Rolled my own for the first time tonight!

[C5rider]

I've been saving up some brass to do some reloading and finally got everything to do it. My dad used to do a lot of reloading back in the 80s so I asked him to come over and help me get everything set up.

Everything went smoothly until we started measuring out the powder. I'm using Universal. We were loading up a few 38 spl. +P cases for use in my Dan Wesson .357s. (I've got a model 14 and a 15) I'll be shooting them through the 15 with an 8 inch barrel. My mixture is:

140gr. Hornady XP, 4.5gr (Universal), with a CCI 550 primer in a +P 38spl case.

when we measured out the powder, dad couldn't believe the small amount of powder that was used. We checked the Lee scale several times and it always came out the same way. I'm going to go and try out the 10 that we put together to see how it shoots.

I've got a few factory loads to compare it with. We'll see.

If i was only shooting 38s and 357s, I'd probably not get into reloading but, my goal is to load up some ammo for my 25 Krag. That ammo isn't available so, I've got to make it myself. I wanted to try on a more common round first. Thoughts?

thanks.

 

[blarby]

They say that necessity is the mother of invention...In this case, the start of a labor of love.

Bravo, and welcome to the club.

 

[FROGO207]

The propellant charge does tend to look small with Universal in my reloads. But you could check weight by comparing a screw/washer/small object/2-3 lead pellets, (more than one item) on your scale and a different scale just to be sure.

****All the more reason to check for double charges especially when using faster propellants.

 

[jfrey]

Get a pound of Unique. It fills the case better and you should notice any double charge right away.

 

[C5rider]

No double charges for sure. Not that i'm being over-confident about it. With the single stage press, I had all of the brass ready to go, primers inserted with the brass upside down in the holder. When I was ready to load up a cartridge, I pulled it out of the holder (where it rested upside down) and still, peered into each casing. As soon as the powder went in, the bullet got seated. There was no setting the casing down with powder in it.

Dad recalled that he used to load up his 357 cases till they were almost full. I can't remember what powder he said he was using but, the little amount of powder used in these loads simply amazed him.

He reminded me to "MAKE SURE" that there weren't any squibs. I'm the type of person that if someone "fixes" my car, I'm comfortable driving it for thousands of miles at a time. If I work on it (which I do whenever needed), it takes me a while to trust the repair. I don't trust my mechanic-- ME!

I'm sure I'll be very cautious of these loads until I get a chance to try out the recipe for an extended period of time. I'll find out tomorrow how it goes.

thanks!

 

[Trent]

+1 on Unique.

Although, if you're loading 4.5 grains of Universal and it works good, that's 1500+ rounds per pound of powder. Lot of shooting there.

Just keep a damn close eye on powder levels and make sure you don't double up.

 

[Trent]

Oh, and congrats on popping your loading cherry. Those first rounds are magical, somehow.

 

[warnerwh]

For Universal that little bit of powder is normal for your load. Depending on the powder you use will determine how much powder is in the case. If you want a full power .357 load using 2400, 296 or 110 the case will be pretty full. In my .44 mag loads with 296 it is a compressed load. If you used Bullseye powder you would have an even smaller amount of powder in there than with the Universal.
The faster burning powders are typically small amounts of powder compared to slower powders however you cannot get the highest velocities with the faster powders. You use the slower powders. I agree with the above that using Unique it will be obvious if you double charge and Unique is an excellent powder to have.

 

[C5rider]

Thanks for the input guys. What you're saying does bring up some interesting questions pertaining to the different powders.

More than simply "filling the cartridge" more or less, would a faster burning powder give you more velocity in a shorter 2 1/2-inch barrel while a slower burning powder give better performance in a longer (8-inch) barrel?

On the other side of the coin, would a faster burning powder have a better chance of seeing excessive pressures or, are both equally succeptible? I know that both powders can, but would barrel length make a difference there also?

Sorry for the newb questions.

 

[Walkalong]

Sounds like your dad was using a max load of slow powder that will fill the case. Medium speed powders use much less powder, at a loss of velocity, and do not fill the case well. Perfectly fine way to load, it just won't fill the case.

An powder can cause over pressure if loaded over max for that powder bullet combo. They are all safe if loaded properly.

 

[mgmorden]

Congrats on your first step on the journey. Sounds like you've made a good start. Test out the ones you made and if they work crank out a few more. I wouldn't worry about changing powders just yet if the Universal is working for you. Double-charges don't seem to be a worry based on your methods (charging each case as you load it). Your more likely goof using that method is a squib. Nothing to do there though except just be careful and take your time, which is sounds like you're already doing.

Good luck!

 

[Blue68f100]

Congrats on you first rounds but you should work up your loads. I would suggest working up your loads in 0.1gr increments till you reached just under the max. After evaluating those you can make the decision as to step it on up. I'm not a fan of powders that do not fill the case. Some like to shoot full house mag loads all the time. I'm one that prefer a lighter practice load for it's easier on all, gun and wrist. But I do like shooting the full house ones too.

I like 296 for my Magnum loads, it does fill the case and some on some cartridges. I would suggest using what you have before buying another powder.

Since your walking one all the way through before going to the next you will minimize the chance of a double charge. But if there is any dought, dump it and charge again.

Just remember your working with explosives, Be Safe and enjoy your new hobby.

 

[Hondo 60]

Congrats on making your first loads.
And congrats on doing it the right way!

4.5 gr of Universal is a good load.
Either your Dad never loaded with these components or he just forgot that that's a good load.

Don't be afraid to post when you have questions.

The only stupid question is one not asked that get you, or others near you, hurt or worse.

 

[C5rider]

thanks guys. I went out to the range today and tried a handful of those loads that we did last night. I compared them to the factory +P loads that I had and I really couldn't tell a difference. I'm not sure what powder they used in them or, how many grains were in them. I don't have a chronograph and all that stuff but, they worked fine. They seemed to shoot a little low. Could that be because of a different load, different wt bullet, or both? It's a .357 and I've heard that the 38s shoot a little low but, not sure if that's internet lore or if each gun is different. Once I adjusted the sights, they were making some ragged holes. I'll probably go out and whip up a batch from the rest of the brass either tonight or tomorrow.

thanks for the input and help!

 

[Trent]

Could be both. You'll find that different weight bullets shot at different velocities may shoot high, low, left, or right, or some combination thereof.

On fixed sight guns, I'll narrow the type I'm loading/shooting down to one, then put a piece of masking tape on the side to remind me where it shoots. Got a 38 Special labelled "2 o' clock", etc.

Wife thinks it's the gun I'll go for at that time of the day if a bad guy breaks in. She asked me one day "which one will you go for at Midnight? You don't have any labelled that way?!"

But she also matches her shoes to her outfit.