joshualee49
Sharpshooter
Afternoon guys,
So, a rather concerning thing has happened this afternoon, and I wanted to run it by the collective experience of the board and see where it lands...
A little foreground - after many, MANY years of personal disconnect, my father and I have recently reunited - primarily centering around our mutual love, appreciation, and respect for the shooting sports and for guns in general. I just spent a few hours this afternoon at his place and we (read:he) worked up a few loads for my new Colt Gov't in 38 super. He was using a RCBS Rock Chucker. He has reloaded many many years and while I don't doubt his abilities in the slightest, the finished product from today's exercise has me a little worried. Suffice it to say, I don't plan on shooting these test loads until I do some research.
The components: Brand new nickel starline brass, Remington 130gr FMJ RN projectiles (Midway SKU#671905), Winchester WAP (Yup, he is old school), and Winchester SPP's.
So after sizing, priming, belling, and charging the cases, he set the seating die up using a standard PMC FMJ factory 38 super cartridge as a template. Upon seating his first bullet (which is a RN, and is not nearly as tapered as the PMC round used for the template) down to the recommended 1.275", we found that it would not chamber in my barrel. In fact, the rim of the case protruded quite a bit above the hood of the barrel when seated in the chamber as far as it would go. So, he proceeds to drive the bullet down until it will seat flush with the hood. What resulted was a cartridge with an OAL of 1.195". Now, I am just getting started in reloading, but it seems to me that a bullet depth like this will drastically increase the pressure and, quite frankly, I don't want to put them through my brand new $1,000.00 gun. I told him I wanted to research the condition of the rounds before firing them. We loaded up 5 test shots at minimum charge, and 5 shots at increasing intervals of .2 grn until reaching max charge with the idea being we shoot from a rest and see which ones group the best. (Charges were 6.3 - 7.3). As it stands though, I'm very leery about even chambering one of the lightest charges. I have tried to research on headspace, as well as try to determine the exact OAL that the cartridge will contact the lands of the rifling. Lots of great info on rifles out there, but drastically less on pistol calibers....My ultimate goal is to work up a hand load that is perhaps a few thousandths shy of contact with the rifling with the hopes of obtaining the most accuracy potential. Please take a look at the photos below and let me know your thoughts. I have no problem discussing further with my pop, and plan to do so after getting some feedback. The net seems to be a wasteland when it comes to certain topics of hand loading.
So, a rather concerning thing has happened this afternoon, and I wanted to run it by the collective experience of the board and see where it lands...
A little foreground - after many, MANY years of personal disconnect, my father and I have recently reunited - primarily centering around our mutual love, appreciation, and respect for the shooting sports and for guns in general. I just spent a few hours this afternoon at his place and we (read:he) worked up a few loads for my new Colt Gov't in 38 super. He was using a RCBS Rock Chucker. He has reloaded many many years and while I don't doubt his abilities in the slightest, the finished product from today's exercise has me a little worried. Suffice it to say, I don't plan on shooting these test loads until I do some research.
The components: Brand new nickel starline brass, Remington 130gr FMJ RN projectiles (Midway SKU#671905), Winchester WAP (Yup, he is old school), and Winchester SPP's.
So after sizing, priming, belling, and charging the cases, he set the seating die up using a standard PMC FMJ factory 38 super cartridge as a template. Upon seating his first bullet (which is a RN, and is not nearly as tapered as the PMC round used for the template) down to the recommended 1.275", we found that it would not chamber in my barrel. In fact, the rim of the case protruded quite a bit above the hood of the barrel when seated in the chamber as far as it would go. So, he proceeds to drive the bullet down until it will seat flush with the hood. What resulted was a cartridge with an OAL of 1.195". Now, I am just getting started in reloading, but it seems to me that a bullet depth like this will drastically increase the pressure and, quite frankly, I don't want to put them through my brand new $1,000.00 gun. I told him I wanted to research the condition of the rounds before firing them. We loaded up 5 test shots at minimum charge, and 5 shots at increasing intervals of .2 grn until reaching max charge with the idea being we shoot from a rest and see which ones group the best. (Charges were 6.3 - 7.3). As it stands though, I'm very leery about even chambering one of the lightest charges. I have tried to research on headspace, as well as try to determine the exact OAL that the cartridge will contact the lands of the rifling. Lots of great info on rifles out there, but drastically less on pistol calibers....My ultimate goal is to work up a hand load that is perhaps a few thousandths shy of contact with the rifling with the hopes of obtaining the most accuracy potential. Please take a look at the photos below and let me know your thoughts. I have no problem discussing further with my pop, and plan to do so after getting some feedback. The net seems to be a wasteland when it comes to certain topics of hand loading.