtp's. Got out to the range today and fired the last of my 12gr loads, they shot about 5 inches at 50 yards I was quite happy with that.
The test data on the hogden site is out of a 10" barrel????? Your velosity may fall short even at max. My numbers are out of my 4" pistol so if your at that length or longer should be good.
I think they used a Contender pistol. Kinda misleading if you ask me. I reduce my estimates accordingly. Lyman at least uses a 4” barrel on a universal receiver. Hornady uses a 6” Python.
If I wanted to cook the books I could post my 16" carbine
This should work for you:
Perfect, my guns are a 686+ .357 4in barrel, and a 629-6 4in 44. If I approach max load data or max out and still don't have the results I want I'll choose a different powder. Less is more for this particular load. Economy will be the final decision. I have some bullseye on hand as well id like to save for my .45 acp's but if that powder work too that would be sweet. Is bullseye good for what im looking for? Im tempted to try all 3 powders. Thanks for your help!
For the speed you want unique/herco will be as fast as you want to go. Slower than true blue you will want mag primers so that brackets your speed need with the spp vs spm. I'm a huge fan of blue dot because it's what I consider the best value in magnum, an you can load rifle and shotgun.... if I could only have one powder. But it does like spm.
Es 62 holly smokes. My 7.4 grain load of herco had an es of 13 over 5 shots. I've tested loads like lilgun that have bad numbers, but I don't recommend them. Over 50 I consider not good. Have you tried that load with a 550?
Copy that AJC1, it looks like a lot of people like unique. I think ill pick up a pound. 2400 is unobtainium locally. I'll look into local availability of blue dot for sure. Do you think a magnum primer for my 12gr cfe, 44 mag load will bring my ES down lower than 51? Is there a correlation between large case volume and light charges that causes inconsistent velocities with standard primers?
I'm literally asking around currently about the same thing with lilgun. Ball powders in general are harder to get going. If you watch dummy round on YouTube he just did a comparison of shooters world heavy pistol with standard and magnum, and mag had better numbers in testing despite the companies claims. In my case lilgun was designed for shotgun and am considering srp or srpm. I've used srp with 4227 and it helped. I won't settle for bad numbers, I'll change something...
Preach it... Match quality ammo for half the price is kinda why I picked up this hobby (more like obsession actually). I've read about position sensitivity with certain powders, maybe that's what I'm seeing with my cfe load.
