What did you do in the reloading room recently?

whacko said:
As far as the bullets being undersized.....I've been loading from the same batch of zero brand 125 grainers for awhile. The problem started when

1. I opened a new can of 2400....still sealed but purchased 6 months ago
2. I started using the turret press

So I think the problem lies in the powder.......or the press setup.....but like I said the press I'm using the same dies and same charge procedure as before when I had no issues with this recipe.
Click to expand...

Ahh - I thought you started with a different batch of bullets. That changes a lot.

Looking at the Alliant site it lists 17.5g max with a 10% reduction for starting -> 15.75g
Your load is below starting so you could just be looking at a slightly slower powder lot that won't ignite at such a low load.
If your 16g loads fire off normally then you just got burned by lot to lot differences (you need to worry about them on both ends of the scale)
 
pastera said:
Ahh - I thought you started with a different batch of bullets. That changes a lot.

Looking at the Alliant site it lists 17.5g max with a 10% reduction for starting -> 15.75g
Your load is below starting so you could just be looking at a slightly slower powder lot that won't ignite at such a low load.
Click to expand...
Yeah 14 grains is pretty low. Although whacko said his manual listed 12.7 gr as minimum?
 
pastera said:
Ahh - I thought you started with a different batch of bullets. That changes a lot.

Looking at the Alliant site it lists 17.5g max with a 10% reduction for starting -> 15.75g
Your load is below starting so you could just be looking at a slightly slower powder lot that won't ignite at such a low load.
If your 16g loads fire off normally then you just got burned by lot to lot differences (you need to worry about them on both ends of the scale)
Click to expand...
My Lyman manual has min load for a 125 grain jacketed bullets well below 14.....believe it states 13 ish. I'll have to check the manual.

Also I've loaded 2400 In 38 special loads at 9 grains with the exact same bullet per the Lyman manual and they were great accurate loads and no issues.
 
whacko said:
As far as the bullets being undersized.....I've been loading from the same batch of zero brand 125 grainers for awhile. The problem started when

1. I opened a new can of 2400....still sealed but purchased 6 months ago
2. I started using the turret press
3. Brass fired X times (brass is a variable, especially the more it is fired)

So I think the problem lies in the powder.......or the press setup.....but like I said the press I'm using the same dies and same charge procedure as before when I had no issues with this recipe.
Click to expand...

FIFY
 
whacko said:
I've probably loaded that brass 5-7 times. Maybe it is the problem.
Click to expand...

It could be the straw that broke the camel's back, something that might explain why you haven't seen this before, but I predict that the solution, whatever it turns out to be, will not be to toss out your 357 magnum brass after a half-dozen reloads. The rest of us aren't doing that.
 
meh said:
It could be the straw that broke the camel's back, something that might explain why you haven't seen this before, but I predict that the solution, whatever it turns out to be, will not be to toss out your 357 magnum brass after a half-dozen reloads. The rest of us aren't doing that.
Click to expand...
Agreed. I can guarantee my 357 brass has been reloaded way more than 6 times without any problems. Of course I get an occasional case split but that's it.
 
meh said:
It could be the straw that broke the camel's back, something that might explain why you haven't seen this before, but I predict that the solution, whatever it turns out to be, will not be to toss out your 357 magnum brass after a half-dozen reloads. The rest of us aren't doing that.
Click to expand...

Almost all my pistol brass regardless of caliber has been loaded many times. I will say, though, I've had to toss some Federal brass after just a few loadings because the primers seated much too loosely. Not all Federal, just some, so it is something to be aware of.
 
Been tumbling 9mm since yesterday afternoon, probably got 1500-2000 cases done. I bit the bullet and ordered 2k precision delta 124 grain 38 super fmj. These are .356 diameter and seeing as my PM-9 slugged at .356 I’m gonna give them a go. Also have some Redding 308 dies and ibejihead samples showing up Monday.
 
Cracked open a new bottle of Sport Pistol and noticed some of the powder has golden brown flakes. The last bottle of SP didn’t have this. Hmmm. It was made/packaged on 5/14/19. Maybe I’ll email Alliant.
7A10CDE8-1D51-4F7E-ACA1-8C614826D87A.jpeg

Someone on one of the reloading Facebook groups I’m on said:

“Some powder companies, like Alliant, put in colored flakes to ID powders that are otherwise identical. I know Green Dot has it now but hasn't always.”

Interesting.
 
Last edited:
whacko said:
My Lyman manual has min load for a 125 grain jacketed bullets well below 14.....believe it states 13 ish. I'll have to check the manual.
Click to expand...

13.0 to 17.7. Note that manuals are really giving you test results, not instructions. In some calibers, e.g. .44 magnum, the Lyman manual indicates with an asterisk whether a magnum primer was used in their tests. However, for .357 magnum the Lyman manual indicates that they used magnum primers (CCI 550) for all .357 magnum loads. It is possible that, as they tested downwards toward failure, their tests were successful to much lower "starting" charges with magnum primers than they would have been with standard primers.
 
meh said:
13.0 to 17.7. Note that manuals are really giving you test results, not instructions. In some calibers, e.g. .44 magnum, the Lyman manual indicates with an asterisk whether a magnum primer was used in their tests. However, for .357 magnum the Lyman manual indicates that they used magnum primers (CCI 550) for all .357 magnum loads. It is possible that, as they tested downwards toward failure, their tests were successful to much lower "starting" charges with magnum primers than they would have been with standard primers.
Click to expand...
Did not know that. Should I try a mag primer? The 14.1 grain charge Is very accurate in the henry
 
andrew1220 said:
Cracked open a new bottle of Sport Pistol and noticed some of the powder has golden brown flakes. The last bottle of SP didn’t have this. Hmmm. It was made/packaged on 5/14/19. Maybe I’ll email Alliant.
View attachment 372082

Someone on one of the reloading Facebook groups I’m on said:

“Some powder companies, like Alliant, put in colored flakes to ID powders that are otherwise identical. I know Green Dot has it now but hasn't always.”

Interesting.
Click to expand...

Seeing that it's the mystical "Sports Pistol", those are undoubtedly unicorn flakes ;-)
 
andrew1220 said:
Cracked open a new bottle of Sport Pistol and noticed some of the powder has golden brown flakes. The last bottle of SP didn’t have this. Hmmm. It was made/packaged on 5/14/19. Maybe I’ll email Alliant.
View attachment 372082

Someone on one of the reloading Facebook groups I’m on said:

“Some powder companies, like Alliant, put in colored flakes to ID powders that are otherwise identical. I know Green Dot has it now but hasn't always.”

Interesting.
Click to expand...
Its magical powder bruh.
 
whacko said:
Did not know that. Should I try a mag primer? The 14.1 grain charge Is very accurate in the henry
Click to expand...

This is the art. I don't use magnum primers with 2400, but my 2400 loads are always on the heavy side, even though I don't generally don't go all the way to a maximum load. Under the circumstances here, slow powder + very low charge + manual used magnum primers, I'd try the magnum primers if I were set on trying to make that load work. However, if the magnum primer helps, it's obviously changing the load, which may change how it shoots in your rifle. I see two choices: use standard primers and explore the accuracy in the normal range of variation, say 90%-100% of the published max in the manual, or switch to a magnum primer and look for your favorite load ranging down into lighter loads.

Personally, I stick to standard primers with 2400 and use it only for heavier loads. I'd have to look at my logs to see if I have even tried downloading it very much in any caliber, but my recollection is that it shot more dirty in the lighter loads that I tested.

For lighter loads, I use medium or fast powders. I will inject here that I do not use Titegroup specifically if accuracy is of any particular interest, as my experience suggests that this powder's name is false advertising. Anyway, this photo shows my best 5 shot group and a typical one out of a Henry with 125 grain Zero JHPC's over Universal, a relatively fast powder, at 100 yards on a simple Caldwell bag rest when I had it scoped. Sorry to say I can't shoot this well without a scope, even with the tang sight I have on it now.

cropped.jpg
 
I'm about to buy Federal small rifle primers to try with 9mm.

Besides backing down the powder charge a little bit, and besides the primers being a little harder than small pistol, do you see any issues with this?
... has anyone used small rifle primers with 9mm before?
 
andrew1220 said:
Cracked open a new bottle of Sport Pistol and noticed some of the powder has golden brown flakes. The last bottle of SP didn’t have this. Hmmm. It was made/packaged on 5/14/19. Maybe I’ll email Alliant.
View attachment 372082

Someone on one of the reloading Facebook groups I’m on said:

“Some powder companies, like Alliant, put in colored flakes to ID powders that are otherwise identical. I know Green Dot has it now but hasn't always.”

Interesting.
Click to expand...

Mine looks the same...
 

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