TonyT

With 125 gr. plated or jacketed I prefer either N-320 or American Select. For the 158 gr. plated bullets I have used Trail Boss with good results.

I have used 3.6 gr. WST behind 155 to 180 gr. plated or jacketed bullets. I use this in a S&W 646, CZ-40B and PO16-40 . The PO16-40 required a lighter recoil spring for reliable functioning.

I have not used American Select in a 9mm but do use it for light lloaods ion 40 S&W and 45 ACP. It meters well in my Dillon 550 and burns very clean. It's one of my favorite powders.

You can succesfully use 38 Special reloads in a 357 Magnum chamber. First use a clean burning powder like Clays, N-310 or American Select. Secondly use a 375 cal bronze rifle brush to clean out the cylinders.

I prefer either American Select or Trail Boss with the 185 gr. Berry's HBRN. VV N-310 is also a nice celan burning powder with this bullet.

I like the slow rolling 230 gr. plated or jacketed bullets.

With LSWC's in the 45 ACP I do not concentrate on OAL but on the amount of should exposed on the bullet. I find that a ca. 1 mm exposure of the lead shoulder allows for excellent functioning in a variety of my 45 ACP semi-auto's.

The Stars were great machines in their day. When I was shootiong bullseye pistol in the late 1950's , I used a friends Stars in 38 Special and 45 ACP. If they made them now I would purchase one for each caliber I loaded. However, they are no longer available and one has to contend with using the currently available products. I use the Dillon 550 which is acceptable but certainly not in the same league as the old Stars.

Many years ago I used to load the 200 gr. Speer LSWC behinf 3.6 gr. Calys for ca 725 fps with outstanding accuracy and rerlaibility in several semi-autos. I don't remember the OAL but usually exposing ca. 1mm of the shoulder on the LSWC insures excellent feeding.

At lower velocity levels of ca 750 to 800 fps with 155 to 180 gr. lead, plated or jacketed bullets I have obtained excellent accuracy with WST and American select.

I have always used the old "stanmdard" load of 2.7 gr. Bullseye. 148 gr. Remington LHBWC seated flush with a very slight crimp. Zero malfunctions with my S&W Model 52.

I have found HS-700X to meter very well. HS-800X - that's another story - the most unreliable metering of any powder I have ever used. As an aside, HS-700X is a superbly accurate powder with lead bullets if you keep the velocity to below 800 fps. It is a bit smoky.

I have used the Marvel and Jarvis 22 conversion units on an a very old and refinished 1911 or Norinco frames. The choice of frame does not appear to be a critical factor with these two units.

I have expereinced the same difficulty as other in reloading 45 ACP S&B brass - tight primer pockets. Rather than consume time on reaming primer pockets, I save it for use on ranges where I do not pick up the brass.

The Ranch Products moonclips for either $50 or $75/100 (I forget which) work well and are reasonably priced.

I have used a bronze brush in my S&W 646. I never considered a nylon brush but perhaps I should,

Recently I have grown very fond of Trail Boss with the 158 gr. LRN bullet in 38 Special cases for IPSC and steel plate shoots.

I have used the old standard target load of 2.7 gr. Bullseye behind the 148 gr. LWC with excellent results.

The W-W 14th Edition reloading manual,lists the following for WAP in 38 Super: 124 gr. FMJ 6.2 gr. = 1150 fps=27500psi 7.3 gr. = 1270 fps = 34300psi 147 gr. JHP 5.5 gr. = 990 fps =27200psi 6.3 gr. =1110 fps = 34500psi They also list data for 115gr. JHP, 130 gr. FMJ and 1609 gr Lead. Hope that helps.

I have used 5.0 gr. WSF or 4.0 gr. Titegroup behind the 125 gr. Star FMJ with WSP for c1060 to 1080 fps.

The undersisize, U, Lee sizing die takes care of my sizing needs and results in very few reloads which do not gage.

I use my S&W 952 in steel plate shoots. Supperbly accurate and an absolutely wonderful trigger - a real joy to shoot. I really wish S&W came out with it on the 59 size grip frame so it would accomodate double stack 15+ round magazines.

American Select, WST, Clays and VV N-310 work well for me.

Pierced primers are a classic sign of excessive pressure. Another possibility is a overly long firing pin.

I mark the box with the number of times the brass has been reloaded. i segregate both recently fired and cleaned brass by the number of reloads. I discard brass from high pressure calibers such as 9mm and 40 S&W after four reloadings. With low pressure 38 Special and 45 ACP calibers, I use the brass untiul the case either frays at the edge or cracks.