The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > Handloading, Reloading, and Bullet Casting

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old July 7, 2005, 01:38 AM   #1
Kayser
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 29, 2002
Location: Illinois :(
Posts: 550
.44 mag load bullet swapping, redux.

...last time, I promise.

So I've got my chosen .44 mag load from the Hornady manual:

240 gr HP-XTP bullets, C.O.L 1.600", various powder measurements.

Now, I've got a batch of these bullets, and they measure ~.711 on average. I've -also- got a batch of significantly cheaper Magtech SJSP 240 grainers. They are however, 0.686 - 0.689 in length.

The question at hand is : is it kosher to use the Magtech bullets using the same powder load, and shrinking the C.O.L to take into account the shorter bullets?

That is, the Magtech rounds are ~0.024 shorter, so should I lower the C.O.L by 0.024 to ~1.576"? This would -seem- the logical thing to do, but when moving into the realm of magnum rounds I'd like to be safer than sorry. I'm sure I'm just sweating an insignificant detail...
__________________
-----------------
Box Of Truth Afficionado!
Kayser is offline  
Old July 7, 2005, 08:51 AM   #2
Edward429451
Junior member
 
Join Date: November 12, 2000
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 9,494
Quote:
The question at hand is : is it kosher to use the Magtech bullets using the same powder load, and shrinking the C.O.L to take into account the shorter bullets?
Not really. You're supposed to seat it to the crimping groove and do a load workup for that particular bullet. I wouldn't worry so much about oal (as long as it fits in your gun) as much as the powder charge. Similar but different bullets will probably act similarly pressure wise with the key phrase being probably. Probably has been known to KB guns.

Obviously, the hotter the charge, the more caution should be taken when switching bullets or any other componant. If you're dealing with mild or starting loads, you could likely use the sme powder charge but would still want to play around with the powder load to see if its more accurate than the other bullet, even if the bullets are almost identical yet different. Bullet construction can differ in ways unseen to the eye (or caliper) making it more or less accurate than the other all other things being equal.

Sounds like you're looking for shortcuts to load development. If so, there really isn't any shortcuts. Even if you get on here and ask for good pet loads thats worked for others, you'd be a lucky man to get identical results with your gun. Load testing never ends. Find a load that works reasonably well and make it your staple load. and keep on trying different stuff until you make it better or another better load that fills the same (or different) niche. By the time you do that, a new wonder bullet or powder will be out and someone will post that one hole group with chrony figures indicating a gazzillion fpe. Then you'll just have to try that...it never ends.

Just keep good notes.
Edward429451 is offline  
Old July 7, 2005, 12:47 PM   #3
LHB1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 25, 2005
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,545
Edward,
Good answer.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB
LHB1 is offline  
Old July 9, 2005, 01:46 PM   #4
Kayser
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 29, 2002
Location: Illinois :(
Posts: 550
Quote:
Sounds like you're looking for shortcuts to load development.
Well, only in the loosest possible sense. The single difference in the recipe would be a bullet with a different length (but exact same weight). Since pressure is related to how deep the bullet is seated in the brass, if I reduce my COL by the difference in lengths, this will give me a round with identical characteristics from the perspective of bullet seating depth, bullet weight. I don't see how I could come up with a better starting point for developing the load.
__________________
-----------------
Box Of Truth Afficionado!
Kayser is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:44 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.04758 seconds with 10 queries