Velocity comparisons with Clays

[357454]

I recently switched from Titegroup to Clays powder and am looking for velocity comparisons from around the country. I am planing on shooting the St. Judes revolver match and want to make sure I meet the power factor. As you will see from the data attached I can reduce my powder charge a few grains and still make major. The results shown were at 4,700' elevation and @ 80 deg F. The two guns I am concerned about are the 6 1/2" I also compared different brands of cases to see if they made any noticeable difference. Comments and feedback would be greatly appreciated.

gun , Brass , bullet , bul wt , OAL , primer , power , grns , tmp , Avg. vel , high , low , spread , pwr fctr

625 4" , Misc , Berrys RN , 230 , 1.25 , Fed 150 , clays , 4 , 80 , 741 , 760 , 728 , 32 , 170.43

6 1/2" #5 , Rem , Berrys RN , 230 , 1.26 , Fed 150 , clays , 4 , 80 , 769 , 793 , 745 , 48 , 176.87

6 1/2" #5 , Rem , Berrys RN , 230 , 1.26 , Fed 150 , clays , 4 , 80 , 781 , 801 , 764 , 37 , 179.63

6 1/2" #5 , Misc , Berrys RN , 230 , 1.26 , Fed 150 , clays , 4 , 80 , 784 , 804 , 743 , 61 , 180.32

6 1/2" #5 , Win , Berrys RN , 230 , 1.26 , Fed 150 , clays , 4 , 80 , 792 , 808 , 779 , 29 , 182.16

6 1/2" #5 , Fed , Berrys RN , 230 , 1.26 , Fed 150 , clays , 4 , 80 , 796 , 810 , 790 , 20 , 183.08

6 1/2" #5 , Misc , Berrys RN , 230 , 1.26 , Fed 150 , clays , 4 , 80 , 799 , 814 , 780 , 34 , 183.77

6 1/2" #3 , Rem , Berrys RN , 230 , 1.26 , Fed 150 , clays , 4 , 80 , 760 , 774 , 754 , 20 , 174.8

6 1/2" #3 , Misc , Berrys RN , 230 , 1.26 , Fed 150 , clays , 4 , 80 , 765 , 796 , 729 , 67 , 175.95

6 1/2" #3 , Fed , Berrys RN , 230 , 1.26 , Fed 150 , clays , 4 , 80 , 773 , 806 , 750 , 56 , 177.79

6 1/2" #3 , Win , Berrys RN , 230 , 1.26 , Fed 150 , clays , 4 , 80 , 784 , 797 , 763 , 34 , 180.32

6 1/2" #3 , Misc , Berrys RN , 230 , 1.25 , Fed 150 , Titegroup , 4.4 , 80 , 784 , 798 , 764 , 34 , 180.32

6 1/2" #3 , Win , Berrys RN , 230 , 1.26 , Fed 150 , clays , 4 , 80 , 787 , 792 , 780 , 12 , 181.01

Edited September 9, 2009 by 357454

[Carmoney]

Every gun is an individual. You really can't go by somebody else's chrono results.

I need to use 4.3 grains of Clays under a jacketed (not plated) 230-gr. to comfortably make major 172-174 p.f. out of my old 25-2 that my kid shoots. My own 25-2 gives me 179 p.f. with that load, but that's what I've been shooting all year and that's what I'll be shooting at Nationals--at least I won't have to sweat the chrono, right?

[Tom E]

--at least I won't have to sweat the chrono, right?

Famous last words.

[357454]

Every gun is an individual. You really can't go by somebody else's chrono results.

I need to use 4.3 grains of Clays under a jacketed (not plated) 230-gr. to comfortably make major 172-174 p.f. out of my old 25-2 that my kid shoots. My own 25-2 gives me 179 p.f. with that load, but that's what I've been shooting all year and that's what I'll be shooting at Nationals--at least I won't have to sweat the chrono, right?

Thanks Mike, I was hoping you would provide your load data as I thought you were shooting a 6 1/2" barrel, for experimental purposes I will load a few jacketed tomorrow and run them thru the Chrono for comparative purposes. Have you had your loads chronographed at higher elevations? I am trying to get an idea what effects the higher air density and humidity from near sea level will do to my loads.

[Carmoney]

Every gun is an individual. You really can't go by somebody else's chrono results.

I need to use 4.3 grains of Clays under a jacketed (not plated) 230-gr. to comfortably make major 172-174 p.f. out of my old 25-2 that my kid shoots. My own 25-2 gives me 179 p.f. with that load, but that's what I've been shooting all year and that's what I'll be shooting at Nationals--at least I won't have to sweat the chrono, right?

Thanks Mike, I was hoping you would provide your load data as I thought you were shooting a 6 1/2" barrel, for experimental purposes I will load a few jacketed tomorrow and run them thru the Chrono for comparative purposes. Have you had your loads chronographed at higher elevations? I am trying to get an idea what effects the higher air density and humidity from near sea level will do to my loads.

No, I'm afraid here in Iowa I don't have much opportunity to test loads at different elevations!

I think I could easily drop my load by a tenth of a grain or two for my 25-2 and make major comfortably. Of course, I'm using the old gun as my back-up, and I know it's loose and slow, so I figure I better be sure my load makes major through it on the off-chance I wind up shooting it at Nats. On the other hand, if I wind up switching to a back-up gun, something fairly drastic has probably happened and going minor probably won't matter much.....

Funny thing, though, my 179-181 p.f. loads (as chronoed at Area 3 and the Illinois Sectional) are pretty comfortable to shoot out of the 25-2. I do think maybe that longer barrel softens up the perceived recoil impulse, to at least some extent.

[Shawn Knight]

I used 4.2gr of Clays/Berry's 230s and was able to make 173PF with my 5in 625 at the Illinois Sectional.

[Matt Griffin]

I use 3.6 to make major with a molycoat bullet, 5" 625. I made 180 with 3.9 at Area 6, so I dialed it down to 3.7, and made 180 at Indiana. Down to 3.6, I made 171 at Area 8. It's a funny world.

H.

[Revopop]

I made 187(!)pf at Indiana with 4.2 and a jacketed bullet. Hop loaded them up for me, and the same loads were slower out of his gun.