A day loading .38 wad cutters

[waco]

I'll end up with 6-700 I think. New Lee 148gr WC mold. Drop around .359" with 2/1 coww/ pure plus 1% tin
Mix brass, bullets rolled in two coats BLL and seated over 3.5gr BE.
CCI small pistol primer.
Good fodder for my 14-2.

 

[waco]

Note the $12.79 price tag on that pound of BE? If only!........

 

[freebullet]

Oughta be some fun plinking. Not a huge fan of b.eye but, I'd buy a bunch at that price.

Would be interesting to see if the nickel & yella hold the same group. They don't in my 357 but 38's might.

 

[Brad]

I noticed the Hercules name and knew it wasn't new production. Old school container too.
Bet you didn't think it was a great price at time.

Even my wife noticed it wasn't marked Alliant

 

[waco]

I got several pounds of BE RD and Unique in the same containers when my uncle died in 1999. It's all '90-'91 production.

 

[Ian]

I have a container of Unique from that era, my first can of powder ever, marked lot #339 on the bottom.

That's a lot of BE for a wadcutter crimped in the top groove, I usually go 2.7 grains for plinkertings and 2.9 for business.

 

[waco]

That's a lot of BE for a wadcutter crimped in the top groove, I usually go 2.7 grains for plinkertings and 2.9 for business.

I have an RCBS 148gr DEWC that shoots well with this same load loaded to the same AOL. It should perform as well??? I'll find out..

 

[358156 hp]

3.5 gr of Bullseye with a 148 LWC should give you about 900 fps from a 6 inch barrel. Pressures should run between std 38 spl & 38 +P. All in all it should be a good load with a lot of zip.

 

[SierraHunter]

Oughta be some fun plinking. Not a huge fan of b.eye but, I'd buy a bunch at that price.

Would be interesting to see if the nickel & yella hold the same group. They don't in my 357 but 38's might.

Different POI between nickel and brass cases? That's something I've never heard of...

 

[358156 hp]

Nickel cases are pretty rough inside, and that changes the dynamics of bullet pull. You really notice it if you wet tumble or ultrasonically clean nickel cases to remove all the carbon inside the case. My case neck flaring dies show a real reluctance to come out of the case. This is especially annoying with my Dillon powder measure. Another potential concern is the nickel plating causing case expansion variances under pressure. I'm not certain how exactly to quantify that last part though. I have personally experienced the stuck flaring dies and powder measure funnels though, and I segregate my nickel and brass cases.

 

[9.3X62AL]

Not fond of nickel-plated revolver casings, but I will use them. Being a bit OCD with my loading, I separate cases by make and as the 38 Special brass gets cycled I replace my WW/RP of all types with Starline. Some of the W-W 38 brass I have here is at least 30 years old and has been reloaded at least a zillion times, and is starting to get small neck splits in 2-4 cases from each 50-round box. Time to go, when that happens.

 

[freebullet]

Yep...in magnum handguns it's a purty noticeable difference. They usually require almost a full grain less charge in 357 which changes poi for me at least. Not a fan of nickel cases for any real boomers.

 

[quicksylver]

Ever see an old non-carbide die after resizing a couple of hundred nickel cases?

( I know..."non-carbide die?")

 

[SierraHunter]

Ever see an old non-carbide die after resizing a couple of hundred nickel cases?

( I know..."non-carbide die?")

My 45 ACP dies are non carbide...

 

[Intheshop]

Good stuff on the 14..

I've trained at least a dz boys coming through here on how to shoot D.A. revolvers,with purpose.

The 14 has always been the sort of,put up or shut up.It's loading"window" being large enough that it isn't an issue.