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Old February 16, 2013, 03:58 PM   #10
Adamantium
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Join Date: June 6, 1999
Location: El Paso, TX
Posts: 1,021
I'm surprised such a simple question can generate such poor replies. The simple answer is yes, you can substitute jacketed bullets of the same weight using the same load data. To understand why my (and Bucks) advice is good and zplinkers and SL1's advice is misguided you have to understand one thing. Every time you change something about your load (a bullet for example) you need to start back at a reduced charge (no more than 90% of max) and work back up while watching for signs of high pressure. Changing thing about a load will certainly effect pressure in some way. That doesn't mean a dangerous situation is being created or that you can't watch for it while working up your load.

For example...

Quote:
To illustrate the point more clearly, I will use some QuickLOAD calculations:

Starting with a charge of Power Pistol that gives 34,538 psi with the 115 grain Hornady XTP HP bullet (0.545" in length seated to 1.169" overall cartridge length) and then substituting the longest 115 grain 9mm FMJ bullet that I could find in the QuickLOAD bullet database ( a 0.626" PMP bullet) without changing any other parameters, the pressure goes to 54,740 psi.
This is a perfect example of a careless reloader. Taking a load right at max pressure, changing something with it and not doing a proper load work up. Careless reloading...

Another faulty example,

Quote:
One example that comes to mind, is 40 s&w loads: using 155 gr. Silvertips, 155 gr. Gold Dots, 155 gr. Starfire, and 155 gr. Hornady XTP's, shooting for a muzzle velocity of 1225 fps. There was a 10 per cent variation in powder charge to get the same result. Different bullets have different hardness, bearing surface, etc., and the pressure will be affected.

Comes back to the old adage: 'never assume anything', especially when dealing with explosives.
This tells you nothing about chamber pressure because it isn't being measured, only muzzle velocity. You can't measure chamber pressure using muzzle velocity or powder charge. Either you have pressure measuring equipment or you are watching for signs of over pressure like everyone else.

So to bring it home, working up from a reduced load and watching for pressure signs is the bread and butter of a smart reloader. That is why you can swap out bullets (or primers, brands of brass, different chambers/barrels, different lots of powder, etc) and not walk right into a dangerous situation.
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