Ancient One

I am 63,been shooting shotgun & reloading shotgun for 42 yrs. I started 1 eye.went to 2,back to 1,back to 2,etc,etc. I shoot all disiplines,trap,skeet,SC,5 stand,wobble, international bunker & IPSC 3-gun. I do not hunt birds. The name of every single shotgun game is to HIT & BREAK AS MANY TARGETS AS YOU CAN. If this means shooting 2 eyes,do it. 1 eye,do it. BLINDFOLDED,do it!!!!! Do what breaks the most targets for YOU. That what it is all about.

Try running a want ad on the USPSA website under the classifieds.

I only use the slow burning powers. N 105 @ 10 gr for matches to make major,this is their starting load. Also can do with SP-2 & 3N38 but only at the top of the manual. I use 7.3 of N350(not major)for practice. I have a 4-port bbl & do lose some there. Lil Gun won't even come close. I use MT Gold 124 HP.

Post #6 & 7 give room for some serious thought. I have almost always used Federal Pistol primers. I have Feamster's book. Will check it. Also will go to once fired or new brass + change primers + try the other things suggested. Thanks guys. Ancient One

Am using a 650. Most have a reasonably tight feel,some more than others. Nothing really loose,I discard if so. I have some 1x fired Fed. & PMC .40 brass. I will switch & use only this for the next few thou. rds.

I am using small or large pistol primers as required by the cartridge. No magnum or rifle. Could the non-sealing be due to the lower pressure loads I normally use? How about looser primer pockets sometimes found in picked up range brass?

What causes a circular ring of pitting on the breech face? This pitting is the approximate outside diameter of the primer. It is occuring on 2 open guns,.38 super & .38 super comp,a .40 limited gun & a .45 ACP. The limited & open guns have Caspian slides & the .45 is a Colt series 70 slide. I am very careful with my loads,never using a load not listed in a manual(I have been reloading for 42 yrs.) I use mostly Federal primers esp. when getting within 10% of max as Federal is softer & shows pressure quicker. My limited gun is showing this pitting in 3000 rds from new.

Is there any published pressure data or loading manual data using 180 gr jacketed or cast bullets with VV 320 in the .40 S&W?