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Pistol loads for rifle
jaegermister
Member Posts: 692 ✭✭✭✭
38spl , 20 in barrel, yellow boy, working up loads. Anyone try rifle powders to take advantage of longer burn time in rifle?
So far good results with 2400 and unique pistol powders.
So far good results with 2400 and unique pistol powders.
Comments
Stick to the "recipes" suggested in your reloading manual. All have been tested & found to be safe in modern firearms that are in good condition.
Neal
My favorite was 5744 in the large kernel form. I use BlueDot now.
I don't know if 357 magnum rounds will work in your particular gun, but if they will, I'd suggest trying those instead. [Edit, maybe not]
"Normal" 357 magnums are overloaded in pistols, wasting most of their potential. Put them into rifles, and the loads absolutely *sizzle*.
You can easily get over 1800 fps with 125 grain bullets from 357 magnum rounds in rifles, and with the right loads, you can push them quite a bit higher. EG, the Buffalo Bore "max" loads claim nearly 2300 fps with 125 grain bullets. I don't know if these are safely replicable with handloads, but it does give you food for thought.
Edit: If your rifle is an 1866 type rated for .38 special, then disregard above about 357 magnum. Assuming you could even get them to load properly (and please don't try), those would be highly unsafe to fire in your rifle. 38+P is about as hot as you'd want to go.
Slower burning powders will typically get you better velocity through a rifle. Again, I'd look up published loads for these rather than trying to create something from scratch.
As a matter of practice, you'll get higher velocities with a rifle compared to a pistol, but low operating pressures mean there is a practical ceiling to what you can do with a .38 special. Even the "best" 38 special loads from a rifle will underperform "normal" .357 magnum rounds from a handgun.
Years ago when I loaded for the 10mm pistol cartridge, that also had a small capacity case. I used Accurate Arms #9. It was a slow burning ball powder that was very dense. It enabled me to get hot loads with a case full of powder. But still staying within the loading/pressure SAMMI guidelines, for the 10mm cartridge.
I wouldn't try to work up any magnum type loads for the Henry, though. Stay safe, stick to .38 special Plus P loads, at the most.
I am assuming that when you say "yellow boy", you are referring to the 1866 Winchester replica. If so, don't hot rod those loads. Stick to the 38 special loads. The only thing that action has to lock it closed is the toggle link, pretty much like the 1860 Henry, and the Newer 1873 Winchester. They don't have the double transverse action bars like the 1886, 1892, or 1894. Yes, they are most likely made of stronger materials than they were in the 1860's, but the design is weak.
Best
By taking advantage of the longer barrel, something no 38spl ever had. This Uberti
1866 yellow boy is also chambered in 44-40 , a cartridge never seen in 1866 , and only offered later in a stronger design 1873 .
You are using fuzzy logic that is dangerous.
The 44/40 round as loaded by manufacturers is loaded to a lower spec so it is safe in all guns.
Some numbers for you...357mag= 35,000
38spec+P= 18,500
45 long colt=14,000
While there is no spec on the 44/40, it should be right around 14,000 too.
There is no brass frame that is as strong as even 100 year old steel.
Similar pressures of original 44 rim fire .
".38 S&W Special rounds" is what I hope you meant to write. :-)
Load and shoot standard pressure .38 Special rounds in your gun, that's what Uberti made them for and you'll get a bit more velocity from the longer barrel ( www.ballisticsbytheinch.com may help show how much.)
(Another issue: driving lead bullets fast will possibly cause lead being left in your bore, making accuracy suffer and clean-up can be a bear. In lever guns you can't really get at the rear of the barrel with your cleaning rod without taking actions apart or using really flexible rods.)