"Questionable' Reloading practices.

[RVTECH]

I am a member of another forum which while being relatively small is mostly populated by a non-mainstream bunch with a lot of newbees with both guns and reloading (it's pretty evident by the way they discuss guns, their parts and odd, loading practices) but this is one of the best.

Guy is loading 180 grain powdercoated bullets in .38 special cases with 11 grains of 2400 and seating the bullets long.

Some describe trying to load the heaviest bullets they can for a particular round - including using .45-70 bullets in .45 Colt rounds.

Maybe I am missing something but I tend to follow proper reloading practices and have never had any of the problems some of these people describe.

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[Greenbug]

Probably trying to load for a lever action rifle in 357 magnum for maximum energy and reliable cycling would be my guess.....

 

[tac]

'Some describe trying to load the heaviest bullets they can for a particular round - including using .45-70 bullets in .45 Colt rounds. '

THAT might be interesting see, bearing in mind that a lot of folks, me included, shoot a 500gr FN bullet in OUR .45-70 Govt firearms. Hell, when I had my Contender, I did, too, but it weren't half as much fun to shoot as to watch....

 

[oremike]

It can be done but IMHO you reach the point of diminishing turns, and in the picture above why not use a 357 case to load 357 loads in them? They look too long to shoot in a 38 special chamber.
As for the 45-70 in a 45 Colt you'd have to resize the .458 45 - 70 bullet down to .452. There is some overlap in the 300 - 350 grain range of bullet weights so it's possible.

 

[Goosebrown]

What is the REAL "max" load for a 44 magnum anyway???

 

[tac]

My loon-load was 24gr of 2400 behind a 240gr JHP - a real attention-getter with a 4" barrel. A pal had a cut-down Redhawk with a 3 1/2" barrel, and by golly it was fearsome.

 

[2506]

That 2400 makes you do crazy things. I was using it to work up a load with a 300gr hard cast in 45 Colt, eventually getting to around 19 grains. That's when I thought, "Why the heck am I beating myself and my gun up when a 265gr Keith over 9.0gr of unique does the job just fine?"
That bottle of 2400 is sure getting dusty

 

[daved20319]

I got into guns and reloading back in the mid-'70's with a 3 screw Ruger Blackhawk .41 Mag and a Lee hand loader . Got both together along with a bunch of components and a really nice gunslinger holster. Didn't take long for the Lee to get replaced with an RCBS Jr., but I stuck with the 2400, it was still Hercules 2400 back then. Had two different loads I'd "worked up", 17 gr. behind a 210 gr. SJSWCSHP, and 21 gr. behind a 210 gr. JSP. I have worked up in quotes because I had no clue what I was doing, I'm probably lucky I wasn't killed in da streetz . I mostly stuck with the lighter load, it was very accurate and pretty mild shooting, but the heavier load would definitely get your attention. The Internet really has made things better re: information gathering, there really is NO excuse for getting too far in the weeds. And experimenting just for the sake of doing something different is just a recipe for getting yourself or someone else hurt. Later.

Dave

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

id rather use a 357 mag case. i use 14.5gr 2400 under a 158gr FMJ for 357. 1300fps in my sp101. its a little hot. not terrible.

 

[DizzyJ]

It's always good to "question" a reloading practice or method. Sometimes we realize the person is a fool, but sometimes we learn something new and valuable.

 

[tac]

In the loading manuals, the words 'maximum load' are there as a clear warning, not an invitation to exceed it if you feel like it.

 

[P7M13]

Maybe the person has resolved to test the strength of his revolver?
That cartridge in the OP looks like a mamma's nipple after a baby with teeth has been nursing for an hour.

 

[Alexx1401]

Maybe I am missing something but I tend to follow proper reloading practices and have never had any of the problems some of these people describe.

No you are not missing anything. While some have fun seeing how much they can push something I do not. When I started rolling my own I had a little .44 sp and factory ammo was hard to find and they had one load. I tailored loads for the gun. I was sticking with what the books said. For those who want to ignore the books and go off on their own, great. I don't want one shooting next to me. You of course have to ask what are you rolling for? If you are just wanting to make ammo cheaper to play then of course you don't need to go off book. If you are trying to get the best accuracy possible out of a rifle again no reason to go off book. Some seem to just want to push everything to the limit. I can see no reason for it. I have never forgotten the time as a kid I was at an NRA sponsored safety course you had to take as a kid to get a hunting license at an early age. Last day we got to visit a range and shoot some rimfire. Guy came to show one of the instructors a rifle he blew up. It looked like it had been a real nice gun. Bolt was gone and scope was gone. Stock was split all the way down. He claimed he was not hot loading so who knows what the hell he did but I have never forgotten that rifle.

 

[ron]

Started reloading for the 38/357 in 1978. I have loaded many thousands of rounds of 38 / 357. 2400 is a slow-burning powder for Magnum loads. I have never used it in a 38 special. I am curious as to what website you are talking about?

 

[RVTECH]

I am curious as to what website you are talking about?

Oh, it's the Henry Rifle forum.
Its a very 'different' group there.

 

[Mark W.]

I started reloading at age 11 I have always been a measure every load single press kind of guy. I currently reload .25ACP .30carbine .380 .38spl .38+P 9mm .44spl .45ACP in Pistol and in Rifle .22-250 .243. 30 carbine 30-30 30-40 30-06 and soon .35 Whelan And in the last 51 years of reloading I can think of only one round I have gone outside of a published load from the manufacturer of the Bullet I am using. And thats my 125gr FPHP Sierra round for my pistol and rifle .30 carbine loads and even that I found data published by multiple sources before working up mine. I do load my 30-40Krag right at the book limits but then I am shooting it in a Winchester Model 1895 a rifle that came factory in both 30-06 and .405 Win so I am no where near the pressure limits of the firearm. not much into taking chances.

 

[DizzyJ]

41 magnum is what tripped my reloading switch over 30 years ago. Back then it was $50/box.

If you could find it.....

 

[daved20319]

In the mid-'70's, it was more like $15 a box, I figured I could reload for less than $5 at the time. Was in the Navy in San Diego, best friend's folks owned a motel in Big Bear. My weekends were pretty much the same, head up Friday night, if I had any empty brass I'd load it up, head to the range Saturday morning and shoot what I had, then repeat several more times over the course of the weekend. Wasn't all the Blackhawk, I also had a Charter Arms Bulldog I loaded for, as well as a variety of .22's and a couple of shotguns. Didn't have a girlfriend and my car (Jeep CJ-5, actually) was paid for, Uncle Sam covered most of the rest, my only other expense was beer . Later.

Dave

 

[Alexx1401]

41 magnum is what tripped my reloading switch over 30 years ago. Back then it was $50/box.

If you could find it.....

Yep, many start in when they get something like that. Some stuff is still amazingly expensive. .45 Colt is another that is really easy to roll and is quite pricey to buy factory. A lot of rounds are just not popular enough for the companies to crank out millions of rounds weekly so cost stays high. Many also don't remember the days when we could not order ammo, had to go through an FFL. So buying a box or 2 of something to try was a huge expensive hassle. Still something all should learn and have the stuff to do, load their own. Can sure come in handy when another panic empties the damn shelves again.

 

[zenbreath]

Personally, I stick to Proven Safe recipes, but Elmer Keith and others have advanced our knowledge by going beyond what was normal and safe.