The Firing Line Forums

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

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old August 29, 2013, 03:19 PM   #1
gun-nut
Member
 
Join Date: December 15, 2008
Location: new hampshire
Posts: 31
good low/mid range loads for plated bullets

I've been looking for low/mid loads for 357 with berrys plated 158gr rn. I've been using blue dot cuz it's what i have on hand. I'm heading to a gun show this wknd to see about getting faster powders. Also, this "faster" powder will be used on other calibers 9, 45acp once the right gun fits my hand "just" right. I have always used jacketed bullets so i have BD & 300-mp on hand, but these push plated a little fast. Downloading BD to 8.5gr puts them in @ 1075fps, which is ok but, it's downloaded and i feel it's got erratic qualities.
gun-nut is offline  
Old August 29, 2013, 06:52 PM   #2
boondocker385
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 6, 2013
Posts: 640
700x works for nice midrange loads....not too dirty either.
boondocker385 is offline  
Old August 29, 2013, 08:07 PM   #3
spacecoast
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 14, 2009
Location: Sunshine and Keystone States
Posts: 4,461
5.4 grains of Titegroup is a nice easy load for that bullet. Good luck finding powder.
spacecoast is offline  
Old August 29, 2013, 10:22 PM   #4
Nick_C_S
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 21, 2013
Location: Idaho
Posts: 5,510
In the "fast" range, I use Bullseye, Win 231, & AA2 (from fast to slower). They're all good powders but have their own personality.

Bullseye is fast fast fast. It is strictly a target load powder and is used by most in 38 Spl wadcutters and the like at least 90% of the time. I am no exception.

Winchester 231 seems to perform quite well in 45 ACP applications. My primary target round is 5.0g w/ 200g LSWC. And I have many jacketed loadings that use W231 in 45 as well. I also use 231 a lot with 38 semi-wadcutters - 158g, LSWC; 4.0g. I use it a lot in 9mm too. But it's most comfortable in the 45 auto, I think. It doesn't seem to like 357 Mag for some reason. I get pressure problems on the low end of the manuals' recommendations - so I just stopped loading it for 357.

I have the least experience with AA2, but it seems to do really nice with 357 Mag. Surprisingly, 8.0g w/ 125g JHP yields about 1100 fps through a 3" bbl, and does so with minimal flash. I use it for other stuff too; and will continue to experiment with it. One thing I noticed about AA2 - and this is difficult to describe - but it seems to be more forgiving than B'eye and 231. Its little bit of extra "slowness" seems to make it where it's a lot less likely to pressure spike. AA2 is a good powder. I like it a lot so far. And it meters better than ANY powder I've ever used - hands down.
__________________
Gun control laws benefit only criminals and politicians - but then, I repeat myself.
Life Member, National Rifle Association
Nick_C_S is offline  
Old August 29, 2013, 10:31 PM   #5
Nick_C_S
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 21, 2013
Location: Idaho
Posts: 5,510
With 158's, you might want to consider "medium" speed powders. The two I use is HS-6 and AA5. They bear no resemblance to each-other.

HS-6 is great powder but it needs to be loaded up higher in the pressure range, or it burns dirty. Real dirty. I use it for 45 ACP a lot for high-performance rounds, but it took some time tweaking the recipes to get the loads to burn clean. But those clean loads also yield some rockin' rounds.

AA5 is much cleaner and versatile. And since you're loading 357, if you find some, grab it. Good stuff. You can load lead 158's as (realistically) hot as you'll ever need them. Meters really well too - second only to it's faster brother, AA2.
__________________
Gun control laws benefit only criminals and politicians - but then, I repeat myself.
Life Member, National Rifle Association
Nick_C_S is offline  
Old August 29, 2013, 10:42 PM   #6
57K
Junior member
 
Join Date: March 2, 2013
Location: Heart of Texas
Posts: 788
True Blue www.ramshot.com
57K is offline  
Old August 29, 2013, 10:47 PM   #7
Nick_C_S
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 21, 2013
Location: Idaho
Posts: 5,510
(I keep chiming in with separate posts because I'm at work lol)

Yes, Blue Dot is finicky. For a slow powder, it's prone to pressure spikes and can react counter-intuitively. I can't believe 30 years ago, when I first started loading, I cut my teeth with Blue Dot - and didn't blow up any of my guns. Just lucky, I guess. Anyway, if loaded properly, I'm sure BD good powder - great, in some applications, actually. I didn't mean to knock it, but I'll stick with Power Pistol, thank you :-)

When you find a new powder, let us know what you got. If you have a specific powder, I'm sure many will share load data for it.
__________________
Gun control laws benefit only criminals and politicians - but then, I repeat myself.
Life Member, National Rifle Association
Nick_C_S is offline  
Old August 30, 2013, 12:56 AM   #8
gun-nut
Member
 
Join Date: December 15, 2008
Location: new hampshire
Posts: 31
Your prolly right about not finding powder. I've got fingers crossed that i come up with something. Wouldn't mama just love it "if" i came home with a new noise maker?
gun-nut is offline  
Old August 30, 2013, 01:18 AM   #9
Hammerhead
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 31, 2004
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 2,432
Quote:
With 158's, you might want to consider "medium" speed powders.
I agree.
My pet load with 158 grain plated bullets is 6.5 grains of SR-4756 and a magnum primer. Should be right around 950-1,000 fps. HS-6 works well, but is very dirty. SR-4756 is super clean. No greasy residue on the gun and no unburned powder. Meters well too.

My old favorite was Universal, but I don't think you're going to find that.
Hammerhead is offline  
Old August 30, 2013, 02:43 AM   #10
iraiam
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 6, 2012
Location: Lakewood, CO
Posts: 1,057
CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond or not covered by currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.


I use SR 7625 for 158 grain lead mid range loads, I use it at up to MAX 6.7 grains of powder under a 158 grain lead bullet.

If I want the same bullet with more power I switch to a H110 or WC 820 recipe.
__________________
NRA Lifetime Member Since 1999

"I ask, sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people except for a few public officials." George Mason
iraiam is offline  
Old August 30, 2013, 05:36 AM   #11
WESHOOT2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 20, 1999
Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country)
Posts: 14,324
Hodgdon Universal (try a start of 5.2g under that plated 158g).

Works well in 9x19 and 45 ACP, too.
__________________
.
"all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"
WESHOOT2 is offline  
Old August 31, 2013, 03:39 PM   #12
gun-nut
Member
 
Join Date: December 15, 2008
Location: new hampshire
Posts: 31
got back from the gun show........I scored some unique & power pistol. Prolly found it cuz when the doors opened @ 9am, I was already walking with it bagged by 9:10. In those 10 mins, I heard more of the "i have this.... got it for that $"...etc. While trying these newly acquired propellents, will it make a big difference if I use std primer vs mag primer? Remember these are berrys plated 158gr RN, so sub-1200fps.
gun-nut is offline  
Old August 31, 2013, 04:34 PM   #13
spacecoast
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 14, 2009
Location: Sunshine and Keystone States
Posts: 4,461
Stick with standard primers if you have them, magnums are needed for hard-to-ignite powders like H110. But if you have no standard primers, it's OK to use magnum primers.
spacecoast is offline  
Old September 1, 2013, 06:55 AM   #14
WESHOOT2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 20, 1999
Location: home on the range; Vermont (Caspian country)
Posts: 14,324
Both Unique and Power Pistol will work with either type primer for your intended loads.
__________________
.
"all my ammo is mostly retired factory ammo"
WESHOOT2 is offline  
Old September 1, 2013, 07:40 AM   #15
gun-nut
Member
 
Join Date: December 15, 2008
Location: new hampshire
Posts: 31
Thanks for your inputs guys.
gun-nut is offline  
Old September 1, 2013, 04:54 PM   #16
Brutus
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 11, 2005
Posts: 1,023
Asked this question before. Since Berry's or Rainier plated bullets have no crimping groove do you use a taper crimp die with them?
Brutus is offline  
Old September 1, 2013, 05:31 PM   #17
ROSW
Junior Member
 
Join Date: July 15, 2013
Posts: 8
My understanding is a taper crimp is not for a bullet with a crimp groove. A taper crimp's purpose is to remove the case flare typically needed for plated bullets. Only bullets with a groove require a roll crimp.
ROSW is offline  
Old September 1, 2013, 05:36 PM   #18
spacecoast
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 14, 2009
Location: Sunshine and Keystone States
Posts: 4,461
Quote:
Since Berry's or Rainier plated bullets have no crimping groove do you use a taper crimp die with them?
I never have (use std. roll crimp), but I don't crimp them hard either. They are made for light to medium loads where recoil isn't likely to knock them loose anyway.
spacecoast is offline  
Old September 1, 2013, 06:39 PM   #19
gun-nut
Member
 
Join Date: December 15, 2008
Location: new hampshire
Posts: 31
I finally broke down & got a bullet puller. I fitted an EMPTY cartridge w/bullet seated and crimped, then pulled it to check the crimp. Glad to see a 'light' ring around the plating and not 'cut thru' like i've read others have done. I did load up a few test rounds with both unique and power pistol. I only chronoed them to check velocity (good light plinker speed). Now to load up a couple cylinder fulls to watch the 'grouping'. Another great reason to bring the kids shooting
gun-nut is offline  
Old September 1, 2013, 08:55 PM   #20
Hammerhead
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 31, 2004
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 2,432
Quote:
Asked this question before. Since Berry's or Rainier plated bullets have no crimping groove do you use a taper crimp die with them?
With auto rounds I use a taper crimp. With revolver rounds I use a profile (roll) crimp. I set the crimper down until I see the bullet deform slightly at the case mouth, what I would call a medium crimp.
Recovered bullets show a crease in the plating at the crimp, but I've never seen any peeling or cutting.
Hammerhead 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 06:58 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 0.09860 seconds with 8 queries