I was purely a bullseye powder fan for 38 and 45acp for a long time. But with availability issues of bullseye and the recent huge increase in price on Alliant brand powders (over 60 dollars a pound) I've changed to titegroup and glad I did.DW357 posted about this position sensitivity a few years ago:
Powder position sensitivity?
So I've been doing a lot of testing with various powders to get my Coonan 357 mag 1911 to cycle with the 10lb spring (intended for 38 special +p). This has forced me to finally bust out the new chronograph I got back in November to see how these loads are running. I'm using Xtreme plated 158...www.northeastshooters.com
I use it for a lot too....it's a great powder.
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What did you do in the reloading room recently?
- Thread starter DW357
- Start date
38ExtraSpecial
NES Member
Tite group wishes that it was Bullseye.
I still have 2 cans of bullseye. Saving that for bullseye league loads
It is a better powder imo......but titegroup works for economical plate banging loads and general range fodder.....cheaper by half the cost of bullseye at this point
38ExtraSpecial
NES Member
Yeah it’s inexpensive to run. Check out some of the shooters world powders. That have a tite group clone for cheap.
I bought a 4lb jug of Titegroup 3 years ago because I needed powder and the only stuff in stock was Hodgdon. The 4lb jug was on sale at a pretty good price and it's useable in a lot of calibers, so I grabbed it. I like it for higher pressure .45 Colt loads (high, but not super high) and a few other specialty loads, but in general I think Bullseye is more consistent.
gerrycaruso
NES Member
I switched from Unique to Titegroup when it first came out but have since gone to BE-86.
cpgeneration
NES Member
Varget looked the best to me on target 4
I went to make an order with MSS the other day and I noticed that their tax rate for the state of MA was at almost 10%. I called them to ask why this would be the case and suggested I add the 4 digit extension to my zip code. That didn't do anything.
They indicated that they outsource this function (which I completely understand) but it would appear to be incorrect. I'm holding off on purchasing from them since this is incorrect.
They indicated that they outsource this function (which I completely understand) but it would appear to be incorrect. I'm holding off on purchasing from them since this is incorrect.
gerrycaruso
NES Member
I cancelled an order from them because of their additional charges which they have yet to explain and ordered from someone else.
gerrycaruso
NES Member
Loaded some mild 30/06 loads. A 180 grain gas check with 20 grains of SR4759. I know that powder is discontinued but 5744 would probably be a good substitute. It's a load I used to make many years ago when my son was a little boy and wanted to shoot something bigger than a 22.
Quick 100 rounds of 357 mag
Woo. Spicy. How's the side blast?
I forget which loading manual I was using for this, but about 4 years ago I put together 20 rounds with 7.5 grains of Unique with a 158 grain Zero JSP and the side blast through the cylinder gap from a 6" S&W was so pronounced I backed right down to 6.0 grains for the next batch. Highest I've gone since with that bullet is 6.5g. The chrono numbers with 7.5g were only about 1,000 fps, but that load just did not seem okay.
All my 125g (Speer, Hornady XTP, haven't tried Zero in this weight yet) loads have been with 2400.
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I used to use h110 with 125 grain jsp. That was a bad idea. Fun as hell to shoot and very accurate......but eroded the forcing cone on my revolver bad. I've learned......slow powder and light for caliber projectiles erodes forcing cones. So for h110 I stick to 157 grain projos on 357 and 240 and 265 grain projos for 44 mag.
Loading 357 again today. Tumbled a batch of once fired brass from one of my 5 gallon pails. Got a bunch of Hornady brass.....what the f*** is with Hornady? Every one I put through the expanding die doesn't even expand the mouth because the cases are so f***ing short! They all measure 1.244!!!! Supposed to be 1.28 like everyone else.
f*** u Hornady for making me sort brass today.
f*** u Hornady for making me sort brass today.
Another hundy
Yup. It’s because of those FTX bullets they load. Brass needs to be shorter.
The brass I tumbled was from an ooooold 5 gallon pail one of the first ones I filled up with brass. Don't even remember shooting that much Hornady 357 all those years ago but if I had known back then what a pia it would be I'd have tossed it.
Zero has the 158 gr JHPs back in stock I see
Gotta feed the 1911 too
Just checked Roze. They have some 38/357 158gr JHPs in stock now. Haven't seen those in awhile (just the 125gr).
Reloading wise, I've only been staging for my single stage loading. Just finished flaring and priming 700 each of 45C and 44M cases. Flared 1150 357M cases. Probably will eventually prime a healthy subset of those, maybe some 38SP cases I flared a long time ago.
Reloading wise, I've only been staging for my single stage loading. Just finished flaring and priming 700 each of 45C and 44M cases. Flared 1150 357M cases. Probably will eventually prime a healthy subset of those, maybe some 38SP cases I flared a long time ago.
Just ran another 100 45acp with 5 grains titegroup and a 185 grain plated hbrn...... No pic......figured your all getting tired of seeing my 100 round boxes on my bench
I've got a good Blackstock of reloads at this point. Most I've had made up since I had symptomless covid back in 2020 and I was forced to stay home from work and get paid for it even though I wasn't even sick I spent alot of time at rhe bench that week and a half
I've got a good Blackstock of reloads at this point. Most I've had made up since I had symptomless covid back in 2020 and I was forced to stay home from work and get paid for it even though I wasn't even sick
I spent alot of time at rhe bench that week and a half
They think their FTX bullets require it. I think I’ve loaded the same FTX bullets to 1.6” COAL by seating to the very top of the canelure in standard length cases, but I’m not sure anymore—too long ago. I guess they standardized on the shorter cases across the board in 357M and 44M.
EddieZoom
NES Member
A few hundred 9mm "blues" while most of the neighbors are still in REM sleep
gerrycaruso
NES Member
Loaded some 357 for a pin match. A 180 grain JHP ahead of 296 and a magnum primer. I tried a few on a couple of pin targets and didn't miss with any. If I miss during the match, I'm screwed because reloading a single action during a pin match is out of the question.
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Tested some 9mm with Rem 6 1/2 sm rifle primers (these are for 22 Hornet). Went very well. A few light strikes but overall I'm happy. Primary concern was pressure but there was no pressure signs. I'm using 5.5 gr of Unique with 115 Berry's and Rainier. I did notice the charge was 1/8" below rim though. The COL is 1.130". Next will test on 115 gr X-Treme plated.
I did some searching for this load and they were all over the place. Alliant shows 6.0 as max.
I did some searching for this load and they were all over the place. Alliant shows 6.0 as max.
Quick batch of 44mag for the ruger carbine. 240 grain jsp with 23 grains of stripper glitter.
Put the baby to sleep around 930 and figured I’d do something constructive with the free time late at night, and load up 100 rounds of 357 mag
Felt good to be back at the press even though it was short lived.
Replaced the hammer spring on my DW revolver several months ago and need to test it. Maybe tomorrow but I think we’re going apple picking.
Also sized and trimmed some 300 savage brass that I had kicking around. At some point I need to pick up my grandfathers savage model 99 from my grandmother. That shit is $100 per box on ammoseek. Insane.
Felt good to be back at the press even though it was short lived.
Replaced the hammer spring on my DW revolver several months ago and need to test it. Maybe tomorrow but I think we’re going apple picking.
Also sized and trimmed some 300 savage brass that I had kicking around. At some point I need to pick up my grandfathers savage model 99 from my grandmother. That shit is $100 per box on ammoseek. Insane.
