TransAmConvert
Member
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2020
- Messages
- 96
First post, Hi all!
I wanted to do a little continuation of this thread:
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/similar-recipe-for-gold-dot-135-short-barrel.318861/
I made up some loads and tested them:
38+P for my S&W 442
357 for my speed six and 3" S&W 66
All made with WSP primers.
My model 66 is a "fast" gun, I know this from previous work. It also has a very small gap.
I had good results with power pistol in both loadings.
6.3gr power pistol got 891 fps in the 442, with good accuracy and low SD of 17.
8.6gr power pistol got 1177 fps in the ruger, and 1226 in the M66. There's probably room to warm this load up a bit. SDs are in the 20s and 30s.
Downside is power pistol gives a lot of flash and report, so I was looking for an alternative powder. I had true blue on hand and tried that:
6.3 true blue got 874 fps and good accuracy, from the 442 though the primers were a bit flattened. Flash was there but somewhat reduced. Need to shoot some at night to compare.
In 357 9.0gr of true blue netted 1130 fps from the ruger and 1185 from the M66. Again reduced flash and lower SD than the power pistol loads. Recoil feel was maybe a bit sharper than the power pistol.
9.5gr reached 1205 and 1245 fps, however the cases stuck on extraction (not terribly just a tap with my palm instead of a push with one finger) in the model 66 only and the primers were flattened (but not cratered) with a bit of an imprint from the breech face. The western data has a max of 10.3gr for a 140gr bullet so I was hoping I could get more out of this powder but it looks like it isn't happening. Regardless I'm going to cci-500 primers for the next test, the wsp are maybe soft for this.
It "feels" like true blue is a faster powder than power pistol. Most charts list it as slower but I don't know. The fact that it's showing pressure signs with less velocity indicates otherwise.
Can anyone recommend an alternative powder (and a starting load) to try which will get 1150-1200 fps in 357 while minimizing flash, report and recoil in these short barrels? I know I don't ask for much. If I can get my hands on it I'll test it and report.
I wanted to do a little continuation of this thread:
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/similar-recipe-for-gold-dot-135-short-barrel.318861/
I made up some loads and tested them:
38+P for my S&W 442
357 for my speed six and 3" S&W 66
All made with WSP primers.
My model 66 is a "fast" gun, I know this from previous work. It also has a very small gap.
I had good results with power pistol in both loadings.
6.3gr power pistol got 891 fps in the 442, with good accuracy and low SD of 17.
8.6gr power pistol got 1177 fps in the ruger, and 1226 in the M66. There's probably room to warm this load up a bit. SDs are in the 20s and 30s.
Downside is power pistol gives a lot of flash and report, so I was looking for an alternative powder. I had true blue on hand and tried that:
6.3 true blue got 874 fps and good accuracy, from the 442 though the primers were a bit flattened. Flash was there but somewhat reduced. Need to shoot some at night to compare.
In 357 9.0gr of true blue netted 1130 fps from the ruger and 1185 from the M66. Again reduced flash and lower SD than the power pistol loads. Recoil feel was maybe a bit sharper than the power pistol.
9.5gr reached 1205 and 1245 fps, however the cases stuck on extraction (not terribly just a tap with my palm instead of a push with one finger) in the model 66 only and the primers were flattened (but not cratered) with a bit of an imprint from the breech face. The western data has a max of 10.3gr for a 140gr bullet so I was hoping I could get more out of this powder but it looks like it isn't happening. Regardless I'm going to cci-500 primers for the next test, the wsp are maybe soft for this.
It "feels" like true blue is a faster powder than power pistol. Most charts list it as slower but I don't know. The fact that it's showing pressure signs with less velocity indicates otherwise.
Can anyone recommend an alternative powder (and a starting load) to try which will get 1150-1200 fps in 357 while minimizing flash, report and recoil in these short barrels? I know I don't ask for much. If I can get my hands on it I'll test it and report.