What did you do at your reloading bench today?

[5shot]

Finished loading a bunch of .38 special with RCBS 148 gr wadcutters sized .358" with Carnauba Blue lube over 3.3 grains of Bullseye. I tried some Fed small pistol match as well as WSP standard and it would take a better shot than me to tell any accuracy difference. I've got a pair of K38's that will group very close to 1" @ 25 yards with that load from a wrist rest or with a steadier old man than me at the controls.
Loading is done with an old CH 4 station press that I leave set up just for .38 special since there are a few other hungry chambers in that caliber to feed.

[The Happy Kaboomer]

Nothing............

[Vaquero]

Werked today so nothing, either.

RP

[5shot]

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Cold windy and trying to snow today. Perfect basement casting weather!!
RCBS 148 gr. WC's

[Vaquero]

357?
It's been a while since I last casted, but I do need to make some of those heavy 44's of mine.
I noticed the other day they are low.

RP

[5shot]

Yep. Mostly for use in the .38's.

Here's the last .44's I cast. Made them soft with about 16 to 1 lead to tin so thinking they would expand well without fragmenting. Used this bullet in H015 .44 over 2400 powder for deer hunting last November but didn't see anything big enough to test expansion on. Lyman "Devastator" that drops about 260 grains.

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[Vaquero]

I like that, wonder if it would stand up ro some low end 444 velocities?

RP

[5shot]

I never did try it in water jugs. These clocked at 1600 fps so I'm guessing if you kept it under 2000 fps maybe?

[Mags]

Hand full of 380 cases. Since I'm short on SPPs I'll be trying some primer only tests with SRPs. No powder, no bullets.

[BigAl52]

Got some Tandemkross parts yesterday to add to my Ruger 22/45 build. Also updated the magazines with new better springs followers and base pad. It makes the magazines hold one more round.

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[BigAl52]

Hand full of 380 cases. Since I'm short on SPPs I'll be trying some primer only tests with SRPs. No powder, no bullets.

Let us know how that works Mags. Ive read where guys dont bother buying SPP anymore because the SRP work just fine.As long as the gun hits the primer hard enough to set them off as the SRP has a little tougher face

[5shot]

Got some Tandemkross parts yesterday to add to my Ruger 22/45 build. Also updated the magazines with new better springs followers and base pad. It makes the magazines hold one more round.

IMG_2792.jpg

Nice! If that gun shoots as good as it looks it's a one holer. Is it picky about what ammo you feed it?

[BigAl52]

Got some Tandemkross parts yesterday to add to my Ruger 22/45 build. Also updated the magazines with new better springs followers and base pad. It makes the magazines hold one more round.

IMG_2792.jpg

Nice! If that gun shoots as good as it looks it's a one holer. Is it picky about what ammo you feed it?

5shot its without a doubt the best shooting 22 pistol I have ever owned. Its not picky at all with ammo and I can literally put 10 rounds inside of a dime at 25 yards. We throw clay pigeons on a bank where we shoot and I have no trouble shooting the pieces of the broken clays. My neighbor has one of the lites also and he has done some of the same things I have. But I decided to try one of the Tac Solutions barrels. Glad I did I really like it.

[BigAl52]

I loaded some bowlin pin busters. Sometime back I ordered a box of the 180gr strikers from MCB. They didnt shoot quite as well as the pugnose for me. But Ive got some left over to use up. So today I loaded 100 of them with 11.5 grs of 2400. Single staged the 100 rounds and used a Redding profile crimp die to finish them off. Gonna shoot them outta the Henry SS in 357 at some bowlin pins. Ill take picks of the pins when I do this. I also been itchin to try some 140gr bullets from MCB so I ordered 500 of those

IMG_2793.JPG (2.9 MiB) Viewed 2084 times

[Mags]

Hand full of 380 cases. Since I'm short on SPPs I'll be trying some primer only tests with SRPs. No powder, no bullets.

Let us know how that works Mags. Ive read where guys dont bother buying SPP anymore because the SRP work just fine.As long as the gun hits the primer hard enough to set them off as the SRP has a little tougher face

Loaded SRPs into 380 pistol cases. No powder, no bullets, just the primers. Test fired in a Walther PPK/S. Primers, four each CCI #41 Military, CCI #400 and Remington 6.1/2.

The CCI #400 and Remington 6.1/2 all fired fine. Immediate and plenty of bang.

The CCI #41 Military surprised me. I didn't expect them to fire at all. Supposedly the primer face is thicker metal and the primer compound is less sensitive to impact. The first one shot just fine. The 2nd one though took multiple hammer strikes before it would go bang. The 3rd and 4th would not fire at all. So mixed results with this primer type. I won't test this type any further.

Except in the CCI #41 test, testing 4 primers of each type is an indicator but not really definitive. To get to an 80% confidence factor I should test at least 16 primers of each type. Maybe do that someday when primers are more plentiful.

[Vaquero]

Good luck with those strikers Al, wonder why they don't perform like the PN?
I'm about to load some of those PN here today, the rain is coming so it's a perfect time.
Then some 45 colts after that.

RP

[Vaquero]

Well, I started wth the 45's, between a breakfast break and a couple phone calls I managed to get 150 loaded. 6.5 grs. of Red dot and some 200 gr odd balls from MB co.
Just about expended the RD supply, with none to be found .

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Short break then some with unique and some 250 gr.

RP

[BigAl52]

Good luck with those strikers Al, wonder why they don't perform like the PN?
I'm about to load some of those PN here today, the rain is coming so it's a perfect time.
Then some 45 colts after that.

RP

Not sure Randy. But I will be shooting these outta the Single Shot. No 357 levergun to shoot them outa anymore. Maybe get out on Sunday. Weather here has turned back to winter like. Wanna try the 140's to when they come got a 100 rounds of brass sized and primed waiting for them. Had good luck with 140 gr bullet in 357 years ago.

[JVogler]

BigAl52, did you get the 140 grainers in 38special or 357magnum hardness ? I loaded up 50 to test in the 38 special flavor and they were fine ,just haven't had the chance to compare other powders. My recipe protocol now is usually load 50 assorted powder weight, 10 of each and pick the best result then do the same with another powder. Compare the different powders for the best rounds. Ruger revolver usually has more variations than the Henry Big Boy.

[Vaquero]

Just finished up a 150 rds. of 357 using the 180 gr PN MB.
63 over 11.4 grs. of 2400, and
the rest over 9.4 grs. of Blue dot.
These both work about the same out of the 24" barreled Rossi.

RP