HBWC question

Status
Not open for further replies.
WestKentucky

WestKentucky

Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2014
Messages
13,128
Location
Western Kentucky
I loaded a hundred HBWC today in 32swl. These were 95 gr from Magtech, and they were really stinking long. I normally sink WC to flush with the case mouth, but these worried me with a pressure situation. Using Bullseye it gave 1.8 as start and max in Lyman 47 so that's what I ran with, but I only seated them to the last groove. This left about 1/8" bullet above the case and they just barely chambered in my 30-1. Was my concern for an over pressure situaton rational, or did I drop case pressure so much I'm going to be doing more cleanup than shooting.
 
I haven't loaded that bullet, but I have loaded a lot of Berrys 83 Gr HBWC's in .32 Long seated flush to feed in an auto. 1.8 Grs N310. Runs about 750 FPS from a 5" auto.

Please check data before using this load.

I load the same bullet in .32 Mag with a bit sticking out like you did for that bullet. Just start low and work up.
 
Goodness gracious those HBWC loads are peppy. I'm glad I went with a longer COAL. Everything I shot was dirty as can be but they did good. I will take dirty peppy and marginally accurate over clean weak and accurate. When I load the next batch I will probably back it off just a touch. No pressure signs, just more recoil, but I had a 8 percent split percentage and significantly more recoil than modern factory loads.
 
WestKentucky said:
I loaded a hundred HBWC today in 32swl. These were 95 gr from Magtech, and they were really stinking long. I normally sink WC to flush with the case mouth, but these worried me with a pressure situation.
Click to expand...

One thing to remember about Hollow Base bullets... you really can't get too excited about the bullet length. Yes, the HB bullet is longer, but the volume of the void to make the hollow is simply added back on to the sides. Therefore, the volume inside the case is very close to the volume of a non-Hollow Base bullet of the same weight. So the load data for any other 95gr WC should suffice, if you work up from the Starting Load.


WestKentucky said:
Using Bullseye it gave 1.8 as start and max in Lyman 47 so that's what I ran with, but I only seated them to the last groove. This left about 1/8" bullet above the case and they just barely chambered in my 30-1. Was my concern for an over pressure situation rational, or did I drop case pressure so much I'm going to be doing more cleanup than shooting.
Click to expand...

I'm wondering if your longer OAL placed the bullet into the lands thus causing the "peppy" feeling. Will those cartridges spin by hand in the chamber when the barrel is removed from the gun ? That would be an interesting test.

Otherwise, I'd have to assume the sooty deposits are caused by being under-loaded due to the longer OAL.
.
 
A chronograph would come in handy.
Not quite sure what an " 8 percent split percentage" means but it doesn't sound good.
Years ago Hercules powder co (alliant now) put this out about loading 38spl/wc's. Bullseye powder and the 38spl/wc combo used to be the bad boys on the block.A lot of kaboons going on so they put this chart out.


As you can see 1/8" difference in a 38spl is roughly a difference in 1/2 of the pressure either increasing or decreasing. The 32long is a lot smaller case than the 38spl.

Too bad you don't cast your own bullets. Lee makes a sweet mold that cast a 93gr rn bullet that can be used in the 32cal revolvers/pistols and any 30cal rifle. It the 311-93-1r. I used to make 93gr hbwc's out of them also. Took some scrap stock I had laying around along with a washer and a bolt and made a swaging die to turn the 93gr rn bullets into 93gr hbwc's. I'd lube them 1st then swage them, the end result was a 93gr hbwc.
 
Hadn't seen that chart before but it makes a lot of sense. That's why I check everything over REALLY close when loading an unlisted bullet. I do use data for something really close. Just seemed too much this time around.
 
WestKentucky said:
Hadn't seen that chart before but it makes a lot of sense. That's why I check everything over REALLY close when loading an unlisted bullet. I do use data for something really close. Just seemed too much this time around.
Click to expand...

I totally understand. I've been making my own swaged bullets for decades. There's no data for them so everything is from scratch. A cramer #26 150gr hp (left), a lyman 158gr hp (358439/center) and a home made jacketed 150gr hp made from a 380acp case for the 357's. It has the length of the long bodied Keith swc and the weight of the short bodied cramer. So being of semi-sound mind I put the cannalure extremely high on the home made jacketed hp making the seating depth extremely deap compared to the 2 lead/cast counterparts.


Why seat the bullet so deep??? I could use the lyman cast bullet data for the wc's in the 357. Same seating depth ='s a good place to start with known pressures. The chronograph verified what I read/tested.

Or I will re-purpose a bullet for another caliber. The red bullet on the left is a 150gr hollow based flat nosed bullet. Lyman sold the mold in 1900 for the 38lc. The green bullet on the right is a 125gr mihec hp. As you can see there's a pretty big difference between the 2 bullets. But they are both loaded to the same oal to be able to feed in the same semi-auto pistol.


fun-fun-fun that 150gr bullet designed in 1900 for the 38lc in a 9mm @ 50yds.


Another hoot, a 265gr home swaged jacketed hp made from 40s&w cases to make 1 heck od a 44mag bullet. It has 2 different crimp grooves, a standard crimp groove for revolvers and a lower crimp groove for moving the bullet up into the extremely long throat of a contender bbl.


There's always data out there, it all starts with what's below the case.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top