Single shot pistol loading thread

[Muzzlestuffer]

Hello anyone out there shooting break open or bolt pistol ? I'm just starting with my freedom arms model 2008 In 260 Remington. I started a couple months ago but didn't have correct scope on it so now I have proper scope set up and some loads worked up for testing tomorrow I'm using Peterson brass with Remington 7 1/2 primers I also bought some lapua brass but case necks are way too tight so I ordered a Wilson mandrel set up and waiting for that to show. I bought some of the Berger eol 156 grain bullets and using h4350 powder with loads I got from Berger as they are not available to the general public yet so I put together some ladder loads in 1/2 grain increments and I'm loaded .15 thou off the lands to start.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Caliber???

 

[1raggedhole]

Caliber???

He says 260 Rem

 

[Muzzlestuffer]

Caliber???

260 rem

 

[Muzzlestuffer]

Testing photo upload

 

[sawcarver]

There are quite a few of us here who load for break barrel and bolt pistols. I do, never owned a FA before but lots of contenders, savages and XP-100s

 

[Muzzlestuffer]

That's great any one shooting steel silhouettes ? I'm planning on shooting out to a 1000 hopefully I'll get there I'm sure the gun can do it just need to unlock the correct load!

 

[Bill K]

As you know every rifle/handgun will shoot differently. Find some loads for that weight bullet, in and around 4350 or Varget and work up from the listed start load and find one that groups best, then tweek the seating depth to fine tune.
As for the Lapua brass, it seems to always need neck trimming to fit chambers. the 7.5 Rem primer will serve you well.
Have find working up a load, for your gun, and keep us posted on progress and photo's.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Caliber???

He says 260 Rem

260 rem

I just saw that.

 

[fatelvis]

As far as sizing is concerned, on my rifle caliber Contenders, I keep bumping the shoulder back a thou at a time until the action just closes easily. Minimal headspace and bullet jump around .020" seems a good place to start load development .

 

[Muzzlestuffer]

Question if you weight sort new brass wouldn't you have to trim brass to exact length first ?

 

[2506]

Do a Google for "specialty pistols" and go to the forum. You will find a bunch of information there. There are a number of great people over there that will be glad to help you. Ernie is one and Doc the "WVHitman" is another truckload of knowledge.
I have shot T/C Contenders in a number of calibers for years. Have two frames with 22lr, 357 mag, 45/410, 6mm-225 and 30-30AI barrels at this time. It has been about 36 years ago but I did shoot hunter silhouette with a Ruger Red Hawk 44 mag and informal steel shooting out to 600 yards with a Contender in 30-30 Win. I have always kind of wanted a bolt pistol but never had the money when one showed up at a good price or one never showed up at a good price when I had the money. LOL

 

[ihmsakiwi]

I second going to "specialty pistols" my old stomping ground.
I had a 2008 with both 7mmBR and 223Rem barrels.
Both were tight chambers and I needed to be on my game to get fired cases to fit.
I ended up buying a small base die for the 223. The 7mmBR was a shooter with cast bullets (RCBS 165gr) and the 223 loved 55 grainers.

Should never have sold my Freedom 22LR revolver or my .357Mag. Beautiful workmanship on all his guns.

 

[TC260]

I've loaded for several Encore 260 pistols. H4350 with 140's and Russian primers was always a good combo

 

[JSH]

Break open rigs, many things you think you know about bolt guns will not apply.

 

[bsekf]

I treat TC's as wildcats, because they are. The gap between barrel and breach is different by .001 to .005. IMHO you must know that measurement and keep you headspace between .001 and .002. Too long and the case drags on the breach face and you may get vertical stringing, too short and you'll probably get case separation. Always headspace off the shoulder, even with rimmed cartridges. I swap barrels around, but always the same barrel to the same frame. Mike Bellm has written a lot about reloading TC's. You have to remove the extractor to get the measurements.

 

[3Ackleys]

I treat TC's as wildcats, because they are. The gap between barrel and breach is different by .001 to .005. IMHO you must know that measurement and keep you headspace between .001 and .002. Too long and the case drags on the breach face and you may get vertical stringing, too short and you'll probably get case separation. Always headspace off the shoulder, even with rimmed cartridges. I swap barrels around, but always the same barrel to the same frame. Mike Bellm has written a lot about reloading TC's. You have to remove the extractor to get the measurements.

I use Bellm's parts on all of mt T/C's very good source of all things T/C.
However the gap between the barrel and the frame does not affect headspace on a T/C single shot at all. Here is a quote from Bellm's site on accuracy trouble shooting:
"The barrel to frame gap did not change as the barrel warmed, but it also appeared that the barrel was bumping the frame. So the next thing to try was to face off a few thousands from the end of the barrel, thus eliminating any chance the barrel was making contact with the frame. And by the way, this will not change the headspace."

 

[bsekf]

When TC barrels are made, they are headspaced to the chamber end of the barrel. So, if you have a .004 gap between your breach and the end of the barrel, your headspace is .004 long. That's why Mike tells you to measure that distance and then get his device to measure how much your case sticks out of the barrel. I have several barrels and only one has less then .001 gap between breach and end of barrel. l have never had a barrel that was too long, that action wouldn't close. Keep in mind that the frame flexes at the shot and the case comes out of the gun .001-.002 long and that's why you need to bump the shoulder every reload. I use a Redding body die and then a Lee collet to size neck..... I even index for one barrel.

Bill

 

[3Ackleys]

When TC barrels are made, they are headspaced to the chamber end of the barrel. So, if you have a .004 gap between your breach and the end of the barrel, your headspace is .004 long. That's why Mike tells you to measure that distance and then get his device to measure how much your case sticks out of the barrel. I have several barrels and only one has less then .001 gap between breach and end of barrel. l have never had a barrel that was too long, that action wouldn't close. Keep in mind that the frame flexes at the shot and the case comes out of the gun .001-.002 long and that's why you need to bump the shoulder every reload. I use a Redding body die and then a Lee collet to size neck..... I even index for one barrel.

Bill

Not correct. You measure the gap and measure the case protrusion and subtract one from the other and THAT is your headspace.
From Mike Bellm's web site:

What headspace is NOT...It's not the barrel to frame gap

Headspace is NOT the distance from the end of the barrel to the breechface, as is so often said erroneously.

The distance from the end of the barrel to the breechface has NO bearing whatsoever on headspace, and this gap, referred to as the barrel-to-frame gap, also has absolutely NO bearing on the quality or function of the barrel. And contrary to statements by at least one purveyor of custom barrels, there is NO optimum gap for accuracy. It can be a little, or it can be a lot, as much as 1/8" and still have absolutely no bearing on accuracy.

Here is the link:
https://web.archive.org/web/20160625111430/http://www.bellmtcs.com/store/index.php?cid=172&

 

[bsekf]

We have a problem with semantics. I am saying the same thing Mike does. Breach and frame are the same. HS is distance from shoulder to frame or breach. Because TC barrel to frame(breach) measurement are all different the HS is different. Hence, all cases must be resized to the shoulder to frame (breach) measurement, minus .001-.003. IMHO, proper shoulder to frame (breach) resizing make a difference in accuracy.

Bill