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38SC w/ 3N38 Load Data


KOBGT

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check out this vid. I can't remember if that's with 3N38 or N105 but it's either 10.2gn or 3N38 or about 10.5gn of N105. As you can see it's a pretty full case and as best I cna tell is a slightly compressed load.

When the powder drops into the case it is quite 'fluffy' (for want of a better word). It can settle a bit and not really be 'compressed'.

I would suggest if you go much past 9gn of 3N39 you consider lengthening OAL out to 1.240 to 1.250.

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check out this vid. I can't remember if that's with 3N38 or N105 but it's either 10.2gn or 3N38 or about 10.5gn of N105. As you can see it's a pretty full case and as best I cna tell is a slightly compressed load.

When the powder drops into the case it is quite 'fluffy' (for want of a better word). It can settle a bit and not really be 'compressed'.

I would suggest if you go much past 9gn of 3N39 you consider lengthening OAL out to 1.240 to 1.250.

OK wow, looks quite a bit higher than what I am seeing with 8.8gr 3n38.. thanks for the vid.

Perhaps its a good idea for me to ease into these charges. My plan is to load from 9.0 - 10.2gr 3n38. MG JHP 124 1.235".

I will shoot each weight and closely inspect the brass before shooting the next level up.

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Akai Shogun, 4 popple holes, new compensator style, uses a lot of gas very loud.

OAL 1.235

WSR primers

MG 124gr JHP

3N38 10.5gr. PF = 173

N105. 11.3gr. PF. = 173

I prefer 3N38

Edited by dvc4you
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Akai Shogun, 4 popple holes, new compensator style, uses a lot of gas very loud.

OAL 1.235

WSR primers

MG 124gr JHP

3N38 10.5gr. PF = 173

N105. 11.3gr. PF. = 173

I prefer 3N38

I loaded up some 3n38 with the same bullet and OAL, and encountered some interesting seating issues. Once I hit about 9.8 gr, my OAL got longer - 1.240, 1.245, 1.25. I initially set my OAL by making dummy loads. It seems that once the powder started to compress, the bullet may have been slipping back out a little after the seating, so I cranked down on the seater die until I got more in the neighborhood of 1.235. However, with this practice, some of them were pretty short - like 1.221.

I push-through sized all my brass with Hornady one shot, and left the lube on there. Will re-tumbling the brass help with the increasing OAL, or should I consider a seat-and-crimp in one step instead? How do you guys achieve a consistent OAL with JHPs once the powder starts to compress?

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Do you load on a 1050 if so take a close look at the swager, if you adjust it down to low to where it goes past the step you will have a hard time getting good oal. I load 10.8 gr of N105

at 1.235 oal and never have a problem. I did have trouble once, that is how I figured this out with the swager

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I load on a 650 with a bullet feeder.

Current die setup: Lee sizing die, Mr. Bullet Feeder expander, bullet feeder, dillon seat, dillon crimp.

I previously had Lee seat and Lee FCD, and was also seeing the OAL variation, got the Dillon seat/crimp to attempt to set it straight but behavior remained.

Edited by earthshine402
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Bell just enough to don't drop the bullet while the shell plate rotates, crimp just to straighten the case. Neck tension is what holds the bullet after it is seated, last 1/3 of the case.62b9863d3876028737173361c35f1681.jpg266f5bdfef29a6d9a3dbb60a6e13b665.jpg

You can see a slight shoulder were the bullet is seated.

Edited by dvc4you
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Update on the OAL with 124JHPs and compressing 3n38: I belled as little as I could with the Mr. Bullet Feeder expander, and used the EGW undersize die, and still had the same thing happen - the OAL with actual powder in the round was longer than the setting with a dummy load. I have eliminated the possibility that there was not enough neck tension. I went back to the regular LEE sizing die as I like the way the regular sizer runs in my press after push-through sizing everything and keeping the lube on the cases.. just easier to operate the press.. and undersizing I don't think buys me anything.

I think it has come down to this: the bullet is deforming upon the pressure in seating. I was originally using a LEE seating die with a round nose plug, and now I'm using a Dillon seating die also with a round nose plug.

What kind of seating plug are you using for compressed loads with MG JHPs?

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You can send a bullet to lee and they'll custom make a seating stem for you that will seat on the shoulder/ogive of the bullet rather than pushing on the nose. Just be aware when measuring oal from tip to base there may be variance due to tolerance in the shape of the bullets. Seating this way is better as it ensures consistent case volume and that the ogive is in the same spot too. The tip doesn't matter so much.

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STI GrandMaster Tru-Bore 38 SC

125 RN TBB

SRP

9.6gr 3N38

1.266" OAL

1,459 FPS

182 PF

A short slo-mo of running this load. Shot the video to work on my Draw, but gives a good perspective of how flat it runs.

I'd like to give 115gr a try, so any suggested loads appreciated.

Eric

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  • 3 weeks later...

Reibtrain, I just got a STI DVC open in .38 SC. I loaded my first rounds... 124 MG JHP, 9.6 gr 3N38, 1.235 OAL.

Can I ask why you run 1.266 OAL? Adding more room accomplishes what? and do you think 1.235 will run good in my setup? Thanks for the help!

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Reibtrain, I just got a STI DVC open in .38 SC. I loaded my first rounds... 124 MG JHP, 9.6 gr 3N38, 1.235 OAL.

Can I ask why you run 1.266 OAL? Adding more room accomplishes what? and do you think 1.235 will run good in my setup? Thanks for the help!

Congrats on the DVC! I have the DVC Limited in .40 and love it.

1.266" feeds well in my GM and I don't get nose diving in my mags. That's with a 125gr RN from The Blue Bullets. I need to tweak it when I use a different bullet profile.

It provides some case capacity, but I load that OAL for feeding only.

Hope that helps,

Eric

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Just got done at the range.

I made rounds with 9.6, 9.7, 9.8, 9.9, and 10.0. I could only tell the difference with the 10.0gr. Those felt like gun was punching my hand!! All the other loads were smooth. I couldn't sense the gun was mad.

With that being said should I keep my original loadout?

9.6gr @ 1.235oal?

Thanks.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Just got done at the range.

I made rounds with 9.6, 9.7, 9.8, 9.9, and 10.0. I could only tell the difference with the 10.0gr. Those felt like gun was punching my hand!! All the other loads were smooth. I couldn't sense the gun was mad.

With that being said should I keep my original loadout?

9.6gr @ 1.235oal?

Thanks.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would try stretching out the OAL and see what you think.

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I guess I'm asking if increasing the OAL will be smoother, I don't really understand what increasing or decreasing OAL actually provides.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

shorter OALs are accompanied by higher pressure

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