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Reloading Suggestions

6rounds6rounds Member Posts: 12 ✭✭
edited March 2007 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
Hey All, I'm new here and wondered If I could get some reloading suggestions. Here's the deal, I bought some LFN GC bullets on ebay to reload for my .44 Mag. They were supposed to weigh 325 grains. as I started weighing them out individually I found them to weigh 344 to 348 grs.
I'm using Hodgdons HP38 ,Their site suggests ;

330 gr LFN GC (.430 Dia) 8.5 gr (vel. 992) (C.O.L. 1.730)(33700 cup)
9.7 gr (vel. 1081) (38700 cup)
355 gr LFN GC (.430 Dia) 7.8 gr (vel. 928 ) (C.O.L. 1.710)(31000 cup)
8.5 gr (vel. 1001) (37700 cup)

I loaded (9.4 grs HP38) (348 gr bullet) (CCI Large Pistol Primer) (PMC brass)
My Gun can handle the load , recoil is substantial but not unconfortable for me, But the problem is getting the brass out of the cylinder after the shot.Sooo... Guess I'm not in the middle of that pressure curve! Maybe someone here has had some experience with this guesswork. I'm feeling about 8.2 to 8.5 would be a safer better load. But I've never loaded a 348 grain bullet , 325 has always been my limit with no problems. Will the brass still expand to the point of needing a jacKhammer to get them [xx(] out ? I wouldn't think so with a lighter load, Guess thats why I'm looking for some help!
THANKS IN ADVANCE
6
"Are you boys gonna tote those irons , or are you gonna whistle Dixie"
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Comments

  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,105 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think you have an overload. A high of you bullets at 348 grain at near max load for a 330 grain bullet IMHO would = over load your pistol agrees with me and also thinks it is an overload thus the hard to remove cases. at 348 you are only 7 grains below the 355 grain load that has a max of 8.5 WAY below you load 9.4 plus you may have a different style bullet with the base of your bullet further down in the case to get the same COL reducing the air space in the loaded case this can also increase pressures. I would back off to the 355 loads before you hurt the pistol[:(] or yourself[V][:(!][xx(][B)].
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  • Tailgunner1954Tailgunner1954 Member Posts: 7,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    If your brass is sticking, your way over pressure.
    As a SWAG, I'd guess 8.7gr as your MAX charge, and staying strictly with the 355gr bullet data would be a wise thing to do until you have more experience with reloading.
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  • 6rounds6rounds Member Posts: 12 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I knew that load was hot and should have started out at 8 grs. actually ,I always follow LEE & Speer Book recipes without exception,And 99% I'll go to the powder site to re-assure everything is copisetic. Normally everything shot out of that gun is 248 gr on the low to middle. Luckily My experimentation was without incident. Thanks for the imput.... I'll cut 'er waaaaaay down. [^]
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  • konamtbikerkonamtbiker Member Posts: 284 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just saying it again. Yeah that load is hot! I ran into the same type of probem when i was loading up some hot loads up for my 45ACp mine did not stick but they sure wanted to. When i removed my barrel the cases would not fit into the chamber. Be careful man.
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  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    HP 38 is about the same as WW 231; both a rather fast powder. You should find a powder more suitable for heavy bullets. Anytime brass get sticky to eject in a pistol the pressures are too high.

    My suggestion; find a slower, IE more suitable powder for the heavy for caliber bullets you are shooting.
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  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    never increase projectile weight and maintian the original powder charge. Use load data for the weight of the bullets themselves.

    If brass sticks in a pistol,..that is pretty damn hot IMHO
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  • 6rounds6rounds Member Posts: 12 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    JustC , I could not Find Data for 344 or 348 grain LFN GC Bullet for a 44 Mag , My intentions were to load 325 grain bullets . That's what I thought I was purchasing, until I scaled them and found them to be 23 grains heavier than what I was promised. Although I should have never loaded them that HOT, I really knew better! .I was Hoping someone here had a recipe to work from! It was risky to shoot 2 rounds , But I shot some pretty "_SS Kickin" loads out of that Gun and it's still tighter than a Funeral Drum.[;)]
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  • dakotashooter2dakotashooter2 Member Posts: 6,186
    edited November -1
    Did you use the same OAL as for the 330 gr data you listed. If so that may be part of your problem too. The bullet may be a bit longer and reducing your case capacity. If your gun will handle them being seated out a bit more try that plus reducing the charge, then work the charge back up if possible.
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  • 6rounds6rounds Member Posts: 12 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Posted - 03/10/2007 : 10:43:34 PM
    HP 38 is about the same as WW 231; both a rather fast powder. You should find a powder more suitable for heavy bullets. Anytime brass get sticky to eject in a pistol the pressures are too high.


    My suggestion; find a slower, IE more suitable powder for the heavy for caliber bullets you are shooting

    "Does anybody Have any suggestions for loading that BIG BULLET it is 0.958" the Brass is 1.28" ,that doesn't leave much room for a slow burning powder! I have 98 Rounds left , I might as well load em and shoot em.
    6
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  • Smitty500magSmitty500mag Member Posts: 13,623 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It's simple just use loading data for 350 grain bullets. And ALWAYS start off with the min. load and work up. Load a couple or rounds using the min. data then add a grain or so and load a couple more rounds and so on. Then when you get to the range shoot the min. rounds first and check your brass then move on to the next set of rounds that are a little hotter and shoot them and if the brass looks OK then go ahead and shoot the max. loads.

    Then every time you run out of powder and open up another new can do the same thing. The powders are not always the same either and that can blow your gun up and you to. Just because one can of powder worked fine with the max. load doesn't mean the next can won't blow your head off.

    Also if you're using different brass they can have different capacity's that can get you hurt to. For instance the 500 Mag cases can differ as much as 7% (4.4 Grains) between Hornady and Starline Brass. It don't take a genius to figure out what can happen when you put 4.4 grains to much powder into a casing.

    Smitty
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  • JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    smitty's idea is what I use also,..if I don't have data for the exact weight,..I go to the next weight heavier, and load with that data and maybe a 5% increase to account for the slightly lighter bullets.
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  • 6rounds6rounds Member Posts: 12 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thank you all for the help and info.Sincerely Appreciated! Thank Goodness I have a BIG HANDGUN to hold up to my IGNORANCE[B)][xx(][V]
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  • Tailgunner1954Tailgunner1954 Member Posts: 7,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 6rounds
    Thank you all for the help and info.Sincerely Appreciated! Thank Goodness I have a BIG HANDGUN to hold up to my IGNORANCE[B)][xx(][V]


    There is a big difference between inexperance and ignorance. Personaly I read your origional post as inexperance, and inexperance is fixable.
    Some of us have been reloading "outside the book" for longer than others here have been alive, it's your choice on if you want to learn from our experance or not.
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