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In an excess of exuberance a decade or so ago, I loaded considerable # of 38 special cases with all manner of small-lot recipes, seeking to confirm that 'just right' combination. Gradually I've discovered a handful of 'just right' recipes for one of my favorite range games....the so-called "speed steel challenge".

I've been winnowing down some of those loads just not all that suitable, and reload with my current updated recipe. Today I upgraded another couple matches worth of the New Brew. There were zero brass brass scrapped, but a good half-dozen of old feeble nickle brass went in the Final Bucket.
Please share your 38 special recipe and the firearm you are testing with. Thanks
 
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Loaded up 100 .223 today with components from the pulled down 5.56 reloads from a few weeks ago.
Using IMR30131 which is an extruded powder that is not metering well so I weighed each and every load...:eek:

The other 50 looks exactly like this 50 rounds...:D

View attachment 679884
For the lighter weight bullets 55 grain or less I like W748. Most accurate powder I can find and meters perfect.
For 69 grain or heavier bullets IMR-8208-XBR meters consistent and very accurate.;) I hate having to weigh
each powder charge. Varget is the worse metering powder I have ever used but I use it for my 80 grain bullets.:(
 
For the lighter weight bullets 55 grain or less I like W748. Most accurate powder I can find and meters perfect.
For 69 grain or heavier bullets IMR-8208-XBR meters consistent and very accurate.;) I hate having to weigh
each powder charge. Varget is the worse metering powder I have ever used but I use it for my 80 grain bullets.:(

x2 for Win 748. With 55gr I can get 2600 FPS out of my 11.5" with less powder and more velocity than CFE 223, BLC2 or H335
 
Since supplies are virtually non-existent, I was thinking about loading 158 gr SWCL in my 9mm Parabelum .
Did it back in the late 1980's for bowling pin shoots. Looking for loads again.

Anybody had success?
I have not tried that in 9mm but have in 38 super I call them "gong bongers"
 
got a couple of ladder tests loaded up for testing, today... seemed like it took forever to get charges adjusted with 700-x, that stuff don't meter for $%^&.
Second batch was tite-group, loading up for some .357 slugs I got a bunch of to make 9mm rounds. Much easier to set up charges on the tite-group!
 
have you tried h335 or blc2 for .223? its good stuff

No, I haven't tried those....yet. Thanks for the heads up.;)


For the lighter weight bullets 55 grain or less I like W748. Most accurate powder I can find and meters perfect.
For 69 grain or heavier bullets IMR-8208-XBR meters consistent and very accurate.;) I hate having to weigh
each powder charge. Varget is the worse metering powder I have ever used but I use it for my 80 grain bullets.:(

I have not experimented with very many powders except for IMR3031 and CFE223 for plinking ammo. I have acquired a jug of H322 having heard good things about it. I made up a load development and am going to get out this week and test it on paper without a chrono.
Thanks for the advice on your powder choices.


Nice looking bins in the back ground. ;)

Indeed they are brother, they have served me well!!!
The person turned me onto those was very generous, nice fellow and TALL...:D:D:D
 
Please share your 38 special recipe and the firearm you are testing with
I'm favoring the Hodgdon web site reloading data that I find pleasant & accurate and clean burning enough, to drive 130g conical flat point cast lead in the 950~1100 FPS range. For no actual observable reasons, the 125/128/158 RN & SWC don't satisfy as much.

AutoComp & Universal are easiest to find; there are others that are acceptable. I also used Lee Reloading Manual #2 as they have different powders.

I'd like to use Unique & 700x & maybe 800x but they don't meter well in my set up.
I've tried various CFE era products, RAMSHOT variations, which are simply less available in my area.

I've used LongShot in 10mm with great accuracy. I prefer the various "Vita Voury" yet that is spendy & not widely stocked locally. Never seem to be able to spell that brand either.

These are of course revolver loads. And I mainly use S&W 627 or 327, as they fit my hand nicely.

My old 45 Colt and 45 acp loads are fine but the bulkiness of the firing platform slows me down a bit. The powders of long satisfaction are WST, WSF, Trail Boss & a host of other older flavors. HP38 another old regular. While the old ones are "smokeless" in comparison many of them are way smokier and dirtier than the modern varieties.

Variety is the spice of Reloading, eh?
 
I did ok yesterday but no where near what @BrandonQuixote did. :)

(200) 6.8 SPC with 90 gr Speer TNT
(195) .223 with 55 gr Vmax
(70) 204 Ruger with 40 gr Vmax, test loads



3243AF80-2A71-40B7-A986-3C539BB58007_1_201_a.jpeg
 
I also used Lee Reloading Manual #2 as they have different powders.

How's that Lee #2 manual work out for you compared to other more expensive? I'm currently using Speer 14 and Lyman 49th. Wouldn't be a bad idea to get something newer just to use for comparison.
 
No, I haven't tried those....yet. Thanks for the heads up.;)




I have not experimented with very many powders except for IMR3031 and CFE223 for plinking ammo. I have acquired a jug of H322 having heard good things about it. I made up a load development and am going to get out this week and test it on paper without a chrono.
Thanks for the advice on your powder choices.




Indeed they are brother, they have served me well!!!
The person turned me onto those was very generous, nice fellow and TALL...:D:D:D
H322 is supposed to be some really good stuff. IIRC is was highly used in competitions for awhile. More temperature resistant than many others as well.

You'll have to let us know how you like it!
 
H322 is supposed to be some really good stuff. IIRC is was highly used in competitions for awhile. More temperature resistant than many others as well.

You'll have to let us know how you like it!

That's what I heard plus less powder to boot (it may be a few $ more expensive but not a concern).
I'll see what it does in my new 556 rifle build, hoping a good distance rifle.;)
 
Since I can't locate and .224 dia. bullets for my 5.56 loads I have been experimenting. I have 100's of 22 Win Mag ammo I don't use. I have been pulling the bullets to be used in a load. They are 40gr FMJ or 36 gr HP. The bullets are .2235 should be fine. Might not be as accurate but at least they will still go 'bang'. Used an RCBS bullet pullet with .224 collet rather than a impact puller. For the shell holder I found that the one for a 25 ACP works well.

Saving the 4.6gr of what ever the powder is. Once other bullets finally become available I will use the load in my 22 Hornet. Should be a moderate load in a Hornet.

20200405_131729.jpg
 
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The better part of 900 rounds of 9mm. 3.9 grains of Titegroup, 125 grain tc slugs meant for a .38, and they are super accurate out of my Sig. 129 power factor, easy recoil. Probably a good load for Speed Steel... these were done out of desperation, but they may end up becoming a favorite load. Ran out of ready brass before I ran out of bullets, so I'll likely finish off the rest in the next few days.

900 rounds.jpg
 
Wouldn't be a bad idea to get something newer
Lee #2 is getting pretty long in the tooth, must be going on 20+ now. On the other hand, there's lots of loads I like in there. Also, there is a special for-cast-lead-loads-only just a few years old. Can't conjure up the name right now but it gives exclusive cast lead loads. This is NOT a 'Black Powder' loading journals all the loads are smokeless.
It's good to have a variety of manuals as they all are a bit different. Some of the older recipes are surprisingly stiff compared to recent publications.

I like the Hodgdon.com site. Once you learn how to use it, handy for cell phone use.
 
Lee #2 is getting pretty long in the tooth, must be going on 20+ now. On the other hand, there's lots of loads I like in there. Also, there is a special for-cast-lead-loads-only just a few years old. Can't conjure up the name right now but it gives exclusive cast lead loads. This is NOT a 'Black Powder' loading journals all the loads are smokeless.
It's good to have a variety of manuals as they all are a bit different. Some of the older recipes are surprisingly stiff compared to recent publications.

I like the Hodgdon.com site. Once you learn how to use it, handy for cell phone use.
Are you referring to this for cast bullets? 20200405_200057.jpg
 
How's that Lee #2 manual work out for you compared to other more expensive? I'm currently using Speer 14 and Lyman 49th. Wouldn't be a bad idea to get something newer just to use for comparison.
The lee 2nd is a compilation of like everything you ever saw anywhere else ever Mike. Nothing wrong with it for ideas and starters. It does not have much specific data about the projectiles though it just lists weight except for xtp I think. I haven't done much rifle stuff out of there. The data is good it's just less specific about components. The tutorial is good though.
 

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