147 grain tumbleville.... need advice

pig_romancer · February 12, 2010, 12:46 AM

Friends,

I'm just getting into hand-loading and I've found this site to be very informative. I've put some successful loads together that shoot great. I ran into a problem however that I just can't seem to fix. I'm loading 147 grain (.356) hard cast for a hi-point 995 carbine. I'm pushing it with 3.8 grains of Power Pistol to keep it at around 900fps. My OAL is at 1.150 Almost every round I fire tumbles at under 10 yards. I have not slugged the barrel but it seems like every 147 grain hard-cast with wax ring is sized for .356 anyway. I would need to load bullets intended for a .38 in order to get something bigger. My barrel is shiny clean inside and this rifle eats and fires everything else (jacked) just fine.

Question: Do I need to buy bigger bullets; perhaps .358 diameter?
Should max out my OAL instead?
Different powder or measure?
Stick with jacked/plated bullets only?

Thanks for your help

SL1 · February 12, 2010, 09:41 AM

It would help if you would mention the cartidge that you are reloading - - not everybody knows what a HiPoint 995 shoots. I am surmizing that it is a 9mm from your COL and bullet diameter. But, I still don't know the length or even the shape of your bullet, so I can only begin to guess the seating depth, which I need to estimate pressure.

So, after guessing at that info, I think you are shooting a very low-pressure load, around 15,000 psi. (9mm is typically loaded to more than 30,000 psi.) The bases of your hard-cast bullet probably are not being expanded by that pressure so that they seal the bore. That allows hot gases to blow-by and deform the bullets, and tends to give bad accuracy. It also tends to lead the bore, giving REALLY bad accuracy. Since you said the bullets are tumbling within 10 yards of the muzzle, you should look at the bore for leading to confirm the speculation.

If that is your problem, then a stiffer powder charge is the solution.

SL1

putteral · February 12, 2010, 10:40 AM

I would also agree. I shoot the 147gr using 4.6grs of Power Pistol and generally seat them between 1.125 -1.13. I have never had a tumble issue.

Scorch · February 12, 2010, 11:20 AM

With that heavy of a bullet, you probably want to push it faster than that.

February 12, 2010, 12:46 AM	#1
pig_romancer Junior Member Join Date: February 12, 2010 Posts: 1	147 grain tumbleville.... need advice Friends, I'm just getting into hand-loading and I've found this site to be very informative. I've put some successful loads together that shoot great. I ran into a problem however that I just can't seem to fix. I'm loading 147 grain (.356) hard cast for a hi-point 995 carbine. I'm pushing it with 3.8 grains of Power Pistol to keep it at around 900fps. My OAL is at 1.150 Almost every round I fire tumbles at under 10 yards. I have not slugged the barrel but it seems like every 147 grain hard-cast with wax ring is sized for .356 anyway. I would need to load bullets intended for a .38 in order to get something bigger. My barrel is shiny clean inside and this rifle eats and fires everything else (jacked) just fine. Question: Do I need to buy bigger bullets; perhaps .358 diameter? Should max out my OAL instead? Different powder or measure? Stick with jacked/plated bullets only? Thanks for your help

February 12, 2010, 09:41 AM	#2
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	It would help if you would mention the cartidge that you are reloading - - not everybody knows what a HiPoint 995 shoots. I am surmizing that it is a 9mm from your COL and bullet diameter. But, I still don't know the length or even the shape of your bullet, so I can only begin to guess the seating depth, which I need to estimate pressure. So, after guessing at that info, I think you are shooting a very low-pressure load, around 15,000 psi. (9mm is typically loaded to more than 30,000 psi.) The bases of your hard-cast bullet probably are not being expanded by that pressure so that they seal the bore. That allows hot gases to blow-by and deform the bullets, and tends to give bad accuracy. It also tends to lead the bore, giving REALLY bad accuracy. Since you said the bullets are tumbling within 10 yards of the muzzle, you should look at the bore for leading to confirm the speculation. If that is your problem, then a stiffer powder charge is the solution. SL1 Last edited by SL1; February 12, 2010 at 11:02 AM.

February 12, 2010, 11:20 AM	#4
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	With that heavy of a bullet, you probably want to push it faster than that. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

February 12, 2010, 10:40 AM	#3
putteral Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2008 Location: Homosassa,Florida Posts: 206	I would also agree. I shoot the 147gr using 4.6grs of Power Pistol and generally seat them between 1.125 -1.13. I have never had a tumble issue.