Trying a new 357 load

[Joh]

148 gr. S w c lead, 452aa power 5.5 gr. , c c I 500, 1.440 o.a.l. . It shoots good. I have a g p 100 , 6 inch.

[mehavey]

6" Roger GP-100

148g SWC Cast
452AA Powder*
CCI 500 Primers
OAL 1.44"

* Where did you get that old powder? and where did the load
data come from? (Last I saw data was some 35 years ago)

[Joh]

The power came from a man I new that passed away. And the load came from his books. All I found some info on it on another site. Why?

[mehavey]

Always checking-6 on load data and its sources
(especially for powders that old/no longer in production)

Can you tell us the publications/books the loads came from?
(or just internet entries)

[Joh]

Mostly from the man that died. From his work. This man left me a lot of old powers that has never been opened. Unique, E3, super light, 473aa, rex, 452aa, and green dot.

[gwpercle]

The great thing about Unique and Green Dot ... they have been in production a long time , are still in production and there is plenty of proven data in loading manuals .

E3 , Super Light and Rex are powders I am not familiar with ...
Gary

[mehavey]

Win "super light" powder disappeared decades(?) ago.
"REX" powder is Hungarian -- also disappeared about a decade ago
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads...r-data.845145/

[Hammerhead]

452aa has such a great reputation I would try it as well.

[Jim Watson]

452AA was a good powder, but it has been out of production for years and years.
Use up what you have, but don't send us out looking for more because it isn't there.

[Joh]

Thanks. I have 2 lbs of it. And what I have read on the net that trap 100 is the same power?? Have 1 lb. Of it.

[Jim Watson]

I also have read that Trap 100 is AA452 with Hodgdon label.

[Unclenick]

Joh,

Just to confirm, you actually have a 148-grain Swc, and not a full wadcutter? I ask, because 148 grains is a standard WC (wadcutter) weight, while 158 grains is a common SWC (semi-wadcutter) length.

[rclark]

452AA was a good powder, but it has been out of production for years and years.

Yep. That said, I was just going through Taffin's newest 'Book of the .44 Caliber' recently and it has 452AA listed in his load tables.

[Joh]

You can call these s wc or wc I think. They came from the 60s or 70s.

[Unclenick]

Yeah, it looks like a semi-wadcutter that hasn't reached puberty. I believe that's actually meant to be a form of wadcutter. Some started adding little extended tips when bull's-eye shooters were favoring the S&W m.52. It was an attempt to improve semi-auto feeding.

Regardless of the bullet name, being 148 grains and seated most of the way into the case, you will want to use load data intended for wadcutters to be sure it is safe in the available powder space under the bullet.

[Nick_C_S]

I believe it is called a "button nose" wadcutter.

As a die-hard 38 Special guy, I've loaded a lot of wadcutters of many types. This design is no exception. Not a fan though, because they don't quite cut as clean of a hole in paper as a standard wadcutter. And I don't have a model 52.

[Unclenick]

Time for more investment in your collection then?

Yeah, it's not too unlike a short-nosed version of the jacketed match bullets made for 45 Auto. Technically, they are SWC's but some don't look like it exactly. They don't cut perfect holes either. I know someone who loaded swaged lead 45 SWC's backward and with a fair amount of the bearing surface sticking out for a model 25 revolver to get clean holes. It seemed to work.

[Nick_C_S]

Time for more investment in your collection then?

Hehe If I crossed paths with a M52 for sale, I'd likely jump on it. I assume since it's pretty much a wadcutter specific firearm, most are probably not too beat up. I could be wrong, I suppose.

Too bad they're no longer in production. Firearm manufacturers - like most corporations these days - seem to only produce what is of maximum demand, with no regard whatsoever to any niche demand products. If you want a compact 9mm or a 5-shot snub revolver - there's dozens from which to choose. But if you want something even slightly unusual, forget it. Same with the M624 (or M24) - would love to have one. Not gonna happen though.

(Rant over)

[Unclenick]

I think S&W's custom shop was supposed to address some of that niche demand. But, obviously, they modify rather than produce whole guns from the ground up. These days, however, with entire rocket engines being successfully 3D metal printed, I suspect it is only a matter of time before one of the manufacturers starts programming their old designs to be made by one or by more conventional CNC machines and offering them at what, no-doubt, will have to be a premium price to pay for the equipment involved. Their custom shops or their equivalent can then do any hand finishing required. It would be nice to be able to get a new pre-'64 m70 again.