Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
Latest activity
Classifieds
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Log in
Register
What's New?
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Navigation
Install the app
Install
More Options
Advertise with us
Contact Us
Close Menu
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Forums
The Range
Ammo & Reloading
Playing around with a new 357 Mag load
Search titles only
By:
Reply to Thread
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Dumpstick" data-source="post: 3015078" data-attributes="member: 41653"><p>Well, I'm back on this. Cleaned up the lead in the barrel - wasn't as bad as I thought. I wrapped a patch around a worn brush, and wrapped some Chore-Boy copper around the patch. A few strokes, it was gone. I'm not certain it wasn't mostly Antimony streaking.</p><p></p><p> I went and pulled the 30 remaining rounds, sized to .357, and re-applied the BLL ( a tad thicker this time). Reloaded with 11gr AA#9 (instead of 11.6).</p><p>These rounds still won't chamber in my GP100. </p><p>They chamber fine in every other 357 I own, including a S&W 640-1 (no, I have no plans of firing these out of that little flower.... well, maybe a cylinder full, when I gt this load ironed out...), and a Taurus 669.</p><p> I'm thinking this is a function of that particular revolver having trouble with the nose profile of this big RF projectile. I'll drop some pin gauges in the chambers to check, I'm betting the chambers will need to be honed. However, that's a rabbit hole best left for another time.</p><p> I think re-sizing was a waste of time.</p><p></p><p>Went and fired them last week. I would have reported earlier, but everyone had ENS on their mind. Alot went un-noticed, I think.</p><p></p><p>Here's the numbers, from a 4" Ruger Security Six. I fired 18 rounds for the chrono, which was 10' in front of the muzzle.</p><p></p><p>Velocity - Avg 1020 fps</p><p>Std Dev- 54.7 fps</p><p>Spread - 215 fps</p><p></p><p> Yeah, look at the spread. 215 fps. That sucks. Accuracy was okay, and shows promise, but it was by no means anywhere close to the best I've done.</p><p>I did some reading after shooting this (why do I always do this bass-ackwards?). I looked in my copy of Powder Profiles, the new edition. In it, author R.H. Vandenburg, Jr. tells of his tests with AA #9. He states that the powder is slow enough that a very firm crimp is beneficial in getting efficient burn from the powder.</p><p> Perhaps that is what my problem is. I did put a firm roll crimp on these rounds, but crimp is such a subjective thing. I have a Lee collet crimp die (NOT the Factory Crimp die), maybe that is the answer.</p><p></p><p>At this point, I can go several ways.</p><p>1- I can keep chasing this load. It is essentially a down-loaded 180gr plain base 357 Mag load. </p><p> I can try different crimps.</p><p> I can even try a gas-check, to see if the barrel cleans up. </p><p> I can try a heavier charge - Lyman cast #4 shows 12.4gr of AA#9 (IIRC) as max, but I'm wanting something around 1050 fps or so. 1100 wouldn't bother me. The spread may clear up at a higher pressure - which is what the tighter crimp does too, BTW - raises pressure. If the spread tightens up, I'm betting the accuracy will too.</p><p> I can even turn around 3 times, and click my heels prior to firing.</p><p></p><p>2- I can throw in the towel with the #9 powder. It may just be too slow for the results I want. Perhaps a move to a somewhat faster powder would help. I have AA#7, and even some old BlueDot (in a cardboard can). Even faster, I have (a bunch) of HS-6.</p><p>A faster powder would bump up pressure, helping the base of the projectile to obdurate, maybe clearing up the leading.</p><p></p><p>3- I can give up all of it, and take up bowling.</p><p></p><p>Nah... they won't allow me to wear my emerald slippers on the lanes.....</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Dumpstick, post: 3015078, member: 41653"] Well, I'm back on this. Cleaned up the lead in the barrel - wasn't as bad as I thought. I wrapped a patch around a worn brush, and wrapped some Chore-Boy copper around the patch. A few strokes, it was gone. I'm not certain it wasn't mostly Antimony streaking. I went and pulled the 30 remaining rounds, sized to .357, and re-applied the BLL ( a tad thicker this time). Reloaded with 11gr AA#9 (instead of 11.6). These rounds still won't chamber in my GP100. They chamber fine in every other 357 I own, including a S&W 640-1 (no, I have no plans of firing these out of that little flower.... well, maybe a cylinder full, when I gt this load ironed out...), and a Taurus 669. I'm thinking this is a function of that particular revolver having trouble with the nose profile of this big RF projectile. I'll drop some pin gauges in the chambers to check, I'm betting the chambers will need to be honed. However, that's a rabbit hole best left for another time. I think re-sizing was a waste of time. Went and fired them last week. I would have reported earlier, but everyone had ENS on their mind. Alot went un-noticed, I think. Here's the numbers, from a 4" Ruger Security Six. I fired 18 rounds for the chrono, which was 10' in front of the muzzle. Velocity - Avg 1020 fps Std Dev- 54.7 fps Spread - 215 fps Yeah, look at the spread. 215 fps. That sucks. Accuracy was okay, and shows promise, but it was by no means anywhere close to the best I've done. I did some reading after shooting this (why do I always do this bass-ackwards?). I looked in my copy of Powder Profiles, the new edition. In it, author R.H. Vandenburg, Jr. tells of his tests with AA #9. He states that the powder is slow enough that a very firm crimp is beneficial in getting efficient burn from the powder. Perhaps that is what my problem is. I did put a firm roll crimp on these rounds, but crimp is such a subjective thing. I have a Lee collet crimp die (NOT the Factory Crimp die), maybe that is the answer. At this point, I can go several ways. 1- I can keep chasing this load. It is essentially a down-loaded 180gr plain base 357 Mag load. I can try different crimps. I can even try a gas-check, to see if the barrel cleans up. I can try a heavier charge - Lyman cast #4 shows 12.4gr of AA#9 (IIRC) as max, but I'm wanting something around 1050 fps or so. 1100 wouldn't bother me. The spread may clear up at a higher pressure - which is what the tighter crimp does too, BTW - raises pressure. If the spread tightens up, I'm betting the accuracy will too. I can even turn around 3 times, and click my heels prior to firing. 2- I can throw in the towel with the #9 powder. It may just be too slow for the results I want. Perhaps a move to a somewhat faster powder would help. I have AA#7, and even some old BlueDot (in a cardboard can). Even faster, I have (a bunch) of HS-6. A faster powder would bump up pressure, helping the base of the projectile to obdurate, maybe clearing up the leading. 3- I can give up all of it, and take up bowling. Nah... they won't allow me to wear my emerald slippers on the lanes..... [/QUOTE]
Insert Quotes…
Verification
Post Reply
Forums
The Range
Ammo & Reloading
Playing around with a new 357 Mag load
Search titles only
By:
Top
Bottom