Couple noob questions

[Quoheleth]

Greetings, again. I've been reloading for about a year, but as always, I have some questions on what's happening. I've recently upgraded from a Lee Hand Press to the auto-indexing turret press. Nice upgrade! I've met some reloaders at the range, but haven't gotten well enough acquainted to ask for phone numbers, etc., to call. So, here I am.

1. Ran a bunch of .38s, 158 gr (Missouri Bullet) SWCs over 3.8 grains of Bullseye - I used Alliant's +P load recommendation - and a light crimp. Yesterday at the range, I had good accuracy, but VEEERRRRYYYY sooty on my GP100 & SP101. Question: Is the soot (for lack of another term) normal for Bullseye? I know it's an old powder - sort of "Old Reliable" - and there are cleaner ones out there. THis was my first Bullseye batch. Have used AA#5 before, but didn't like all of the leftover grains of powder in my .38 hulls after firing.

2. Also had run a batch of .357, 158 SWCs (MO Bullet - his magnum bullet) over 8.4 grains of AA#5. Shoots much cleaner in magnum loads than in Special loads. I know .357 magnum lead boolits, traditionally, are notorious for leading. Supposedly, these won't lead at magnum pressure/velocity. Question: How do I know if I have a lead problem in my barrel? It LOOKS ok to me, but it's so dirty from the Bullseye, I can't tell.

3. Is Titegroup a cleaner powder for .38 Specials? How about Magnum loads? I have a canister of that on the shelf, too, but wanted to use "Old Reliable" first.

3b. Question: What kind of case life can I expect out of .38 hulls? Three, four reloads? Yes, I visually check them...just want to know when to be even MORE vigilent.

4. I want to start loading a batch of 9mms. I have a hunch that the Bullseye could seriously gum up the works. WOuld Titegroup or AA#5 be better to load 125gr LRNs for my MP9? Or, do I need a different powder?


Thanks in advance for the advice,

Q

 

[TEDDY]

38 dirty

I use 700x with 2.8 gr. and 148 gr wadcutter. I seldom clean the gun.do you crimp.I may be wrong but bullseye full load used to be 3.6 at 15,000lb.
if you have leading you can see it.----

 

[evan price]

I use Titegroup for about everything.
A 158-grain .38 special gets 3.5 grains of Titegroup. Same bullet in .357 gets 5.1 grains Titegroup.

.38 Special shells will last virtually forever as long as you keep the pressure at normal levels AND you don't overwork the case mouth. Expand the mouth only as bare minimum as you need to get the new bullet started. Only crimp it enough to do the job. The more expanding and crimping you do the more soon the mouth will get hard and split.

I know folks who have used the same .38 shells for twenty years.

Titegroup, if loaded towards the higher end, is pretty clean. If you load it light you get incomplete combustion and it can get dirty.

I load 4.4 grains of Titegroup for 9mm 124 grain lead in my XD9 and Sigs.

Never used Bullseye but I hear it is dirty.

 

[Sunray]

"..."about" 4 grains of Bullseye..." That'd be half a grain over max for a 158 grain cast bullet. Bad ju-ju if that is what you've loaded.
1. Yep. Bullseye is kind of smoky.
2. Clean the revolver and look for the rifling looking filled in. Your accuracy will drop too. Leading is caused by driving a cast bullet too fast. 5 grains is way under minimum for a 158 grain cast bullet and AA #5.
3. Have never used Titegroup.
3B. Case life is entirely dependent on the load used. Hot loads will reduce case life. Using target loads(2.5 to 2.8 of Bullseye with a 148 gr WC), your cases will last for eons.
4. Nope. Bullseye works just fine with a 121 gr cast bullet out of my BHP. 3.5 grains as I recall. Works extremely well for a 230 gr cast .45 ACP too. 4.5 grains for it.

 

[hotwheelz]

I would say titegroup is fine in a 9mm I run 3.8gr to 4.2gr of titegroup in a 125gr lswc,runs great.

I have been using alot of reddot for my 9mm, 40, 38, 357 as of late I like the bulkyness of the powder and it runs clean. I still like the titegroup and bullseye for my .45 loads.

As far as caselife goes run them until they split just remeber the less you flare the case the longer it will last.

If cleanliness is a big issue I have run vihtavouti n340, and it doesnt get much cleaner of a powder but will cost you more per pound then others. I have heard guys with more time loading then me say if you overcrimp,or was undercrimp??? any round it will soot more soory I dont remeber wich way.