Pistol reload questions...

[brickeyee]

Must I use a magnum primer in my .357 loads

It depends more on what powder you are using than what caliber you are shooting.

Even in a .357 there are many powders that can use a regular primer.

A few harder to ignite powders can require a magnum primer (especially at low temperatures).

[Lost Sheep]

Originally Posted by govmule84

Howdy, fellas.

My deer gun is a Mosin. To produce good groups (and affordable hunting ammo!) I began reloading last year. I have the process down pretty well, I think, and I use a little Lee whack-a-mole kit. Overjoyed with the results.

I have begun whacking out ammo for my handguns. (One is a .45, and one is a .357)

I have some questions, in no particular order.

Must I use a magnum primer in my .357 loads, or may I sub out small pistol primers? My Lee manual says nothing about it, and my Lyman manual says primer brands may be switched, but what about style?

As mentioned before, some powders want a bigger, longer-lasting flame to ignite them (with reliable consistency) than others. For those, use magnum primers (even in non-magnum loads or cartridge cases). I am told that easy-igniting powders are more consistent (accuracy, velocity, pressure) with standard primers. The cue is in the loading manual. When they name a powder, see if the recommended primer is magnum or standard and stick with it.

Unless, of course, you are experimenting. Then work up your loads in the usual manner and record the performance you get. If you get good performance with a mag primer even though the manual recommends standard, then you have just developed your own "pet" load. Experimentation and gathering and analyzing empirical data is the heart and soul of handloading, as opposed to reloading. It's call "load development". It can be fun.

About switching brands of primers. For some circumstances, they are not to be switched freely. Some primer cups are harder than others and if your firing pin strike is on the light side, hard primers may produce misfires. If you firing pin strike is very strong, you might get an occasional perforation. I believe CCIs are on the hard side of things and Federals are on the soft side (easier to ignite). Find a brand that your gun likes and develop your loads with that brand and stick with it. Of course, most guns can deal with all brands, unless yours is at one end of the spectrum or the other I would not worry about it one bit.

I was prepping brass today, and ran across a fairly new-looking piece of Federal .45 with a SMALL pistol primer. What is this black magic? Can I reload this? Should I toss it? It's a freak, and I don't really need it in with my other brass, unless this is sort of normal and I should just learn to live with it...

I have heard of these small primer cases. Most long-time 45 shooters are disappointed about this complication to our lives. It is just one of those things that we will have to learn to accomodate.

Does anyone know why my <ancient> Ohaus 1010 scale is not even remotely putting up repeatable measurements? I'm a dipper guy thus far - been throwin' my charges by volume - but I'd like to back up my checks by weight. This scale I was given won't put up a zero even repeatably. I checked the little knife edges the scale rides on, and those look like they're in good shape - I just can't get anything even resembling accuracy out of this thing. Any hints?

As suggested before, Ohaus would probably refurbish it economically enough.

If you should decide to toss the 1010, I will pay shipping to send it to me. I have a 1010 that fell off (ok, I knocked it off) my bench and broke the balance beam in two. I might be able to make one working scale from the two broken ones.

My bolt gun is obviously gentle on brass. I have some .45 cases that are marred up a little. How bad can an ejector have dinged a case before you guys toss it? Are there guns out there that are just brass-wasters? Is that OK/normal?

Got pictures?

I had a few pieces of brass that were deformed, so I cut them down to get the deformation out. They are shorter than my case gauge says they should be. In my rifle, I wouldn't worry too much because I know it headspaces off of the rim, but I know .45 headspaces off the case mouth. Is a few thousandths too short problematic, or no?

Yes, BUT. Sometimes the extractor will hold the rim of the "rimless" semi-auto cases well enough to headspace the cartridge. But it is best to toss damaged brass than depend on a non-design feature as haphazard as extractor headspacing.

As always, thank you guys in advance for what I am sure will be excellent advice...

Thanks for asking our advice. And I am serious about the shipping.

Lost Sheep

[govmule84]

I'll do some more researching before I just go mixing things willy-nilly.

And the scale is on its way back to Ohaus.

You guys are great! Thanks!

[dmazur]

missing the check weight

If you're referring to the weight that fits in the center of the leveling foot adjustment screw, this is the "attachment weight" you hang on the little peg on the side of the beam (near the pointer). The little peg is actually a knife-edge, so the distance from the balance point is consistent. The actual weight is 250gr, and it adds 500gr of capacity to the scale, so it can weigh from 500gr-1000gr. (Well, probably 1010gr, counting the drum poise...thus the name of the scale.)

I suppose it could be used as a 250gr check weight...

Here's a link to an old RCBS manual for the 1010 scale, in pdf format -

http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instru...structions.pdf

[govmule84]

As suggested before, Ohaus would probably refurbish it economically enough.

If you should decide to toss the 1010, I will pay shipping to send it to me. I have a 1010 that fell off (ok, I knocked it off) my bench and broke the balance beam in two. I might be able to make one working scale from the two broken ones.

Well, well. I called Ohaus (Lord, that was a trying experience. On permahold forever and a day!), and they told me they cannot fix that scale. I indicated that the RCBS is the same one, and still made by them to this day, and the gal there said she couldn't help me - really rudely. She indicated that she had been there for 25 years, and they'd never offered a lifetime warranty on that scale (I had the warranty card, on original vellum/parchment/old paper in my hand), and then fobbed me off on the tech department. I told her I was more than willing to pay to have mine repaired, I just didn't know how to go about getting that done.

"Hold!"


I said hello politely to the tech fella that picked up, and said, "I hope you can help me! " He said he doubted it. Thanks. The old boy in tech sang the same song, and when I asked to talk to his boss, he apologized for them treating me the way he had. He insisted they never had a lifetime warranty (the warranty card specifies NO time limit), and when I started reading it, after the first four words, he says - verbatim - "Alright, you got us. I'll send you one right out. What's your address?"

No sending in of my scale required. Good customer service, but it took some pushing to get it.

So, Lost Sheep... as soon as my scale arrives, I'll message you and see if we can get some parts together for you.

Fair 'nuff?

[Shootest]

I guess that ^ might be a good reason to buy the one that says RCBS on it.

[Adamantium]

I am glad they finally honored their part of the deal. I have 3-4 times threatened to complain to the BBB, which ironically has gotten me good results even though the BBB has no real power over a company.

[Dan44149]

BBB has amazing power over companies. As a former business owner, I prided in my A+ rating and did everything I could to maintain it. One complaint can cause a huge loss of business. Many people search BBB ratings in deciding on what business to use... if they don't, they are setting themselves up for failure and they are missing out on the benefit of the BBB.

[oldNewbie]

I accidentally loaded several .38 Special rounds with 4.0 grains of Bullseye behind 158-gr. LSWC's (1st time using my new Lee turret press with auto-disk, I messed up and didn't catch it until too late). This is .1 grains over the load given as +P on the Alliant website.

Would it be best that I pull the bullets and do the rounds over, or are they safe enough to shoot in my Taurus 82S?

Thanks in advance for any input,

[dunerjeff]

I agree with the BBB having more power than people think.I had a power washer from a known brand still sold today and its hose had a blowout after a couple months,they said to send $90.00 for a new hose,(it was out of warrantee)I never recieved the hose and the check was cashed by them.they kept saying the hose is on its way and then ,they don't have any record of what I was talking about,1year later no hose,no $90 back,filed complaint with BBB ,two weeks later a brand new hose arrived.

[OkieGentleman]

I just bought a replacement (part of mine got lost in a move) NIB RCBS 5-10 scale for $45 including shipping from E-Bay. Also E-Bay shows 14,322 reloading related items for sale today. Get on and take a look, it takes hours to wade thru the items for bid or sale, but you can do a search to narrow it down to specific items. Many of the items are for sale by companies and they may have more than one for sale at a time.

[Adamantium]

I accidentally loaded several .38 Special rounds with 4.0 grains of Bullseye behind 158-gr. LSWC's (1st time using my new Lee turret press with auto-disk, I messed up and didn't catch it until too late). This is .1 grains over the load given as +P on the Alliant website.

Would it be best that I pull the bullets and do the rounds over, or are they safe enough to shoot in my Taurus 82S?

Thanks in advance for any input,

I know it isn't the technically correct answer, but I would shoot them. 38spl load data is purposely kept on the light side to account for all the old guns chambered in it. Worst case shoot a few and look for pressure signs, but it would really surprise me if you saw them.

[oldNewbie]

I figured I'd shoot a couple, based on the fact that I've shot a large number of +P+ loads through that gun (before I started reloading) with no signs of any problems. But those were jacketed, lighter bullets. I'd like to find more data on the pressures that would be generated with 158-grain lead semi-wadcutters.

Does anyone know of a place where reloaders talk about "experimental" loads they've done?

[dmazur]

Does anyone know of a place where reloaders talk about "experimental" loads they've done?

Valhalla


It's accepted practice to pull loads that are questionable. Then you'll be around to continue shooting.

[Jim243]

Does anyone know of a place where reloaders talk about "experimental" loads they've done?

Here, every load is experimental, that's why you start low and work your way up.

Jim

[oldNewbie]

dmazur - That's exactly what I'm going to do. It's not worth the risk. It might be all right, but it might not, and it's a significant "might not".

[dmazur]

I'll admit my attempt at humor might have been a little misplaced, as I knew what you meant and chose to ignore it ( )

Reloaders with more experience than I have stated that reloading manuals are not absolute, never exceed data. They also say that the reloader must have sufficient experience to feel qualified to work beyond published limits.

Many reloading forums require placement of a warning notice if the poster is talking about such data. Sort of a heads up that experienced folks are talking about some fringe stuff, or perhaps older loads which exceed current maxima, and newer hands should really pay attention if they intend to follow along.

Like this -

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147679

So, in that spirit I suggested that if you were outside published data, you should pull them.

[oldNewbie]

dmazur: So, in that spirit I suggested that if you were outside published data, you should pull them.

I appreciate that. My mind was made up by research that I did, and the fact that I wasn't absolutely sure exactly how many grains of Bullseye were in the loads. I read about metering inconsistencies because of its being a relatively fine powder, and just decided to pull the bullets for three reasons: (a) I really can't afford to blow up my revolver; (b) I don't want to hurt myself or somebody else because I'm too lazy to pull a few tens of bullets and do them over; and (c) it was a mistake I shouldn't have made in the first place.

I could add that (d) trouble finds me easily enough, without my inviting it.