Going to try reloading

[Jonnin]

yes, you can keep the load the same with that.  Its only if you were redline hot or wanted to match an exact FPS or something that you would adjust the powder.  Just go for it, you won't notice any real difference.

[Will H]

Kewl.  Thanks.

[Patton]

Actually I frequently use magnum primers in place of small pistol, especially in 38 spl. Those that have tested with chronographs report little to no change in velocity meaning the pressure is close to the same.

[Guest Fruit jar]

Will, where do you shop for supplies? I hope not Jackson, Gander Mtn. It's got to be the highest priced place I've found to buy from. You may have to do as I, buy bulk online.

I saw where you said ebay/egay. Stay away from it. To many items over priced. I ordered the Lee 90574 double cavity 358-125-RF mold for $16. along with a sizer and some other items so shipping won't be that bad. I found the same mold on ebay for 37.50 and 11. shipping. My dad hounded that it was the best place to shop. It's not the buyers place to shop anymore as it was years ago. But I find some good deals on fishing items. But you have to deal with the seller for a better price.

[Will H]

I do not usually shop at Gander in Jackson, they just happen to have a large supply of magnum primers.  I actually found some pretty good prices at Sportsman's WHSE in Southhaven MS.  Just getting into this I have not really put good supply channels together yet.  I am kind of taking my time with it, both to avoid costly mistakes and kind of waiting for some of the panic buying crap to run out a bit.

 

 

In other news I had my first primer detonation while loading last night....  I almost had to clean out my pants.  LOL  I decided to buy a primer tool.

[Guest Fruit jar]

Are you using the Lee Breech Lock Hand Press Kit #90180? You may want to look at the Lee Breech Lock Challenger Kit #90030. 

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0000690030

I have placed an order online with them then drove up to pick it up. I made it a 3 day trip and did some fishing while in the area.

You have to buy in bulk to save on supplies. I hear that David has some of the best prices. He is dlm37015 here. 615-497-4205.

Contact him and see when he is coming through your area. Sportsman's in southaven have some of the best retail prices in the midsouth area.

[Will H]

Nope.  I am using the Lee Classic loader.  It's the manual version where to have to hammer the components together.  I can only make about 10 rounds an hour.

 

It's this on, although I paid a lot less for it.  http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-38-SPL-Loader/dp/B00162RS7O/ref=sr_1_fed1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1356758063&sr=8-3&keywords=classic+lee+loader

 

Yeah, Southhaven is not too far from where I am, so it's a good excuse to get the family out and about.

Edited December 29, 2012 by Will H

[Guest Fruit jar]

That loader looks worse than the 90180.
I tie a few jigs for fishing, sportsman's has some good items for that hobby. We'll take a trip to southaven, park at H H Greg's and family goes where they want. Then park in front of Old Navy and do it again. Sportsman's, Jo Ann's and Hancock's are the first 3 I hit for tying supplies.

[Patton]

10 rounds an hour? Are you doing it in stages? Like deprimeing 50, then flaring 50, then charging 50....
It does take a lot longer to do them individually.
A seasoned Handloader can do about 50 an hour assuming they are using a handprimer.

[Will H]

I have been depriming all I have then cleaning them.  Once they are clean and dry I do them one at a time from sizing thru to done.  I am sure the speed will pick up over time.  This new auto-prime will help that.  It's also not something I am doing in a hurry.  It would most likely go a lot faster if I were not watching TV at the same time.  LOL

[Will H]

I had my second reloading incident this weekend.  I was at the range firing my reloads off with the greatest of ease...  Then BOOM!  I opened the cylinder to see what was up because it felt like a strong .357 magnum.  All the cases said .38 on them, and none were damaged.  I must have double charged one.

 

I am glad that I am using a GP100 to get started on this.  I might have damaged something if I was shooting that out of a milder built .38.  Lesson learned.

 

In other news my case holder for my autoprimer came in today.  I have hammered my last primer. 

[Jonnin]

If you doubt your methods, use a powder that will overflow the case if you put in 2 or more loads.  And always look in each case to see if there is "about the right amount" of powder visually vs the weighed charge that you know is correct.  

 

Be safe, blowing up a gun is at the very least expensive, and at the worst, deadly...

[Will H]

Yeah.  I really learned my lesson on that one.  I am figuring it happened due to parental distraction while reloading.  My daughter was highly interested in what I was doing.  LOL

 

 

Ok, I have another question.  This is a couple of recipe lines for Unique powder in a .357 magnum load.

 

 

It says 6 grains for a 158 gr bullet and 9.7 grains for a 110 grain bullet.  Theoretically does bad things happen if you use 9.7 grains on a 158 grain bullet?  Does it cause excessive pressure due to the heavier bullet?

[Superman]

Yes, as the bullet weight goes up the powder charge goes down.  I thought you were loading for 38 special?

[Patton]

Instead of a double charge you may have had bullet setback or over crimped.

[Patton]

I would say 9.7 gr would be pushing it for a 158 gr bullet. I have shot ~7gr of unique with a 158gr bullet and it felt about righ.

[Jonnin]

Yeah.  I really learned my lesson on that one.  I am figuring it happened due to parental distraction while reloading.  My daughter was highly interested in what I was doing.  LOL

 

 

Ok, I have another question.  This is a couple of recipe lines for Unique powder in a .357 magnum load.

 

 

It says 6 grains for a 158 gr bullet and 9.7 grains for a 110 grain bullet.  Theoretically does bad things happen if you use 9.7 grains on a 158 grain bullet?  Does it cause excessive pressure due to the heavier bullet?

 

Yes, bad things.  Bullet mass changed by a full 30%  here, that is *significant*.    You can't compare loads with significant differences nor mix and match data from them.   

 

Load data is "usually" linear though.   If you had the same general class of bullet in a 130 grain variation, you could probably average the 2 and try say 7.5 grains as a load.   But when/if you ever do this sort of thing, you always, ALWAYS drop off your guess a bit, so you would guess 7.5 then your first loading you try 7.0 or even 6.5 just to be extra safe.

 

A lot of folks will even say not to do that ever.  But there may be times when you have to use what you have with no data, and in those cases.... do it slowly, do it carefully, and always undrestimate. 

[Will H]

Ok.  I think it is slowly starting to sink in.  Sorry for all the questions guys.  No one in my family reloads, so this is all new territory for me.  I appreciate all the assistance.

 

 

Yes, as the bullet weight goes up the powder charge goes down.  I thought you were loading for 38 special?

I am, but most of the recipes for .38 I saw for Unique vary only a little in bullet weight and powder measurement.  I posted the .357 magnum recipes because there was a very wide difference in the recipes.  I am also considering loading a few .357 as I have a bit of that brass from magnum rounds I bought.  Using my Lee Classic loader the only difference in .38 and .357 is adjusting the depth rod on the Bullet Seater.

[Will H]

Oh, and I got to use my auto-primer last night.  Super awesome.  I like it a lot better than hammering primers in.  LOL