Sympathetic .38 S&W loading data needed

[tinbum]

pressure is 13880 psi but will be a bit more as thats for the 105 gn bullet and a tad more with a heavier crimp.....are your cases sooty ?
oh this is with the 3 inch barrel

The cases look good with no unburnt powder. Testing will resume in the morning.

[tinbum]

pressure is 13880 psi but will be a bit more as thats for the 105 gn bullet and a tad more with a heavier crimp.....are your cases sooty ?
oh this is with the 3 inch barrel

I popped a few through the Webley. It is lovely!

The heavier crimp will go through the .357 tomorrow

[tinbum]

pressure is 13880 psi but will be a bit more as thats for the 105 gn bullet and a tad more with a heavier crimp.....are your cases sooty ?
oh this is with the 3 inch barrel

I think we’ve cracked it! With a heavier crimp I am getting 750 fps with the 110grn bullet over 3.5grn of Ba9. This is through the 2.5” barrel, I will only test in the webley once everything is sure pressure-wise.
The Fiocchi factory round is rated at 1200 bar / 17404 psi, and that is what the previous owner says he was using, so my gut feeling is that this is well within the safe zone.

[loiner1965]

Reckon you will get another 20.30 fps more with the 3 inch barrel …. What size are the cast bullets …. .361 ?

[tinbum]

Reckon you will get another 20.30 fps more with the 3 inch barrel …. What size are the cast bullets …. .361 ?

That wasn’t a "No", so I just fired off six shots, and it felt gooooood!

The mould is .358, but they are measuring at .361-363" lubed with alox. This isn’t a target gun, this is just to play with, but I will try some targets this week just so I know where the shots are going

[tinbum]

keep us updated and when you get the best accuracy let us know the final col

I have only loaded this mix, but these are the first six shots, one handed, single action at 10m. Not bad considering the comedy sights!
The bullets seem stable and the cases aren’t sooty. I went on and shot the rest of the 50 I’d loaded too.

[IMG] [/IMG]

[loiner1965]

great for an old girl. gun not you lol. try it sat down and hands supported to see how accurate it can be

[loiner1965]

Any updates ?

[tinbum]

Any updates ?

None yet. I have cast another batch of bullets, but I’m off to the UK next week and will be collecting a bunch of proper s&w cases. I figure these may act differently to the cut down .357’s, so am waiting til I get back to test further

[loiner1965]

None yet. I have cast another batch of bullets, but I’m off to the UK next week and will be collecting a bunch of proper s&w cases. I figure these may act differently to the cut down .357’s, so am waiting til I get back to test further

Proper cases will be better for crimping
Cut down .357 brass will be thicker where you cut them hence the firmer crimp.
Water capacity will be negligible