1st Handloads Range Report

[GermanShep]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to let everyone know that I shot my first handloads tonight. I loaded up 100 rounds, and took to the range. I am loading X-treme copper plated 124 gr. round nose bullets loaded to an OACL of 1.150. I plunk tested the rounds on my Beretta 92a1 barrel and my Ruger SR9c barrel but only took the 92a1 tonight. The two loads I tried are as follows:

1) 4.4 gr Unique
2) 5.0 gr. HS-6

I gathered load data from as many sources I could find and pretty much took the average starting charge for cast lead bullets and used that as my starting point. Neither load functioned flawlessly (which was what I expected). My thoughts on the loads:

The Unique loads were mild recoiling relative to the WWB that I was also shooting tonight. I occasionally got flakes of unburned powder back in my face, but the load didnt seem extremely dirty either. I had 4 FTF out of 50 rounds. Side Note: I had a little more trouble throwing accurate charges with the Unique compared to the HS-6.

The HS-6 loads were extremely mild recoiling, as in it felt like shooting one of my .22s. They didnt even produce enough energy to properly cycle the slide, so I ended up doing my tap/rack malfunction drill after each shot. I shot about 20 of these and not a one functioned properly. This powder did meter quite well in my RCBS Uniflow however.

My plan going forward is to work up each powder with a progressively increasing charge (0.2 gr increments) until I achieve reliability. Upon reaching a charge that will properly run my guns, I will then evaluate the loads based on accuracy. I will obviously be careful as I work-up the loads and be aware of signs of overpressure and the like.

What do you guys think? Were these loads reasonable starting points? Thoughts/concerns/opinions are always welcome. I have learned a lot on this forum and really appreciate any feedback that those that have come before me have to offer!

[Nick_C_S]

Great report. Glad it was fun. Learning something you enjoy doing is always fun. A lot of us loaders load for the sake of loading - it's so darn much fun.

As soon as I saw 5.0g HS-6, I thought: "He's gonna need more powder."

So I'm gonna speak to the HS-6. (I don't load Unique - it's great powder; I just don't use it.) I use HS-6 extensively - for 357Mag, 44Mag, 45ACP, & 9mm. I have a lot of experience with it. It's good stuff, but likes to be loaded up pretty good. It's the dirtiest powder I've ever used, and it's the cleanest powder I've ever used - just depends on how it's loaded. Now this phenomenon doesn't manifest itself in 9mm so much however - it's more of a magnum thing. But I digress:

HS-6 is a great powder for beginners. It meters well (as you mentioned). It gives feedback (the dirty/clean thing). And it's forgiving. It is not prone to pressure spiking. Although it often doesn't make bullets go as fast as it's medium-speed peers (AA5, Unique, Power Pistol, 3N37, Silhouette), it makes up for in excellent velocity consistency and accuracy when it's loaded in its sweet spot. And it just so happens that it really likes 124g 9mm bullets.

My 124g (JHP) recipe with HS-6 is 6.3g's. A good deal more than 5.0g's Mine yields 1033fps and there's still lots of headroom to continue working it up - and I will. Speer #14 peaks out at 6.7g's, and I bet I can go beyond that - not that I will necessarily - just sayin'. I loaded up a batch at 6.5g's; scheduled to be chronographed next week.

At any rate, I would recommend coming way up from your 5.0g's. One thing HS-6 doesn't like, is being downloaded. I think this is because it doesn't ignite easily. It ignites better when it has just about filled the case. It tends to be inconsistent when there's a lot of airspace in the case. The further it gets to the upper end of its load window, the happier it is. For your next HS-6 loading, I would recommend Speer #14's starting point of 6.0g's. You'll really come to appreciate HS-6 when you load it the way it wants to be loaded. You'll have a good, stout round, that's really consistent and accurate. A load recipe to be proud of.

[Sevens]

What seems to be the most obvious missing piece of data here is what it felt like to take your own hand-crafted ammo and get the chance to shoot it! For many (most?) of us, it's at least a minor epiphany.

As far as your load data, I am not near most of my data sources, so I can't comment on what those charges look or "sound" like. However, I hear something I don't care for much, and I'll tell you what I say that.

Loading an Xtreme plated bullet, you said:

I gathered load data from as many sources I could find and pretty much took the average starting charge for cast lead bullets

Most of the plated bullet makers offer no actual loading data or specific loading recipes, but many of them say things like "mid-range" and things of that nature.

But I can tell you from experience that -NO- plated handgun bullet will -EVER- push through a bore in a manner similar to a cast lead bullet, and I think it's poor idea to treat them that way. Lead bullets offer far less resistance in a bore, and plated bullets put you in a lousy position to stick a bullet in a bore if you are a bit too cautious with your load data.

This comes from a guy who has loaded and fired tens of thousands of plated bullets (mostly Berry's, but also Frontier, Extreme, Ranier and some others) and also from a guy who went far, far, far too cautious and stuck a Berry's bullet in the bore of one of his absolute prized revolvers. To this day, it's still the worst mistake I've ever made at the load bench... which isn't too bad considering the years & round count I've logged, but was STILL entirely my fault. Great bullet and I purchase them three thousand or more at a time, but don't load them like they are lead.


Some slick work with the search engine could find that I've posted (dozens of times) with advice in using plated handgun bullets -- and leaning MUCH more in the direction of jacketed, and FAR away from any manner of a light cast lead load.

For more reasons than anyone needs to hear... you don't want to stick a bullet.

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Good to know there was no other apparent issue on your first loads other than being too light.

Good thing nick has some extended experience with the HS-6, nothing like good information to get you over the hurdle. I am sure you will have much better results on the second batch. Just a part of reloading is getting the load that performs well.

I hear a lot of good things about HS-6 but my experience with it is limited.

Let us know how well the second batch goes!

[Nick_C_S]

But I can tell you from experience that -NO- plated handgun bullet will -EVER- push through a bore in a manner similar to a cast lead bullet, and I think it's poor idea to treat them that way.

Great point Sevens. GermanShep: Heed Sevens' advice. I failed to pick up on that (shame on me). Your loads are very light - first lesson learned. And that's okay. Keep smiling. Your next trip out will be even more fun.

In the case of 9mm, I simply treat plated as if they're jacketed - I consider them virtually interchangeable. Case in point: my above example of my HS-6 loading is with a JHP, but I made no mention of "conversion factors" or whatever, from jacketed to plated.

(I have some 10mm plated bullets - Berry's 180g FP - that I won't load to the top of the scale. But other than that, I consider them jacketed. And if I were loading them for 40Cal, instead of 10mm, I'd probably think of them just like 9mm - interchangeable.)

[jersurf101]

Sounds like you learned some things which is a good thing in this hobby. I have used plated bullets in .38 , .357 and .40SW. It seems that the starting data for jacketed rounds tend to be good for plated bullets.

I have never used HS-6 but I use a lot of Unique and while it meters poorly for me I like how Unique performs. I get decent velocity with mild recoil. Auto pistols are not that bad to clean so "dirty" burning powders don't hurt as much.

[GermanShep]

Lead bullets offer far less resistance in a bore, and plated bullets put you in a lousy position to stick a bullet in a bore if you are a bit too cautious with your load data.

That got my attention real quick Sevens. Good info to know, I guess I took "caution" too far and actually made what I intended to be a light, safe, forgiving first load into something potentially troublesome. Thank you! Lesson learned! I will also be looking through those old threads because I have been somewhat frustrated with trying to find data for plated bullets. As for how it felt, well....it was awesome. My motivation to get into reloading was to learn about this completely new to me aspect of the shooting sports while getting to shoot more on the limited budget of a student. I felt more a part of the process and more "in tune" with the feedback the gun was giving me as I was shooting.

As soon as I saw 5.0g HS-6, I thought: "He's gonna need more powder."

Yeah, I guess that should have been obvious to me as well. I think I got the bright idea to only load 5.0 gr from Lymans 49th data for cast lead bullets.I guess I was just being overly cautious since it was my first time. The data that you quoted is going to be a big help as I make the necessary changes. Like you recommended, I will probably jump up to 6.0 gr and see how that performs.

HS-6 is a great powder for beginners. It meters well (as you mentioned). It gives feedback (the dirty/clean thing). And it's forgiving. It is not prone to pressure spiking

The ease of metering is a huge plus in my opinion already. I just feel more comfortable knowing I am getting consistent throws of powder, even though at this stage I am still weighing each charge before it goes into the case.

I'm very excited about the progress I made tonight and am not discouraged at all. I tend to be someone who likes "the process" and don't mind taking my time to figure out what works best for my purposes. I just hope I'm not wearing out my welcome, asking all of these basic questions! I appreciate each and every person who is taking the time to read and reply! Keep 'em coming!

[Nick_C_S]

I've used Unique. But it's been quite a few years. It's big and flaky, so it doesn't meter well. And because it's a flake powder, it's also more liable to pressure spike than HS-6. It's good stuff though - makes bullets go fast. If I did load with it, I'd tend to use it for 357 Mag, and probably 45ACP. I think I'd steer away from it in 9mm. The case is too small - exacerbating the pressure spike thing. I think of it as a slightly faster Power Pistol.

Speer #14's starting point for 124g/Unique is 5.2g's. I'd go there next. It maxes at 5.8g's.

So if I were GermanShep, after I got both the Unique and HS-6 shooting good and consistent, if I wanted to play around a little with working up a load to fairly hot, I'd use the HS-6. It's more forgiving - quite a bit more, actually. But that's a bit down the road. This is one hobby to not rush.

So get the Unique shooting right (running clean, cycling) - and I bet you're going to find that in the 5.2g and 5.5g neighborhood. And leave it. Call that recipe "set."

[GermanShep]

I think I'd steer away from it in 9mm. The case is too small - exacerbating the pressure spike thing

This makes me a little leery of Unique given its somewhat inconsistent metering. I would like to get to a point where I trust my process enough to where I can only be weighing one of every 5 or even 10 charges. So to me, metering is very high on my list of priorities.

I think my next loading session is going to focus on the HS-6. I liked its handling properties and have heard a lot of positive things about this powder.
When i was trying to find powders, I was having trouble at first but happened to be in another town and stopped by a smaller local shop that was quite well stocked with reloading components. I grabbed a pound each of Unique, HS-6, and HP-38 because those were the powders that seemed to always come up on the boards here. I'd like to try out the HP-38, which to my understanding is very nearly identical to the famed W-231. My goal is to optimize loads for these 3 powders before I do much branching out to other types.

[Nick_C_S]

I'm very excited about the progress I made tonight and am not discouraged at all.

As you should be excited. Today was a big day. I'm glad I only had revolvers to load for when I first started - they're easier. Much easier.

Loading is a great hobby for those with the right mindset. And you're probably one of them. As am I, and probably most others reading this. I have a saying I coined years ago:

"I started loading so I could shoot more; and found myself shooting so I could load more."

It's a hobby in and of itself. My wife (who doesn't get the whole gun thing, but is supportive) will sometimes stick her head out into the garage and ask: "Are you in production, or playing 'mad scientist'?" Meaning: "Are you loading your usual stuff, or creating/working on new recipes?" I guess you'd have to be there

We enjoy chatting with the like-minded; and are helpful where we can be. It's all good.

[Sevens]

It's a hobby in and of itself.

I feel very much the same way... and for a good long while.

To my actual failure, I'll recap the details of it, with where I feel I went wrong.

Was maybe 5 or so years ago, I could find it in my log (no access to it at the moment.) I was running the Berry's 158gr plated FP in .38 Special brass, to be fired from my six-inch S&W 686. I was using Hercules Green Dot. (powder perfectly good, but yeah, Hercules, that I had bought in the early 90s)

The actual charge weight I don't have (it's in the log) but it was too light a charge and ALL of the ones I did shoot before THAT one did fire and exit the revolver. However, one didn't and ended the 686's shooting session that day.

I was metering charges from my Hornady measure, which I've since swapped out for a Lyman 55 that beats it for consistency in every single way I've compared them. I believe I dropped one charge just a bit lighter than the rest... but make no mistake, the load was ill-conceived from the get-go. Running a mousefart .38 load in revolver spec'd for a .357 (twice the allowable max pressure) was silly in retrospect.

Nothing wrong with making and shooting light loads, but this load was FAR too reserved. Instead of being careless or reckless, I was being too cautious and stuck one. I'm sure having the revolver's flash gap also released some pressure that would have otherwise helped me to expel that slug.

On the good side, I noticed the failed round and stopped immediately. No hole in the target and noise that didn't sound right. Getting that slug out was a horrendous exercise. If you have a beater barrel or trashed gun laying around, tap a lead slug through it -- then try to pound a plated one for comparison. Your eyes will go this wide:

That old Hercules Green Dot? As I said, powder was perfectly good. I recently developed a new load for a different bullet to finally use up the 3 lbs of it I had. I made thousands of rounds out of it, just finishing it up a month or so ago.

[GermanShep]

Interesting, I didn't know that there was such a great difference in barrel friction between lead and copper plated projectiles.

I was metering charges from my Hornady measure, which I've since swapped out for a Lyman 55 that beats it for consistency in every single way I've compared them. I believe I dropped one charge just a bit lighter than the rest

question related to this statement: I am using and RCBS Uniflow and weighing charges with the RCBS 505 balance beam scale, cross checking with the cheap Hornady Digital scale. How much charge weight precision should I be trying to achieve with this set up? If I'm throwing 5.0 gr charges of say....Unique, is the occasional 5.2 worth worrying about? How about 5.4? I'm only using Unique as an example. As long as I stay below max. how important are these types of variations? So far I'm being dumping and re-measuring charges that vary by more than +/- 0.1 gr.....

[Nick_C_S]

This makes me a little leery of Unique given its somewhat inconsistent metering. I would like to get to a point where I trust my process enough to where I can only be weighing one of every 5 or even 10 charges.

Unique is not that unforgiving. Basically, flake powders are energetic. And they tend to bite soon after the bark, so to speak. BUT - it's also relative. Unique is still a medium speed powder - it's not Bullseye. The powder's relative speed is a bigger factor in pressure spiking than its type. That said, flake powders are a little more persnickity than their ball or flattened ball (like HS-6) counterparts.

The three powders I would shy from as a beginner is Bullseye, Red Dot, and W231 (also sold as HP-38). In my experience, they are the most spikey powders. But - get this - W231 is my favorite all-time powder. I use it more than any other powder. However, I don't play 'mad scientist' with it. I have recipes and I load to them - and that's it. And I won't use it in 357 Mag at all. I'll spare you the details. I just won't do it any more.

Red Dot as left my 357 mag brass in splinters. That stuff is real spikey. It goes from no signs of pressure to ten claws, four fangs, and an attitude, real quick.

Bullseye looks a lot like Unique - I consider it it's faster brother. I've never run into trouble with Bullseye, but I've never given it a reason to. Knowing it's faster than Red Dot, I had the above experience to just use it for target rounds and not pet it the wrong way.

What these three powders have in common is that they are for target rounds. And I'll say that 231 is also for slightly hotter general purpose rounds - it's a little different than the other two. (Actually, Red Dot is a shotgun powder. But in the pistol world, it's used for target rounds.)

Okay, I've taken the long way around here - sorry. Point is, Unique is a tame pussycat compared to other powders. And I wouldn't hesitate using a powder hopper on any of them. As long as you're using them for their intended purpose, there's plenty of "headroom" for the hopper to throw the occasional heavy charge without worry. Bullseye meters like Unique and I use it all the time - it's excellent stuff, for its intended purpose.

When you're working up loads and you may be getting near the top of the scale: sure, weigh them individually. That's prudent.

Another technique I do is once I got a recipe I'm happy with "set," I'll load a few rounds 2/10th's more. And those, I weigh by hand. I'll shoot a couple of these - just to make sure I have some headroom built into the "set" round. Sometimes, it goes the other way too: I'll work up a load and decide it was better a couple 1/10th's lower - in that case, I already know I have the safety headroom.

[JustSomeGuy]

Like Sevens said, HS6 is a pretty forgiving powder that likes to be pushed. It likes enough pressure to burn cleanly and you can achieve that with plenty of headroom. The two most popular powders used by the "gun gamers" who shoot 9mm Major (not recommended!) are HS6 and Silhouette, both ball powders that measure extremely well and are very "linear". Linear powders are those that will give an expected increase in velocity for a measured increase in powder up to and even past the "recommended maximum" load. That is... they are not spikey, and as such are very good powders for those who are new to reloading or experimenting with unknown components. With 124grn bullets you will find, I think, that HS6 begins to get clean and runs the gun well at about 1050fps or so (though 1100fps is better), and can be used up to 1200fps and somewhat beyond and still stay in the "safe" range of pressures. Personally I prefer Silhouette for use in a lot of calibers but HS6 would not put me off if that was what I could get.

[Nick_C_S]

I am using and RCBS Uniflow and weighing charges with the RCBS 505 balance beam scale, cross checking with the cheap Hornady Digital scale. How much charge weight precision should I be trying to achieve with this set up?

My powder hopper is an RCBS. Not sure if it's a Uniflow (it might be). It's whatever they put in the kit when I bought it in June 1984 lol. I have complete confidence in it.

In my 1984 kit, also came a "510" scale. They don't make them any more. It's the size of the 505, but the balance beam looks more like the 1010. It's a better scale than the 505; but only because it's easier to use (like the 1010). It's no more accurate than the 505 though.

Can't speak on the Hornady digital scale. Other than to say, if your cross checking has been yielding the same results, then you know the Hornady scale is accurate. We already knew the RCBS scale was accurate. (As long as it's on a reasonably level surface, and it's been treated like the delicate instrument that it is.)

Okay, there's that. Now let's answer your question :P

My powder hopper rarely throws charges outside +/- 0.02g. And that is plenty accurate for my (and your) application. Unless you're loading rounds right on the jagged edge of absolute maximum pressure, your Uniflow should throw plenty accurate for safety - with accuracy to spare. I think you can relax a little in this area (not that there was anything wrong with proceeding with caution - if you're comfortable weighing every throw right now, do it).

Now, a technique a lot of match shooters do, is throw an intentionally light charge with the hopper, put in on the scale, then finish off the desired charge weight with a powder trickler (do you have a powder trickler?).

I myself have never been in a competition where I needed to be that accurate. I've got rounds where I can shoot the eyebrow off a gnat at 15 yards - from hopper-thrown ammo.

[g.willikers]

All very good advice, for sure.
A commonality among new reloaders is being so conservative at first that they cause themselves needless problems.
You can trust the reloading manuals, you know.
They were developed by experts.
No need to tread so lightly.
Have a little faith.
Enjoy your new and very useful hobby.

[Nick_C_S]

A commonality among new reloaders is being so conservative at first that they cause themselves needless problems.

^^ Yes, very true. ^^

But it's better than the other side of the coin - like me 30 years ago (29 years, 4 months, & 23 days, to be exact - but who's counting ).

I started with a recklessness deserving of 3 destroyed guns. Amazingly, I still have those guns. And they still operate flawlessly - but only because they're good guns; not because I was a good loader. That's for darn sure. I was 21 years old and approached the craft like I was 10 feet tall and bullet proof.

I went out and bought Bullseye, Red Dot, Unique, and Blue Dot (I gravitated toward Hercules {now Alliant} powders for some reason). I proceeded to load most of them starting near the top of the scale, and went up from there. For whatever reason, I didn't take a lot of chances with B'eye or Unique; but I did stupid things with both Red and Blue Dots. I made BD loadings that filled the case to the top. Craziness. But by the grace of God I did not have to pay a heavy price for my stupidity. I was a lucky young man.

I'm much older (29y, 4m, 23d to be exact ) and wiser now. I don't know nearly as much as some people here on TFL (57K, Unclenick, immediately come to mind). But I do know enough to keep myself out of trouble. What to focus on, what to "set n forget," what chances can be taken, what chances aren't worth the risks; and what a "realistic goal" looks like; and what it doesn't. I also know that I am human and complacency is a seasoned loader's worst enemy. Never get "too big for your britches," because this craft will set you straight without mercy. And I used my "get out of jail free card" almost 3 decades ago.

[GermanShep]

My powder hopper rarely throws charges outside +/- 0.02g.

That seems to be extremely precise from what I have read! Do you possibly mean +/-0.2 gr? I just ask because that is an order of magnitude more precise than what I have gotten with HS-6 out of my uniflow? Or maybe it is the 30 years of experience you have on me Just wondering....

I don't have a powder trickle at this time, though I have been considering getting one.

You can trust the reloading manuals, you know.
They were developed by experts.

Haha, very true. I guess I am lucky that my overly cautious nature didn't get me in trouble this time. Thanks!

[Nick_C_S]

Uhh, yeah - I popped an extra zero in there. Sorry. +/- 0.2g. I read a lot of posts where people complain about the accuracy of their hopper's throws. Me, I just don't have that problem. I mean, Bullseye is a kind of large flakes and since I usually use it in the 3.0g range, its throws can make my scale wiggle around a little bit, but that's about the only issues I have worth mentioning. I've also been meaning to ask/confirm: RCBS's hoppers have a large and small capacity cylinder for them. Are you using the small one?

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/917...assembly-small

Because if you're using the large one, I can see where accuracy will suffer - the large one is designed for large rifle applications.

You should get a powder trickle. They're a must for those who - even occasionally - measure charges individually. This is the one I have (slightly different, due to 30 years of design advancements). And they're even on sale right now lol:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/169...der-trickler-2

Yes, manuals were developed by experts and you should trust them. They were all approved by lawyers, so you should really trust them lol. Or, at least you should know that would tend to error on the side of caution.

[GermanShep]

I popped an extra zero in there. Sorry. +/- 0.2g.

No worries, makes me feel like I am in the ballpark because that is spread I have been getting as well.

RCBS's hoppers have a large and small capacity cylinder for them. Are you using the small one?

Wow, I had no idea that there was a smaller cylinder made by RCBS. I just have the one that came with the RockChucker Supreme Kit which I believe is the standard cylinder. I will have to look into the smaller one because as of right now I only load pistol calibers. Thanks!

A powder trickle would probably be a good investments as well, I found myself having to remeasure throws when they were slightly light. It would be nice to just add a tenth or two as needed.

Is it advisable to sort brass by headstamp before loading? I have heard that with the relatively small case volume of the 9mm, that different companies cases can have variances in volume that may or may not be significant.

[Brian Pfleuger]

No need to sort brass by headstamp.

Alliant shows 5.8gr max load with 124gr Gold Dot at 1.120". That would make the starting load 5.2gr.

If I were you, I'd bump that load up to no less than 5.0gr.

Welcome to the world of reloading. You are free at last.

[Sevens]

Is it advisable to sort brass by headstamp before loading?

I absolutely do, all the time. I wouldn't say that it's a "safety concern", although it could be, in one way.

I do it because I like the consistency in the feel in my press lever when I'm seating and/or applying a crimp on my rounds, and the biggest variable in that equation, by far, is the brass. So I absolutely sort all of my brass, all the time.

The safety issue? Well, it's long been my argument that at least a share of the kabooms that do seem to happen to folks can be related to unnoticed and/or unintended bullet setback. Without the proper amount of case neck tension and in concert with a projectile constructed on the thin side of allowable tolerance and you can end up with ammo that is prone to bullet setback, which can raise internal pressures exponentially.

That's part of what the "RIGHT" feedback in my press lever gives me directly -- the knowledge and confidence that I'm producing consistent ammunition, and especially with regard to proper bullet pull.

Certainly, I am not saying that if you load all your ammo with a United Nations array of headstamps, you'll have bullet setback & eventual KB. I'm not saying that.

But my process helps me to guard against those inconsistencies.

[GermanShep]

Well, I am about to get going on another batch! Moving on up to 5.0 gr Unique and 6.0 gr HS-6. Trying to decide how many rounds to make of each because last time I made 50 rounds of way underpowered HS-6 rounds and ended up having to you the puller on 40 of them. I will be using the same CCI SPPs and X-treme 124 gr plated projectiles.
I'm gonna be using some once fired brass that I cleaned up using a Harbor Freight rock tumbler and SS pins. Still trying to work out a mix of dawn and lemmi-shine that gets my cases clean without leaving them slightly discolored after drying.
I think I will sort out the headstamps and use all of the same kind for consistency. I'm also going to try out the Lee factory crimp die that came with my 4 die set. I'm pretty excited to get a load nailed down for HS-6 and Unique, but from all my research I have been learning about more and more powders I want to try...baby steps I keep telling myself.

Okay, enough rambling. Just wanted to update with my progress! Thanks again everyone!

[Sevens]

Tip: Make 15 or so rounds of whatever you deem to be a start charge.

Then, make 15 more of the same load, except 0.3gr heavier charge.
Then, 15 more, 0.3gr heavier than the last.
Repeat this method until you reach your own pre-set "maximum", which, for a beginning handloader, is likely going to be somewhere UNDER what the data source listed as a maximum charge.

Take THIS ammo to the range. The first couple, simply check for SAFETY. Examine the spent brass. Ensure a bullet left the bore, etc. Then a few more rounds to make sure they cycled the pistol well.

Then grab the warmer ones... repeat.
Even warmer ones... you get the drill!

[Nick_C_S]

I just have the one that came with the RockChucker Supreme Kit which I believe is the standard cylinder.

Yeah, if you have the one in the kit, it's probably the large. Back when I bought my kit, they came with both. The cylinders are rather expensive to produce, so I can see why they only come with one these days.

You need the small cylinder. I would consider it imperative. (Come to think of it, maybe this is why I read so many posts of inconsistent powder throws, and I never seem to have a problem with it.)