Lets say you bought a revolver, (you pick a cal.) You go to the range and shoot. After your range sesson you think I do not need that much power, just to plink and shoot targets. However, you like the cal. and the gun. You get out the reloading books and read them all. You are looking for a light load that you can plink and shoot paper. Now you are confused. How does one know or pick a light load?
Not so much power
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AZAndy
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Look for the lower reported velocities in the book. If a .38, for example, is going 700fps, that's a light load. If it's going 850fps, it's not. When I do light loads, I like a heavy bullet, as it makes the recoil less snappy.
Edit to add: If you tell us what cartridge you're shooting, you'll most likely get some good loading suggestions for easy-going loads.
Edit to add: If you tell us what cartridge you're shooting, you'll most likely get some good loading suggestions for easy-going loads.
Demi-human
maybe likes firearms a little bit…
The load with the lightest charge of powder, pushing the lightest lead bullet, the slowest.
Then work down.
Bring a wooden dowel to the range and make sure the barrel is empty before shooting another one.
What do you have?
I plink with a Desert Eagle on occasion.
They don't always try to rip an arm off...
Then work down.
Bring a wooden dowel to the range and make sure the barrel is empty before shooting another one.
What do you have?
I plink with a Desert Eagle on occasion.
They don't always try to rip an arm off...
Which caliber?
A rule of thumb is fast powders and much less of it with calibers that use medium speed powders, and medium speed or fast speed powders in calibers that use slow powders, just less of it.
A little experience helps here of course, but look at it like you are loading for low pressure such as .38 Spl, .45 ACP, .44 Spl, .45 Colt, etc.
A .357 revolver? Use .38 Spl loads. A .44 Mag revolver? Use .44 Spl loads. A .40 S&W? Pretend it has a .45 ACP pressure limit.
That help any? Which caliber and we can be more specific. Sometimes you have to go off of the grid to load "light" for a caliber if you want to go a lot lighter than factory max.
I shoot some powder puff loads in .357 brass in .357 revolvers that you will never find in load books, but are perfectly safe, accurate, and fun.
A rule of thumb is fast powders and much less of it with calibers that use medium speed powders, and medium speed or fast speed powders in calibers that use slow powders, just less of it.
A little experience helps here of course, but look at it like you are loading for low pressure such as .38 Spl, .45 ACP, .44 Spl, .45 Colt, etc.
A .357 revolver? Use .38 Spl loads. A .44 Mag revolver? Use .44 Spl loads. A .40 S&W? Pretend it has a .45 ACP pressure limit.
That help any? Which caliber and we can be more specific. Sometimes you have to go off of the grid to load "light" for a caliber if you want to go a lot lighter than factory max.
I shoot some powder puff loads in .357 brass in .357 revolvers that you will never find in load books, but are perfectly safe, accurate, and fun.
rfwobbly
Member
The thing is that revolver cartridge cases are generally so large in relationship to the amount of 'smokeless' powder it takes, that the cartridge may become "position sensitive". That is, you'll have different results according to whether you point the gun up or down before you fire. That's when you can get into trouble.
• Look for and use powders that are less dense, like Unique.
• Bullets, like "wad cutters", that fill more of the case definitely help.
Have fun, but be safe.
• Look for and use powders that are less dense, like Unique.
• Bullets, like "wad cutters", that fill more of the case definitely help.
Have fun, but be safe.
243winxb
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Trail Boss powder. https://www.hodgdon.com/trail-boss/
Legionnaire
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There is a wealth of experience in this group. Tell us what cartridge you are interested in and you'll get lots of specific suggestions. Until we know more, we can only speak in generalities.
WelshShooter
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One could reference cast loads in a Lyman reloading manual or speak to the fellas on cast boolit forums.
There are also cowboy action loads in some standard loading books which offer reduced recoil loads.
38spl for example, can be loaded using 3.5gr of Red Dot with a 158gr cast bullet. Makes for great plinking ammo!
There are also cowboy action loads in some standard loading books which offer reduced recoil loads.
38spl for example, can be loaded using 3.5gr of Red Dot with a 158gr cast bullet. Makes for great plinking ammo!
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