What did you do in the reloading room recently?

[daekken]

I got all my range gear ready to do a test of my first 9mm reloads today, and promptly left it at home. I'll try tomorrow even though the weather looks poor. If I have time tonight, I'll do up 20 or so 8mm Mauser (haven't had a chance to charge/seat those yet) to get more out of the trip.

Saw two squibs at the match yesterday so hopefully that won't happen to me.

 

[DW357]

With all else being the same, Lead / coated lead are faster than plated, and I think plated are often faster than jacketed

Yup that was the way I understood too.

 

[steve8140]

Just ordered a new Dillon XL650 with casefeeder,
4” riser mount from inline fabrications and now anxiously waiting for everything to show up.

While I wait I’m making my Christmas list so I can hopefully get some additional items, like the ergo roller lever and an additional caliber conversion kit.

 

[chidiver]

Wowza, 3.6 gr?! You must be 145+ power factor with those. Have you chronod those? I use 3.1 gr with a 150 gr coated bullet and get 132ish PF.

Plated and I load them a little long. 130-135PF on average. Enough cushion for when I shoot a chrono match. Very soft feel. Very clean.

 

[DW357]

@nstassel what charge weight you running with those 147 plated bullets? Was just curious.

 

[nstassel]

@nstassel what charge weight you running with those 147 plated bullets? Was just curious.

3.4 n320

 

[DW357]

3.4 n320

Okay nevermind. Thanks.

 

[mac1911]

Well I will be getting ready for black powder season.
Great timing find this 13lb chunk in the road Sat going to BoyScouts plus a box of 5000 nails and a few nice hammers. Lady said people been running the stuff over all week

View: https://imgur.com/a/FNdInQ6

 

[daekken]

Just finished my first twenty rounds of 8mm for the K98 while the Red Sox closed out game 2.
Tomorrow I'll give them a try along with my first thirty 9mm.

As an aside, Accurate 2520 smells like black pepper, haha.

 

[gerrycaruso]

Just finished loading 2000 .45acp with a 200 grain plated flat nose and Titegroup. Next up is 2000 200 grain lead round nose and BE-86. I loaded 100 to try tomorrow. This old S&W revolver seems to like everything.

 

[steve8140]

Got a delivery on Saturday of some new toys. Dillon XL650 with case feeder mounted on a 4” riser mount fro inline fabrications. Set up for 9mm for now and making some adjustments.

 

[Artie]

Broke my single stage Lee depriming and sizing 223. Have had it for awhile and got it used so it did its job. I have a turret but will have to find another cheap-o single stage. Will look for an "O" press this time around.
View attachment 247623 View attachment 247624

Got a good deal on an old Lyman Spartan from a fellow NES'r to replace my old Lee. Set that up today and back to a dedicated press for depriming, resizing and swaging. Might even try priming on it with an old Lee Auto Prime.

 

[Uzi2]

Still pumping out 9mm.

Bought 7000 small pistol primers three weeks ago and down to 1400 left. Will need at least another 7k to finish the brass I have.
Wearing out the press!

 

[daekken]

Did the next 25 test 9mm, 7.5gr Accurate # 7.
More 8mm Mauser projectiles on the way, 198 gr.

 

[Eric H]

I felt like doing a little .38 Special experiment, quite a few variables that I'm messing around with. I've acquired several different kinds of powder over the years that I haven't really touched in this caliber, in the past I've only loaded .38 Special with Power Pistol, with 125 gr. Berry's FP when I started loading and with 158 gr. Blue Bullet coated SWC (which ironically average out to be 155.5 gr) I've also acquired some unknown manufactured/cast and lubed 158 gr. SWC at .358" that I have yet to load and shoot either. It'll be my first time shooting un-coated cast projectiles loaded by me. Normally I stick with the blue bullets.

Loaded up 50 rounds total, all Federal .38 Special cases with a CCI #500 primer. A batch with 3.1 gr. Titegroup, 10 cases with the Blue Bullet and 5 with the lead SWC. A batch with 5.3 gr. of Accurate #5, 10 Blue Bullets, and 5 lead SWC. A batch of 3.3 gr. W231, 10 Blue bullets and 5 lead SWC. For the final 5 cases I used my normal load of 4.8 gr. Power Pistol with the 158 gr. Blue Bullets. (Don't have the COAL on hand). Hopefully I get to try them out this weekend!

Just wanted to experiment and see how each load functions in my new to me 6" Ruger Security Six, and how they print at 15 yards. Been loading up mostly 9mm loads this summer, and while I'm waiting for my bullet delivery, felt like mixing things up a bit.

What does everyone else use for .38 Special loads?

 

[Dradian]

loaded up some subsonic 308.

180gr Sierra Prohunters with trailboss.

Hopefully this weekend I can see if they group/stabilize

 

[Eric H]

loaded up some subsonic 308.

180gr Sierra Prohunters with trailboss.

Hopefully this weekend I can see if they group/stabilize

I recently loaded 50 rounds of subsonic .223, per the Hodgdon data with 55 gr. Hornady FMJ and 3.1 gr. Titegroup. They were hilariously amusing through a Troy Pump-Action AR and a can a friend had. I didn't group any on paper, but they seemed more than adequate for the plinking we were doing.

 

[Dradian]

Sounds great! Once I know these are stable, I will be trying them through my suppressor as well.

I recently loaded 50 rounds of subsonic .223, per the Hodgdon data with 55 gr. Hornady FMJ and 3.1 gr. Titegroup. They were hilariously amusing through a Troy Pump-Action AR and a can a friend had. I didn't group any on paper, but they seemed more than adequate for the plinking we were doing.

 

[mac1911]

I felt like doing a little .38 Special experiment, quite a few variables that I'm messing around with. I've acquired several different kinds of powder over the years that I haven't really touched in this caliber, in the past I've only loaded .38 Special with Power Pistol, with 125 gr. Berry's FP when I started loading and with 158 gr. Blue Bullet coated SWC (which ironically average out to be 155.5 gr) I've also acquired some unknown manufactured/cast and lubed 158 gr. SWC at .358" that I have yet to load and shoot either. It'll be my first time shooting un-coated cast projectiles loaded by me. Normally I stick with the blue bullets.

Loaded up 50 rounds total, all Federal .38 Special cases with a CCI #500 primer. A batch with 3.1 gr. Titegroup, 10 cases with the Blue Bullet and 5 with the lead SWC. A batch with 5.3 gr. of Accurate #5, 10 Blue Bullets, and 5 lead SWC. A batch of 3.3 gr. W231, 10 Blue bullets and 5 lead SWC. For the final 5 cases I used my normal load of 4.8 gr. Power Pistol with the 158 gr. Blue Bullets. (Don't have the COAL on hand). Hopefully I get to try them out this weekend!

Just wanted to experiment and see how each load functions in my new to me 6" Ruger Security Six, and how they print at 15 yards. Been loading up mostly 9mm loads this summer, and while I'm waiting for my bullet delivery, felt like mixing things up a bit.

What does everyone else use for .38 Special loads?

I always ran clays powder and semi 158 grain wad cutters

 

[greencobra]

spending quality time pulling bullets from the 45 colts i loaded with lil' gun. fun, fun, fun!

 

[slap shot]

Setup the new Lee Turret in the new reloading room in the new house and made my first 100 freedom rounds in NH.

44 Mag of course.

 

[EddieZoom]

I felt like doing a little .38 Special experiment, quite a few variables that I'm messing around with. I've acquired several different kinds of powder over the years that I haven't really touched in this caliber, in the past I've only loaded .38 Special with Power Pistol, with 125 gr. Berry's FP when I started loading and with 158 gr. Blue Bullet coated SWC (which ironically average out to be 155.5 gr) I've also acquired some unknown manufactured/cast and lubed 158 gr. SWC at .358" that I have yet to load and shoot either. It'll be my first time shooting un-coated cast projectiles loaded by me. Normally I stick with the blue bullets.

Try some light (~2.8gr) DEWC loads with Bullseye. Super accurate and as an added benefit throws up a smoke screen that is sure to piss off whoever is shooting next to you ;-)

 

[NavelOfficer]

What does everyone else use for .38 Special loads?

That's the beauty of .38 Special; so many bullet styles and weights and most pistol powders are suitable for it.
Requires very little powder, so a pound goes a long way. Just don't push HBWCs too fast or you may leave the skirt in the barrel.
As for my powder choice, it really comes down to which suitable powder I happen to have at the moment, be it 231, W452AA, Clays, Unique, whatever...

 

[TrashcanDan]

I felt like doing a little .38 Special experiment, quite a few variables that I'm messing around with. I've acquired several different kinds of powder over the years that I haven't really touched in this caliber, in the past I've only loaded .38 Special with Power Pistol, with 125 gr. Berry's FP when I started loading and with 158 gr. Blue Bullet coated SWC (which ironically average out to be 155.5 gr) I've also acquired some unknown manufactured/cast and lubed 158 gr. SWC at .358" that I have yet to load and shoot either. It'll be my first time shooting un-coated cast projectiles loaded by me. Normally I stick with the blue bullets.

Loaded up 50 rounds total, all Federal .38 Special cases with a CCI #500 primer. A batch with 3.1 gr. Titegroup, 10 cases with the Blue Bullet and 5 with the lead SWC. A batch with 5.3 gr. of Accurate #5, 10 Blue Bullets, and 5 lead SWC. A batch of 3.3 gr. W231, 10 Blue bullets and 5 lead SWC. For the final 5 cases I used my normal load of 4.8 gr. Power Pistol with the 158 gr. Blue Bullets. (Don't have the COAL on hand). Hopefully I get to try them out this weekend!

Just wanted to experiment and see how each load functions in my new to me 6" Ruger Security Six, and how they print at 15 yards. Been loading up mostly 9mm loads this summer, and while I'm waiting for my bullet delivery, felt like mixing things up a bit.

What does everyone else use for .38 Special loads?

160 gr BBI
4.5 gr bullseye (not 100% sure on charge weight, notes not in front of me)
Win s.p.p

I was shooting steel challenge with those. Less felt recoil than with titegroup or unique.
Its got enough oomph to it to knock down the poppers at walls of steel, if I ht it from the center on up

 

[peterk123]

Small batch, just 50 rounds of 357mag. 14.5 gr of 2400 with a 158 grain SWC. Oh, and all loaded in nice shiny nickel plated brass.

 

[Eric H]

That's the beauty of .38 Special; so many bullet styles and weights and most pistol powders are suitable for it.
Requires very little powder, so a pound goes a long way. Just don't push HBWCs too fast or you may leave the skirt in the barrel.
As for my powder choice, it really comes down to which suitable powder I happen to have at the moment, be it 231, W452AA, Clays, Unique, whatever...

I've yet to load HWBC's, I'm sure I will eventually. But that reminds me, I've got to look up some data for the W452AA/Trap 1000 as I've procured a 1lb of it... from the little research I've done on it, it seems to be more temperature sensitive than most powders... I want to use it for plinking rounds of some sort since it's no longer available and I also don't want to use it as fertilizer either.

160 gr BBI
4.5 gr bullseye (not 100% sure on charge weight, notes not in front of me)
Win s.p.p

I was shooting steel challenge with those. Less felt recoil than with titegroup or unique.
Its got enough oomph to it to knock down the poppers at walls of steel, if I ht it from the center on up

I've got a lb of Bullseye I haven't dipped into either. One of these days I'll light off some .38 Special and .45 Auto with some.

 

[Uzi2]

Just got up from the press. Sized, primed and belled another 400 9mm.

Also corrected the shoulder on a batch of steel cased 223 reloads that I had labeled and set aside, using a Redding Body die, it worked perfectly.

 

[gerrycaruso]

Just started going through my brass as I clean it. I'm throwing away anything that says amerc or herters. They don't prime well. Separating large and small primer .45acp brass is a pain in the ass but this is worse.

 

[mac1911]

finishing up a batch of 308 for a CMP match tomorrow in either the M1a or M1 garand in 308.
40.5 grains H4895 155 grain Nosler custom comp.

Also loading up some 223 with trail boss for some subsonic heavy plinkers. Eventually I will use cast bullets. Should really get the AR guys all "WTF" as I hand cycle in rapid fire stage!

 

[DW357]

finishing up a batch of 308 for a CMP match tomorrow in either the M1a or M1 garand in 308.
40.5 grains H4895 155 grain Nosler custom comp.

Also loading up some 223 with trail boss for some subsonic heavy plinkers. Eventually I will use cast bullets. Should really get the AR guys all "WTF" as I hand cycle in rapid fire stage!

Trailboss in 223 huh? That’s awesome. So that’s legal in the CMP matches? The AR doesn’t have to function normally - ie load the next round automatically? I know nothing about CMP matches so I was curious.