38sp load help needed
I have been trying to load for my RI M200 without much succuss in regards to velocity deviation. FPS is all over the place with in a given charge range. Components are Berry’s 125gr FP, Fed #100 SPP, Win 231 powder (tested 3.8->4.8) brass mixed. First load test brass was my once fired blazer brass only, second round of testing was mixed headstamp range pickups. RCBS die set 38/357, sized and trimmed all. First test was RCBS roll crimp, second was LEE taper crimp die. COL was 1445 on all. First testing loads were dispensed and measured from Hornady lock and load auto charge, second round of testing was Lee dipper, Lyman scale, and trickled to exact weight. All shot over chronograph at 10-15 feet, similar weather conditions 30-35F. Verified chronograph wasn’t the issue by shooting some Win white box and Blazer 125’s over it before beginning handload tests. Box ammo shoots were consistent enough 50FPS spread. Hand loads not so much. Out of each batch in the low charge weight I had one that was about 281Fps, max recorded was 745fps, average around 560.4285fps (tossing out the 281fps shot, 14 shot ave). higher charge weights did better but not as good as box ammo. For fun I checked out a 12 round test of 125gr Hornady XTP roll crimp at CL with 4.8gr of 231. Similar results as Berry’s as far as FPS spread, recorded higher top speeds but not as consistent as box ammo.
Suspect #1 – Crimp. Not sure where I’m going wrong here. Roll crimp looked good, could see mouth edge curl into / toward bullet. Taper crimp took out all of the bell of the case, no bulge where the bullet is. Is there a standard way to measure this?
Suspect #2 – primer, poor ignition. Think I can rule this out. Same primer lot does fine in 9mm and 45acp. Might be wrong. I do have some CCI SPP that I can sub on the next testing.
Suspect #3 – powder. Again same can of powder and same lot of primer is doing fine with 9mm and 45acp.
Suspect #4 – chronograph or gun… think the box ammo test covered this as a non issue, could be wrong.
As always I look forward to your input and thanks in advance.
I have been trying to load for my RI M200 without much succuss in regards to velocity deviation. FPS is all over the place with in a given charge range. Components are Berry’s 125gr FP, Fed #100 SPP, Win 231 powder (tested 3.8->4.8) brass mixed. First load test brass was my once fired blazer brass only, second round of testing was mixed headstamp range pickups. RCBS die set 38/357, sized and trimmed all. First test was RCBS roll crimp, second was LEE taper crimp die. COL was 1445 on all. First testing loads were dispensed and measured from Hornady lock and load auto charge, second round of testing was Lee dipper, Lyman scale, and trickled to exact weight. All shot over chronograph at 10-15 feet, similar weather conditions 30-35F. Verified chronograph wasn’t the issue by shooting some Win white box and Blazer 125’s over it before beginning handload tests. Box ammo shoots were consistent enough 50FPS spread. Hand loads not so much. Out of each batch in the low charge weight I had one that was about 281Fps, max recorded was 745fps, average around 560.4285fps (tossing out the 281fps shot, 14 shot ave). higher charge weights did better but not as good as box ammo. For fun I checked out a 12 round test of 125gr Hornady XTP roll crimp at CL with 4.8gr of 231. Similar results as Berry’s as far as FPS spread, recorded higher top speeds but not as consistent as box ammo.
Suspect #1 – Crimp. Not sure where I’m going wrong here. Roll crimp looked good, could see mouth edge curl into / toward bullet. Taper crimp took out all of the bell of the case, no bulge where the bullet is. Is there a standard way to measure this?
Suspect #2 – primer, poor ignition. Think I can rule this out. Same primer lot does fine in 9mm and 45acp. Might be wrong. I do have some CCI SPP that I can sub on the next testing.
Suspect #3 – powder. Again same can of powder and same lot of primer is doing fine with 9mm and 45acp.
Suspect #4 – chronograph or gun… think the box ammo test covered this as a non issue, could be wrong.
As always I look forward to your input and thanks in advance.