vaalpens
Member
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2014
- Messages
- 2,618
I have been reloading mostly 158gr coated bullets in 38spl(+p) and 357mag, but decided to branch out to the 125gr coated bullets. The reason being that some of the SD ammo (Gold Dot) uses 125gr bullets and I know my POI changes with lighter bullets.
Normally I would just work up some loads, chrono and test them for accuracy and try to get to a nice compromise between feel, velocity and accuracy.
Currently I am unable to chrono my loads, but would like to start working on the accuracy and feel, but try to be in the velocity ballpark if I can. This is where I need the advice.
The gun I will be using is a Ruger SP101 with a 3" barrel.
The powders I want to use will be BE-86 or Power Pistol, and maybe even CFE Pistol or Longshot. I normally use BE-86 for SD type ammo, but I like Power Pistol in 38spl.
My target velocity will be around 945fps.
Bullet will be ACME 125gr FP coated
I have some data what I loaded 125gr plated bullets, but I have not chron'd any 125gr coated bullets yet. Following is the velocities I have seen with plated bullets:
PowerPistol, 6.5gr, 872fps
BE-86, 5.8gr, 805fps
For PowerPistol Alliant has a max of 6.8gr, 1082fps for GDHP, so I assume I could target 6.8gr as my max. With a 5% increase over my plated velocity I saw, 6.5gr should put me around 915fps, which is getting close to the target velocity. Currently the plan is to test maybe loads of 6.2gr, 6.4gr, 6.6gr and 6.8gr, and just evaluate feel, accuracy and then closely monitor stickiness and primer condition.
For BE-86 Alliant has a max of 6.1gr for a 125gr JHP with a velocity of 1019. With a 5% increase over my plated velocity I saw, 5.8gr should put me around 845fps. Still a way to go to the target velocity. I normally load BE-86 to .2 or .3 lower than PowerPistol since it is a faster powder. This puts 6.1gr max a bit lower than where I normally would go, but without a chrono it is probably where I will max out for now. So for now it looks like I will be testing around 5.7gr, 5.9gr, 6.1gr, but I would probably like to push it to 6.3gr.
If anybody has some experience with 125gr coated bullets in the velocity range I am looking at, I would appreciate it if you can add some additional data points that I can include into the decision making mix.
Here are some additional data points I have used:
Lyman 49th, 125gr JHP, max 6.4gr, Power Pistol
Lyman 49th, 125gr JHP, max 6.3gr, Power Pistol
Normally I would just work up some loads, chrono and test them for accuracy and try to get to a nice compromise between feel, velocity and accuracy.
Currently I am unable to chrono my loads, but would like to start working on the accuracy and feel, but try to be in the velocity ballpark if I can. This is where I need the advice.
The gun I will be using is a Ruger SP101 with a 3" barrel.
The powders I want to use will be BE-86 or Power Pistol, and maybe even CFE Pistol or Longshot. I normally use BE-86 for SD type ammo, but I like Power Pistol in 38spl.
My target velocity will be around 945fps.
Bullet will be ACME 125gr FP coated
I have some data what I loaded 125gr plated bullets, but I have not chron'd any 125gr coated bullets yet. Following is the velocities I have seen with plated bullets:
PowerPistol, 6.5gr, 872fps
BE-86, 5.8gr, 805fps
For PowerPistol Alliant has a max of 6.8gr, 1082fps for GDHP, so I assume I could target 6.8gr as my max. With a 5% increase over my plated velocity I saw, 6.5gr should put me around 915fps, which is getting close to the target velocity. Currently the plan is to test maybe loads of 6.2gr, 6.4gr, 6.6gr and 6.8gr, and just evaluate feel, accuracy and then closely monitor stickiness and primer condition.
For BE-86 Alliant has a max of 6.1gr for a 125gr JHP with a velocity of 1019. With a 5% increase over my plated velocity I saw, 5.8gr should put me around 845fps. Still a way to go to the target velocity. I normally load BE-86 to .2 or .3 lower than PowerPistol since it is a faster powder. This puts 6.1gr max a bit lower than where I normally would go, but without a chrono it is probably where I will max out for now. So for now it looks like I will be testing around 5.7gr, 5.9gr, 6.1gr, but I would probably like to push it to 6.3gr.
If anybody has some experience with 125gr coated bullets in the velocity range I am looking at, I would appreciate it if you can add some additional data points that I can include into the decision making mix.
Here are some additional data points I have used:
Lyman 49th, 125gr JHP, max 6.4gr, Power Pistol
Lyman 49th, 125gr JHP, max 6.3gr, Power Pistol