Starting to get concerned...

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Just came in yesterday. After research and head scratching, I think I'll load some test rounds in 357, 41, and 44. The Little Dandy rotor #25 drops 12.8 grains, plus or minus 2 tenths, consistently. I'll try that load in all three rounds with Lee 140 grain SWC in 357, RCBS 210 grain in 41, and Lee 240 grain RN in 44, just 'cause they're what I use the most. Then go from there. What y'all think?
 
1lb - Tightgroup
1lb - Varget
1lb - H4895
12lb - WC844

I'm in trouble.......the only thing I shoot anymore is 223.
 
Airman Basic said:
Just came in yesterday. After research and head scratching, I think I'll load some test rounds in 357, 41, and 44. The Little Dandy rotor #25 drops 12.8 grains, plus or minus 2 tenths, consistently. I'll try that load in all three rounds with Lee 140 grain SWC in 357, RCBS 210 grain in 41, and Lee 240 grain RN in 44, just 'cause they're what I use the most. Then go from there. What y'all think?
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I think 12.8gr in a 357 case might very well end badly if this powder is *anywhere near* Herco in terms of burn rate/pressure. Heck, that's more than my 44mag Herco load (11.5).
 
Jlr2267 said:
I think 12.8gr in a 357 case might very well end badly if this powder is *anywhere near* Herco in terms of burn rate/pressure. Heck, that's more than my 44mag Herco load (11.5).
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But it's in the low range for Blue Dot, and only medium high in my admittedly older Speer manuals for Herco.
 
Airman Basic said:
Just extrapolating and interpolating from the fact the Steel's burning rate seems to be somewhere between Herco and 2400, starting low.
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The burn rate charge is a reference, not a guide on which powder to use. I have never heard of anyone using Steel for handgun cartridges. Not all shotgun powders react well in handgun applications.

Example, there are 3 powders in the Hodgdon Clays line, Clays, International clays and Universal Clays. Clays is good for target handgun loads and Universal is close in performance to Unique but up until recently Hodgdon strongly recommended not using International in handgun applications.

The burn rate chart is relative and not a guide on which powder is appropriate for loading any cartridge. I THE POWDER COMPANY DOESN'T SUPPLY DATA FOR A POWDER/CARTRIDGE COMBINATION THERE IS USUALLY A VERY GOOD REASON!
 
ArchAngelCD said:
The burn rate charge is a reference, not a guide on which powder to use. I have never heard of anyone using Steel for handgun cartridges. Not all shotgun powders react well in handgun applications....
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There are several threads concerning Steel on the CastBoolits site, so I'm not flying completely blind. With the unavailability of conventional handgun powders, seems like a decent shot, pun intended.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?171896-Alliant-Steel
for example.
 
Airman Basic said:
But it's in the low range for Blue Dot, and only medium high in my admittedly older Speer manuals for Herco.
Click to expand...

You can do as you like, I am only suggesting to you that it could be dangerous at those levels. Personally, I would start *much* lower, like 10% below the max Herco loads listed by Alliant for each of those calibers. That would put you closer to 8gr in a 357 case
 
Ive seen Herco data all over the board..I'd be nervous if I was doing any extrapolating involving Herco , it seems hard to nail down. This was for 9mm in my case.
 
Okay, y'all convinced me. Just got done with loading 10 rounds each with 10 grains of Steel in 357, 41, 44. I'll try them out tomorrow, weather permitting, and report back.
 
Airman Basic said:
Okay, y'all convinced me. Just got done with loading 10 rounds each with 10 grains of Steel in 357, 41, 44. I'll try them out tomorrow, weather permitting, and report back.
Click to expand...
Okay, got it done today between showers. All rounds fired in Ruger Blackhawks, along with my tried and true loads for comparison.
The 357 was certainly a magnum load, but cases fell freely from the chambers, and the round was not as forceful as my usual load of 17 grains of 296/110 with the same 140 grain SWC.
The 41 was almost ideal, easy to shoot and almost equal to my usual 8 grains of Unique and the same 210 grain boolit. This may be my plinker of choice in 41.
The 44 was really too light, with sooted cases after the 240 grain boolit, compared to my plinking load of 9 grains Unique and the same boolit.
All rounds were accurate, target was a 4 inch dueling tree at 25 yards. All in all, about what I expected and with some tinkering, I think some fun can be had with Steel. I'll be loading some more, for the revolvers and 357 and 44 levers. Good stuff, i believe.:cool:
 
I am giving some serious thought to buying some factory ammo during this extended drought of handgun reloading powder.

Just does not seem to be easing up. Don't know of anyone, anywhere who can say they've gotten any backordered Win 231, HP-38, or Titegroup. If the factory is making it, and the sellers are sending it out to back-order holders instead of putting it online for sale, then SOMEBODY must be receiving some, and I don't see anyone ever saying that they're getting any.

I am worried that the commercial ammo factories may not be able to get their powder, either, in the quantities that they need, so I think we may have another ammo panic coming along due to the backlogged powder orders. There are only a few large powder manufacturers, including St. Marks and PB Claremont. I know the commercial ammo loaders use different powders than we do, but the powders come from a few factories and that is it, and they only have so much capacity.
 
So my wife called about my back order of W231 and was told it's another 6 to 8 weeks. So I guess I call my guy in Melbourne and I'll buy any pistol powder that he has.
 
bds said:
Just in case, start making plan B, Plan C, etc. and look for alternate powders.
Click to expand...

During the shortages in 2009, I bought some alternate powders to keep me going. With some other work I did in the past trying out alternate powders, I have loads already developed for several powders.

It keeps the investment in Tums to a minimum and I have an established Plan B, Plan C, and so forth.

I discovered True Blue in 2009 and liked it so much it replaced my main powder for one or two cartridges. So, i was able to turn the shortages into a benefit for me.

Sounds like I need to try Zip when i see a pound.
 
Airman Basic said:
The 357 was certainly a magnum load, but cases fell freely from the chambers, and the round was not as forceful as my usual load of 17 grains of 296/110 with the same 140 grain SWC.
Click to expand...
Glad to hear you didn't pack12.8 grains in the 357 case for a starting load. You might have gotten a nasty surprise!
 
Actually, I think I could have gone up with the charge, but I was trying to duplicate a plinking charge anyway. Tried some more today and settled on 9 grains for 357, 10 for 41, and 11 for 44. If I run out of Unique, I'll have 4 pounds of Steel backup. Makes me feel better.
 
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