Pistol Reloading Advice

[mac86951]

Ok,
I love this forum so much, but I've started reloading for a few pistols too. Anyone know of a forum like this for pistol reloading?
I've found that pistol loads are an entirely different level of random hearsay combined with smelly bull doo-doo. An order of magnitude harder again as I am starting to cast bullets.

-Mac

 

[CJ6]

I believe there is a forum called CastBullets . Depending on what you're loading maybe some of the Cowboy Action sites might help also.

 

[kolar55]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/
http://www.castbulletassoc.org/
Check out these two if it's cast bullet shooting you are looking for.

 

[jonbearman]

What is your question,we more than likely can help you.

 

[bheadboy]

Been casting since 1946 so if you like PM me and I will try to give answers to specific question.

I have loaded for 380,9mm,38spl 357m,44spcl,44m,45acp,45lc, cast and jacked, plink, target and hunting

Bob

 

[Lapua40X]

"bheadboy" must be older than dirt.
I didn't start reloading for handguns until circa 1960 so my experience is limited to just a little more than fifty years and involves only .38, 357, .45, 9mm, but if you'll lay out the specifics of your needs I may be able to help.
If you do a search for handgun reloading forums using firearm's specifics (e.g. 9mm forum) you can find some that are more specific and, IMO, therefore tend to have more reliable information. Not to say they don't have some doo doo surfacing from time to time, but I tend to find them more to my liking.
Not that this one is necessarily what you need - but here's an example.
http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showforum=72

 

[artbosco]

Ok,
I love this forum so much, but I've started reloading for a few pistols too. Anyone know of a forum like this for pistol reloading?
I've found that pistol loads are an entirely different level of random hearsay combined with smelly bull doo-doo. An order of magnitude harder again as I am starting to cast bullets.

-Mac

Here's two that I visit daily:

#1 http://forums.1911forum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=58

#2 http://smith-wessonforum.com/reloading/

 

[wapiti25]

Give us the calibers and kind of guns you are shooting. Also what you are trying to accomplish.

 

[bheadboy]

Lapua40x

older than dirt, humppp - whipper snapper - lyman tong tools, still have it.

Bob

 

[Lapua40X]

Lapua40x

older than dirt, humppp - whipper snapper - lyman tong tools, still have it.

Bob

Lyman tong tools, Ohaus D-5 scale - lots of things have changed. I haven't moulded bullets for a lot of years but the wooden handled moulding blocks still look pretty much the same as they did back then. Do you still have tong tools and dies?

 

[bheadboy]

Lapua40x

yes, I have a number of calibers, 38spcl, was the first, then 30-30, and a couple of others. first mold was lyman 148dewc copy made by a machinist friend, then I purchased a 225415 single for use in 22 hornet and 2r lovell

sized first with a cale (misspelled) cutter with lub in bottom of pie pan. the lyman sizer which I still have. bot it in my jr year of high school with earning from working. cant remember what I paid - still have it and still works. Have my original lyman reloading book purchased in after WWII used it until I bot the 1973 version.

I do prefer my two Star sizers for accuracy and speed but use the Lyman for fun and gas check bullets.

Bob

 

[K22]

Agree with some other posters, there are a lot of us old farts who have been loading for handguns a long time so if you post your question we may be able to help.

 

[mac86951]

Ok,
Lets see if I can get a straight question here.

For starters, I'm loading pre-cast bullets from Missouri Bullet Co, or Magnus.

Calibers are the typical. 38 special/357 Mag for a Single Action Ruger Blackhawk.
44spec/44Mag for a Marlin 1894c
9mm for a S&W M&P9.

Powder: Unique, Bullseye.

I'll keep the cast bullet methods out of this for now, and work on load work-ups without a chronograph.

What is your procedure?

I've got a load that works in each, but I'm hesitant to do any pressure testing/work ups without more familiarity first.

I'm measuring all of my loads with a 505 scale, and doing all of the research possible as to COL online, but in the absence of a starting load, how do you determine where to begin?

-Mac

 

[bheadboy]

there is a significant difference between cast bullet powder charges and jacked bullet charges, most loading manuals do not consider cast bullets thus the loads for jacketed are not good.

get the Lyman loading manual, they cover jacked and cast loads, and for target start with the mid level charge for the bullet you use.

the big point on cast bullets is the difference in hardness and the dia of the sizing. if you cast yourself, you size to a known dia and the build loads according, if you buy bullets their hardness and dia are not under your control and you have to treat them a little more carefully starting with loads that are on the lower level and work up.

for auto, use the taper crimp for sure as the case head spaces on the mouth, for revolver, you can use the taper or roll crimp.

jacketed the crimp is the same auto taper, revolver either taper or slight roll.
I have found for pistols the following powder work well, bullseye , unique, 231, aa5, clays, 2400, aa9 for starters depending on the caliber and bullet weight. there are others that work to but these I use the most.

Bob

 

[Lapua40X]

I think Bob pretty well covered it. Can't think of anything significant to add.
The one thing that those new to handgun reloading often fail to consider is the chambering differences between the revolver and the auto. Because the auto has a "chamber" not entirely unlike a rifle, it's load criteria are significantly different. While revolvers rely on a forcing cone to align the bullet into the bore, the auto essentially eliminates that element.
If you're using revolver's in competition or are insistent about precise accuracy, it's a good idea to check the timing of the cylinder to bore to be sure that they are in perfect alignment. To be certain, a gunsmith specializing in handguns is worth the few bucks it will cost to have that alignment checked (and corrected if necessary) using special tools designed to check that.

 

[bheadboy]

Lapus40x made a good point, - there is one more for revolver accuracy that needs to be covered, the cylinder has a throat and short distance the bullet exits the case then aligns with the throat of the bbl, if the dia of the cylinder throat is too big -bummer

having shot revolver sil. at 200 meters it is important to have the diameter of the throat of the cylinder the same or very close to the diameter of the bullet being used, you do not want the bullet to leave the case - hit the cylinder throat -enter the front of the cylinder with the bullet having .002-3 or more room to roll around in there then exit the cylinder at a wobble then jump to the throat of the bbl.

the answer will be a different cylinder, the way to check this before buying a revolver is to take a jacked bullet and with the cylinder clean, crop the bullet from the rear into the cylinder in all chambers, if all stop the bullet about half way through fine, if the bullet drops out of the cylinder on any one of the chambers -- get another gun. if you have the gun, then relegate it to cast bullets sized large enough to stop in the throat of the cylinder and soft enough to adjust to the bbl dia. - not hard cast. about 15-20 x1 lead mix.

Bob

 

[Old Navy]

Ok,
I love this forum so much, but I've started reloading for a few pistols too. Anyone know of a forum like this for pistol reloading?
I've found that pistol loads are an entirely different level of random hearsay combined with smelly bull doo-doo. An order of magnitude harder again as I am starting to cast bullets.

-Mac

Attention to detail when charging cases is the most important thing to remember. A lot of rounds can be double charged. The rest can be learned following most reloading manuals unless you are trying to knock over 200 meter rams. Later! Frank

 

[bheadboy]

Rams are not the big deal, it is the chicken shoot offs!

Bob

 

[Outrider27]

Rams are not the big deal, it is the chicken shoot offs!

Bob

How true, lol. But before they changed the shape of the silhoutte (this is a lot of years ago, and many on here now have probably not seen the original turkey), turkeys at 150 meters/yards was the toughest and most frustrating. I have lots of 10s for chickens, pigs and rams, but very few on the old turkey target.

And I did learn to hate 200 meter chicken shoot-offs the few times I had to do them.... ;D

 

[bheadboy]

and then there came the 1/2 scale, ughhhhhhh

Bob