RELOAD DATA - WHERE DO YOU START WHEN THERE IS NONE

[TheGoatMumbler]

In looking over some different powders (specifically Vihtavuori N320 & Alliant Sport Pistol) for some load guidelines in 38 spl and I can't find much on round nose bullets in their guidelines. Should I just go with the closest grain bullet listed and start from the low end starting load? What is the closest in velocity to round nose bullets because there are specs on WC, JHP, FP, etc. I'm using coated Blue Bullets and trying to find a starting point.   Thanks

[Mcfoto]

With Blues, I try to find something in lead at the bullet weight closest. Often in .38 that is was wadcutter. Bullet weight and type are most important in charge weight.

[HesedTech]

What bullet weight?

 

Look up closest lead bullet weight in the powder charts and then start with lowest charge.

 

With OAL as the exception, nose profile for sub sonic rounds is the least factor for your charge.

 

https://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/powderlist.aspx?page=/reloaders/powderlist.aspx&type=1&powderid=42&cartridge=26

https://www.vihtavuori.com/reloading-data/cowboy-action-reloading/?cartridge=40

 

If you don't have one, get a Chronograph to determine velocity of the charge. Trying to "read" primers won't help much.

 

[K-Texas]

A few things to remember: jacket or no jacket, length of the bullet shank/bearing surface and bullet dia. If your RN is lead and .358" in dia. use data for the same weight, or for the next heavier lead bullet.

 

9mm is a bit easier thanks to Sierra. You won't find many, if any, at 115 & 124/125 grs. that have a longer shank/greater bearing surface, and then they loaded very short. With just about any other  same weight .355" JHP the Sierra data can be used because a longer OACL is most likely. Lyman also uses the 125 gr. Sierra JHP loaded to the same OACL that Sierra uses at 1.075".

 

Another powder you might want to consider for .38 Sp. and 9 x 19mm Target type loads is AA No 2. A lot of handloaders don't seem to be aware that it is insensitive to powder positioning like TiteGroup, but doesn't burn nearly as hot. Western provides data at blog.westernpowders.com that you can download, and they update with each new load guide. The No 7 is what they currently show, but the No 8 should be available very soon.

 

And on the topic of using AA No 2, I'll be at the range in an hour from now testing .38 and 9mm loads charged with No 2 and True Blue for .38+P for an article in progress that I'll be finishing up in the next week and submit it to the blog's editor. The topic of RMR In-House JHP came up in another thread and I've been working with their 124 gr. JHP version aimed at 130 PF. So far Standard Deviations have been 5 or less, and I'm hoping that will be the case for the new load at 1.122"/28.5mm with 4.3 grs. of No 2 with a CCI500. For the .38 loads, the bullets will be the RMR 125 & 158 gr. Plated Hollow-Points.

Edited February 17, 2020 by K-Texas

[thormx538]

I ran some quick numbers in Quickload using the profiles I made for DG Bullets 124gr RN and 147gr FP, and you probably want to stay below 5.2gr and 4.5gr respectively (for N320 powder) to stay below 17k PSI if you can load out to 1.550"

 

If you load to 1.450" those max charges go down to 4.6 and 4.1

 

Sport Pistol is very similar to N320 

 

Do what you will with that data. I measured the DG 124s to be 0.565" long, and the 147s to be 0.651"

Edited February 18, 2020 by thormx538