GDSB 38+P 'replica reloads' / cylinder binding update.
Spent a fair amount of time shooting different guns and ammo today. (As an aside, my Kel-Tec P3AT now functions 100% with a new mag catch and the Kel-Tec finger extension--so it is now an official BUG.) To the topic at hand, however:
As some of you know, both Brassman and I (and others?) have reported cylinder binding when shooting reloads in our 340s. It was enough of a problem to have significantly increasing trigger weight in as little as 50 rounds--and actual tie-up in 60 or 70 rounds. The solution is simple--keep the gun clean, and that means pulling the cylinder to clean the ejector shaft, etc., etc., and lubing sparingly.
Today I ran the latest variant of my 38+P 'replica reloads'--this is the Speer 38+P / AA#5 recipe, tweaked to provide the same subjective recoil with a 140LTC bullet and translated into a 357 Magnum case.
I shot fifty rounds today and found NO particular binding when done, nor some time later when the gun had cooled. This suggests to me that this 'replica reload' recipe variant offers more complete combustion, and possibly fouls the cylinder / crane / rod much less that the standard 38+P AA#5 recipe.
M&P 340 reloading background info: As you may recall, the GDSB 38+P 135-gr load runs about 860-880, maybe 900 from a nominal 2" barrel. Many of us consider it to be an optimum round for the lightweight j-frames. AA#5 powder in the reload recipe is the powder that feels most like the factory load--"full," but not "quick."
This 357 Magnum reloader's translation does about the same--and, more importantly, feels the same as the 38+P factory round. The difference is, of course, is that the factory round typically costs between $100.00 ($20.00 / 20) in the retail box down to about $.52 ($26.00 / 50) in the LE box--and these reloads run about twelve cents each ($6.00 for 50). That figure includes a 1.5-cent per round amortization for the cost of new Starline brass, BTW.
Reloading data is available that ought to take this load (in the 357 case) right on up to the Speer 357 Magnum 135-gr GDSB factory round. Those ballistics are about 970-1000 fps from a 2" barrel. The point is, one can build intermediate loads to acclimate one to the noticably higher recoil of the 357 factory round. Lots of practice at low cost is available.
Speer recipes for the 357 factory load are also available, and ArchAngelCD reports that the recipe most like the 357 factory round is Power Pistol. I would concur--and while I can definitely shoot the 357 factory round repeatably now and reload, it's a stout recoil in a lightweight--I'm not even sure I'd carry it unless I shot a replica load 50 or 100 times a month to stay used to the experience.
So, all you M&P 340 owners, get going on reloading. You can set up a decent inexpensive bench complete from tumbler and cleaning media through to a caliper and cartridge boxes using a Lee Classic Cast Turret package for about $300.00. 1000 bullets, 1000 primers, 200 new Starline Cases, and two pounds of powder will run you about another $125.00--and at the end, you'll still have the 200 cases to reuse, and about 3/4 pound of powder for the next go round.
Figure it is 1000 rounds for $425.00 for the reloads--and you'll be on your way to spending more money to save more....
Jim H.
