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Starting load for Clays?


Chutist

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you going to try to go a little higher or maybe try a coated bullet? To close to PF if you every get the guy holding the little baggie asking for some ammo :surprise:

Edited by jtrump
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Ya, I'll add a "bit", but I now know what makes PF in my gun. Nice thing is it's still SOFT! :cheers:

I may try some other bullets, I wouldn't mind saving a few bucks. ;) IF i can find a bullet that works well - no smoke, no leading and good accuracy ;)

Blue Bullets and H&S are on my RADAR... I tried to buy some of the Egggleston Munitions bullets but all the 180 gr. .40 bullets were OOS.

Edited by Chutist
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I may try some other bullets, I wouldn't mind saving a few bucks. ;) IF i can find a bullet that works well - no smoke, no leading and good accuracy ;)

I am very happy with Bayou 180 TCGs. You can buy as few as 100 to test. I use gold for major and red for minor. That way I know at a glance what PF I'm shooting.

http://www.bayoubullets.net/40-s-w-10mm-180-gr-tcg-100-ct/

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I use 4.6 gr of Clays at 1.215" to get right around 170pf in my 5.4 SVI with Hornady HAP 180gr bullets and 4.4 gr at the same length with 180gr BBI bullets (with groove) for about the same pf

Edited by Vincent C
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Is an oal of 1.145 to short to use clays.

Does clays feel softer than n320 in yalls opinion ?

I want to try clays but from what I've read here im not sure I should b/c my mags limit my oal out of my TS. I do want to load major..

Edited by magpulled
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Is an oal of 1.145 to short to use clays.

Does clays feel softer than n320 in yalls opinion ?

I want to try clays but from what I've read here im not sure I should b/c my mags limit my oal out of my TS. I do want to load major..

I ran 4.4 to 4.6 clays with 1.150 OAL and was pushing the limit...cases were cracking, but not yet blowing apart. Any shorter and they will blow.

Now I use 4.0 clays with 1.180 OAL to be safe...170 PF...180 gr bullet

If you want major with short OAL, try Solo 1000 powder.

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Is an oal of 1.145 to short to use clays.

Does clays feel softer than n320 in yalls opinion ?

I want to try clays but from what I've read here im not sure I should b/c my mags limit my oal out of my TS. I do want to load major..

That short? I'd be tempted to start with N320. It seems to be even more popular than Clays, based on what I read here and in the National's survey.

I just got some N320 but it will be a few weeks before I can test Clays back to back with N320 so I can't comment on the "softness".

Edited by Chutist
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I've been loading n320 and its been good so far but a little expensive. It seems snappy but I guess 40 is a snappy round. I really don't think it's going to get any softer and still make major. I have some clays but I'll save it for 45. I do have a few lbs of wst I might try at some point but I've read where wst is reverse temp sensitive so I might save it for cooler weather. Thanks for the advise. It probably saved me from having trouble later.

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I've been loading n320 and its been good so far but a little expensive. It seems snappy but I guess 40 is a snappy round. I really don't think it's going to get any softer and still make major. I have some clays but I'll save it for 45. I do have a few lbs of wst I might try at some point but I've read where wst is reverse temp sensitive so I might save it for cooler weather. Thanks for the advise. It probably saved me from having trouble later.

Load WST to 172PF during NE winter 25-30 degrees and have never gone below 169 PF on a chrono during the summer up to appox 85 degrees. got to chrono stage after lunch so it sat under the tent most of the day and not a problem. every round was consistent 169+PF. just don't try and run it at 167/8 during the winter etc.

Clay Dot has been more stable at 171 PF during the change from winter to summer

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  • 3 weeks later...

Great info here. A few keys to remember for those new to reloading:

1 every gun is different

2 choose a powder / charge that gives you some margin for error.

3 reloading is as much about using a chronograph as a press.

4 successful reloading is about; making PF, safety, reliability and maintaining a competitive advantage (a small margin above min PF and no more)

When most guys chrono, they're firing 10 rnd strings and taking AVG. I do the same when setting up my powder charge (Dillon SD), I weigh 10 charges and take AVG. With a light flaky powder (discussed in this thread), after loading 1 or 2 hundred rounds or so, I noticed the charge weight has crept up, sometimes 0.1 gr. The screw hasn't moved, the powder was loose when poured in, now it has compacted and more flakes are occupying the same space.

Read the chronoman report in the chronograph forum. Lighting conditions change chrono results....alot. When testing new loads I always fire a string of factory and a string of my trusted match ammo (5.3 VVN320 at 1.18 with campro 180 TMJTC) as a quality control. I've seen factory ammo PF jump 12 when the clouds clear. What does that mean for your test data? If I can't get the expected results with factory ammo, I put the test batches and chrono away and bring out the practice ammo and shoot drills that day.

I think my next gun project is to build a chrono box for more consistent data to help my reloading.

Edited by blasterboy
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  • 4 weeks later...

4.5grs,175 swc Bayou, 1.200oal, 173pf, very soft,very accurate in 2 sti's and a Tanfo limited.

This is pretty much where I'm at. 4.4gr got me 172PF with 180gr BBI coated flat point, but for bulk loading I would have to go a bit higher to make sure I don't dip under 165PF. I seem to be getting lower velocities than most, not sure if it's the batch of powder, crimp, bullet diameter, or something about the barrel. 4.6gr seems to be the limit - primers are getting flat.

I loaded bayou 180's 4.6 Clay's 1.18" and was getting 187 pf in one gun.

Now at 4.4 and 167 in that gun, but higher, 172 pf in other guns.

Powder is fluffy, meters very well, charge weight remains consistent.

I can get titegroup. E3 and other powder easier but have 12 lbs left of clays.

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  • 7 months later...

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