Power Pistol In The 38 Super

[Harmon]

After not being satisfied with AA#7 i decided to try Power Pistol.

Starline supercomp brass

Montana gold 115 jacketed hollow point

CCI small pistol primer

8.0 grains power pistol.

loaded to 1.225

10 shot AVG 1478 fps from 4 port schuemann hybricomp barrel(this is the 1/32 twist barrel)

primers were just a touch flat..these are pistol primers..

I thought the load would be minor by the way it felt...really flat.. .AND REALLY LOUD.

Edited July 7, 2005 by harmongreer

[Merlin Orr]

Ear plugs AND electronic muffs.....

[MoNsTeR]

Yeah I remember when I loaded half a grain less than book max under a 124 and shot them out of my Kahr K9, I though I'd stuffed .357 Magnums in there by mistake! I can't imagine what shooting a big old 115gr major Power Pistol load out of a hybrid is like...

[sargenv]

I recently tried some Bear Creek moly coated lead 135 Gr RN 38 super bullets with Power Pistol. My top load was 6.8 gr, new Winchester Brass, and Winchester SR primers. My average velocity clocked at 1263 for a 170 PF. The Bear creeks are generally a few grains heavier than what they are supposed to be. So my PF is probably a tad higher. Mine were loaded to 1.270". These were probably a little bit long, as I usually seat them an additional .010".

Vince

[Harmon]

Yeah I remember when I loaded half a grain less than book max under a 124 and shot them out of my Kahr K9, I though I'd stuffed .357 Magnums in there by mistake!  I can't imagine what shooting a big old 115gr major Power Pistol load out of a hybrid is like...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Its about as loud as a full power .357 mag fired in a two inch barrel fired indoors. right now all loads feel way way louder than my limited gun.

I also loaded some with the same powder charge and some 124s...176 power factor with no real signs of excess pressure. even with pistol primers everything still looks sane

Im probably gonna shoot the power pistol load some more as i see potential with it.

edit- I shot this thing at nite without the range lights on with that load 3ft flames out the hybrid holes...funny this isnt visible at high noon in the texas sun.

monster, think about touching one of those rounds off in a plastic barrel like that classifier "barrel o fun"

the low metal roof is particularly nasty as well

Edited July 5, 2005 by harmongreer

[Harmon]

ok, took a few hundred rounds to the range to test..

shooting at 15 yards off hand i fired 20 rounds into the upper A zone of a metric target with little effort...its accurate!

just a little FYI i bumped the charge to 8.1 and increased the OAL to 1.235 inches

also the cci primer went bye-bye and was replaced by federal 200s

shooting the gun fast(faster than i can shoot the limited gun) the dot doesnt leave the lense...shoots really flat.

at 12 yards i can put two touching with a .17 split. the gun settles down nicely.

ok for the bad news: the load is unbelievably Loud.. it could be measured on the Richter scale. also in bright daylight there is a pretty large flash coming out the hybrid holes.

If there are any other patrons at the range, they will be leaving soon after you start shooting.

as for the cleanliness of the load, its pretty clean..only a pink/red residue around the hybrid holes....aside from that, no unburnt powder, no excessive soot.

im probably gonna stick with this one despite the frightening noise it makes.

its cheap, accurate and clean...just too loud

[vettman1]

Glad you like it. I'm getting a new open gun in super comp and have a bunch of PowerPistol to burn through. I've loaded up some MGB 124s with up to 8 grains in them. Will be shooting out of a 4.25" barrel. What barrel length are you shooting?

ok, took a few hundred rounds to the range to test..

shooting at 15 yards off hand i fired 20 rounds into the upper A zone of a metric target with little effort...its accurate!

just a little FYI i bumped the charge to 8.1 and increased the OAL to 1.235 inches

also the cci primer went bye-bye and was replaced by federal 200s

shooting the gun fast(faster than i can shoot the limited gun) the dot doesnt leave the lense...shoots really flat.

at 12 yards i can put two touching with a .17 split.  the gun settles down nicely.

ok for the bad news: the load is unbelievably Loud.. it could be measured on the Richter scale.  also in bright daylight there is a pretty large flash coming out the hybrid holes.

If there are any other patrons at the range, they will be leaving soon after you start shooting.

as for the cleanliness of the load, its pretty clean..only a pink/red residue around the hybrid holes....aside from that, no unburnt powder, no excessive soot.

im probably gonna stick with this one despite the frightening noise it makes.

its cheap, accurate and clean...just too loud

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Harmon]

its a 5.5 inch 4 port schumann hybricomp with a 8 port SVI comp.

with the 124s, i only have to load 7.5 grains.

8.0 might be a good load to break the gun in, but is likely to be 180+ power factor

Good Luck

[supercomp9]

I have had great results with Power Pistol...

running a 124 with with 7.5 ( I think)

my load book is upstaris in the reloading room ..

I am running a full 5.5 inch barrel with Craig 7 port Comp..

I have not noticed a large report , but then again I do not

have any barrel ports.. Just the comp...

will chase down the notes and edit later...

[Harmon]

i bet the reason im getting a bigger bang is the 4 port schuemann barrel.

i compared the power pistol loads side by side to some IMR7625 and i like the power pistol better.

the gun settles back down faster and doesnt kick as much.

of all the powders i have tried, 4756 feels the best, but heres the rub...

Its a pain in the ass to load because the case is SO full.

for that fact, i think power pistol is what im gonna be using for the long run..

its 100 percent easier to load than 4756 and feels 10x better to me in my gun than 7625.

testing initially started with 115 grain bullets but switched to 124s since thats what most folks seem to be using.

7625 may be the answer with 115 grain bullets in my gun, but were getting back to the problem of a full case of powder.

BTW with 4 big barrel holes, i can shoot a 124 remington JHP out of regular remington super brass at 1550 FPS without pressure signs....all this without rifle primers. federal 200s and imr 4756...the load is still nice at such sonic velocity.

[DJPoLo]

of all the powders i have tried, 4756 feels the best, but heres the rub...

Its a pain in the ass to load because the case is SO full.

This has been our experience as well. It's just too messy to load 4756 to major on our 650. It did feel really nice to shoot, though!

-Chet

[Harmon]

tried some 3n37 loads...not bad, a touch easier to load...

recoil was about like the power pistol...perhaps a touch softer.

Power pistol feels like the Wal-Mart brand of VV 3N37.

Loaded some IMR 7625 loads to try..lots less noise, but increased muzzle flip over power pistol and 4756.

4756 is probably gonna be my match load, ill practice with the PowerPistol.

If IMR would only make the Grain size of 4756 smaller(like 7625 or Powerpistol) i think that would be THE answer for the 38 supers.

[pbcaster45]

Well, since you guys are talking about Power Pistol,...

Gun: 5 inch Kimber Target II .38 Super (ramped barrel) w/13 lb. recoil spring

Bullet: Hornady 115 gr. XTP-HP

Powder: Alliant Power Pistol 7.5 grs.

Primer: Magtech 1 1/2

Case: R-P

LOAL: 1.245

Avg. Velocity: 1345 fps.

I'm trying to duplicate the Cor-Bon load. I've loaded 8.0 grs. of Power Pistol with the Speer 115 gr. JHP but I like the Hornady 115 gr. XTP-HP better. I'll probably switch to CCI-400s and the original 14 lbs factory recoil spring as I work up.

[Harmon]

9.2 grains 4756 gets me 1535 fps in my gun with remington 124 grain 9mm hollow points.

while it makes nearly 45 hardball power factor, its still not bad to shoot.

power pistol and 115s will probably take you to where your going in the kimber.

Though if i had a non-comped super, it would be my "rich mans 9mm"

[ipscron2000]

9.2 grains 4756 gets me 1535 fps in my gun with remington 124 grain 9mm hollow points.

while it makes nearly 45 hardball power factor, its still not bad to shoot.

power pistol and 115s will probably take you to where your going in the kimber.

Though if i had a non-comped super, it would be my "rich mans 9mm"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How clean is 4756? What does the burned powder look like? Still grainy or just sooty?

[Flexmoney]

You gys that are at odds with powder that is too full and spills when the 650 indexes...

Some shooters have moved there powder measure to station 3 (gotta fabricate or re-bend the return arm). Then, they place a round right on top before/as the shell plate indexes.

They claim less spillage.

[XRe]

Some shooters have moved there powder measure to station 3 (gotta fabricate or re-bend the return arm).  Then, they place a round right on top before/as the shell plate indexes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And some move their seat die to station 3 Still others do what I used to do and leave station 3 blank, and seat a bullet moving into that position. However you do it, getting a head on that round before the index finishes will save you a big mess...

[shred]

I've tried all of these.. still makes a mess, just less of one. The only real answer is a less bulky powder.

[Harmon]

compared to Accurate number seven and HS6/7 4756 is really clean.

no unburned powder, moderate black soot on the comp and hybrid ports.

to be honest, i have never seen a truely clean ball-type powder.

all the really clean powders seem to be Flake.

[pbcaster45]

Here's the latest on my attempt to emulate the Cor-Bon load in my Kimber .38 Super:

Gun: 5 inch Kimber Target II .38 Super (ramped barrel) w/14 lb. recoil spring

Bullet: Hornady 115 gr. XTP-HP

Powder: Alliant Power Pistol 7.9 grs.

Primer: Magtech 1 1/2

Case: R-P

LOAL: 1.245

Avg. Velocity: 1394 fps.

I think this is about as far as I want to go with Power Pistol. The Magtech primers looked good. Lots of muzzle flash.

And here's a sample of the Cor-Bon 115 gr. JHP .38 Super load in my gun:

Gun: 5 inch Kimber Target II .38 Super (ramped barrel) w/14 lb. recoil spring

Bullet: Cor-Bon 115 gr. JHP Factory

LOAL: 1.201

Avg. Velocity: 1430 fps

Comments: Great ammo, very accurate too. Slight flowing of primer into firing pin hole.

[jjanglin]

Guys:

True Blue powder is really good in 9mm and 38 super types

makes major easy.

I use N340 in 38 super its a nice load.TJ said he would use N340

if he shot the VIT powder.

Jim

[vettman1]

Here's what I've ended up with on my Bedell shorty in .38 super comp (for now).

8gr Power Pistol

124 gr CMJ montana gold bullet

OAL 1.250

primers WSP

no signs of pressure, makes major easily and the dot doesn't leave the lens

[Harmon]

vetteman, thats a good load, its just going 1500+ fps in my gun!!!

I think i get a touch more velocity with full metal jackets than MG JHP.

i use the federal 200s as it give MORE velocity than WSP and WSR.

8.0 grians and a winchester hollow base FMJ is going 1550 over the same 8.0 grains and Fed 200s in soupacomp brass.

I would hate to see how fast this gun would shoot without the 4 barrel holes!

IDK what schuemann did to his barrel(is it the 1:32 inch twist??) but this is one fast shooting gun.

on a side note, montana gold 124s at under 1300 fps start to exhibit some yaw when they hit a 25-30 yard target...i noticed this mostly when i was working up major loads with IMR 7625...switched to 115s with 7625 and it quit..

115s with 7625 at major start showing some pressure signs though.

Lots of muzzle flash.

Try it in a Hybrid barrel with 4 holes and a 8 port comp...

to rid yourself of all primer flow, order you a dawson hyperdrive extended firing pin...its the shizzle