Weirdness in Speer Reloading Manual #14

[LennieT]

I have always considered it a rule of thumb that as bullet weight goes up the powder charge goes down....until I started reloading for my Ruger LCR 357. The Speer Reloading Manual #14 list the following 357 loads using AA#9: 125 grain JHP Max load of 14.6 grains, 135 grain JHP SB Max load 15.5 grains and 140 grain JHP Max load 14.0 grains. The only difference I can find is that the 135 grain load's OAL is 1.590 and the 125's is 1.580.

I guess my question is, why does the powder charge go down as the bullet weight goes up everywhere except in the case the Speer 135 grain Jacketed Hollow Point Sort Barrel bullet.


Thanks

Lennie

p.s. I loaded the 125 JHP to 15 grains of AA#9 (Accurate load guide list 15.6 grains as a max load) and fired it in a 6" barrel, a 2.75" barrel and a 1.85 barrel with not pressure signs.

 

[Stumper]

The GD is a plated bullet with a different amount of bearing surface. Occasionally, rules of thumb give us the finger.

 

[murf]

the speer #13 manual does not list a 135gn bullet and the loads listed for 125 and 140 gn bullets listed there are carried over to the new #14 manual. also, the regular 135 gn load listed in the #14 manual is also 15.5 gn max. try another manual. the lee second edition shows a starting load of 15.3 grains for a 125gn xtp bullet using aa#9

hope this helps.

murf

 

[Ruger GP100 fan]

Check out their suggested 357 loads using Win 296 or H110. Their start load is way below Winchester's and it's well known that undercharging with these powders should be done very carefully.

 

[Clark]

AA 2000 data did not show a 357mag 125 gr AA#9 load.
AA 2000 data did show a 357mag 158 gr AA#9 load was 13 gr

AA 2001 data did show a 357mag 125 gr AA#9 load was 17 gr
AA 2001 data did show a 357mag 158 gr AA#9 load was 15 gr

AA 2003 data did show a 357mag 125 gr AA#9 load was 17 gr
AA 2003 data did show a 357mag 158 gr AA#9 load was 14.5 gr

AA 2011 data does show 357mag 125 gr AA#5 load is 15.6 gr
AA 2011 data does show 357mag 158 gr AA#9 load is 13.8 gr

Midway load map 1999 shows 357mag 125 gr AA#9 10.5 gr
Midway load map 1999 shows 357mag 158 gr AA#9 9.5 gr

Lyman 47 1992 shows 357 mag 158 gr AA#9 16 gr

Speer 12 1994 shows 357 mag 125 gr AA#9 14.6 gr
Speer 12 1994 shows 357 mag 158 gr AA#9 13.7 gr

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.
I reamed a little 38 special revolver out to 357 mag, put 158 gr and 17 gr of AA#9 and the case got stuck bad in the chamber.
I had to pound it out.

John Bercovitz's explanation of 357 mag pressure in 1993 still stands up as some of the only real science in the gun culture.
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.guns/browse_frm/thread/68ca10110c80e7aa/f002ce69fa01e631

What does it all mean?
Stuck cases are the reality on which 357 mag load data is based.
After decades of evolution of folk lore, we have shown what fools we are.

 

[LennieT]

"John Bercovitz's explanation of 357 mag pressure in 1993 still stands up as some of the only real science in the gun culture.
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.g...02ce69fa01e631"

Wow! How that is interesting. Thanks for that link and for the load data. That will help as I work up a load for KLCR.

Lennie

 

[Clark]

In 2005 John was working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and I recruited him for my "Prove the load books wrong about the CZ52 and the Tokarev" project.

He used an RC hardness tester at work to measure a ~dozen CZ52 barrels I paid for.

 

[zeke]

If ya think there is somthing different with that 357 load listing, look at the 30-30 loads using 748 and 130 and 150,jacketed soft points. Personally i think they got their data mixed up with the 30-30 loads.

 

[Bwana John]

I just noticed something similar about SR 4756 and reduced rifle loads, as bullet weight goes up powder weight also goes up.