Baldrage's reloading log

[IDescribe]

Wobbly started out loading that BRY bullet at around 1.140-ish,  and  I followed his lead.  We both came to find that loading shorter improved the results we got.
I've been getting good results at 1.128" lately.  That is just with my powder loads and shooting results in my pistols. YMMV.

Exactly.   I haven't personally seen a trend across all bullets and pistols.  Some things just like to be loaded shorter than others in certain pistols.  I have read a post somewhere where Angus Hobdell mentioned shortening up OAL on some load more than "normal" because he found it to be more accurate.  Different combinations are going to like different things.  One of the advantages of reloading is getting to play around and look for sweet spots.

[painter]

Unlike rifle loads,  loading  pistol ammo close to max length doesn't necessarily improve accuracy.
Seating the bullet deeper helps align the bullet straighter and can improve the case expansion seal in the chamber.
It's also a little more economical with the powder needed to reach your preferred bullet speed.

Wobbly started out loading that BRY bullet at around 1.140-ish,  and  I followed his lead.  We both came to find that loading shorter improved the results we got.
I've been getting good results at 1.128" lately.  That is just with my powder loads and shooting results in my pistols. YMMV.

You still loading 4.1 of N320, or have you moved on to something else?

[1SOW]

Yes, 4.1 works well for me with the 124 HBRN.
Added:  this is with the ORIGINAL n320. 🔫

[Wobbly]

Please to explain "case engagement" and why more is better-er?  To my novice mind, longer is better-er, assuming OAL is within SAAMI specs and the cartridge plunks/feeds well, as it reduces case pressure.  I can't picture why seating the bullet deeper would result in anything other than more pressure and more FPS, which I guess is not a bad thing if that is what you are looking for in order to maximize FPS per gr of powder.  Is there some other advantage?

Like 1SOW said, we don't know why, all we know is that it works.

I personally think that the bullets are getting physically knocked out of alignment with the case when they hit the feed ramp. When you load long, it could be like installing a hinge in the middle of the cartridge.

In actuality, it's probably a little of everything. But the results are conclusive. Try it yourself.

 

[baldrage]

1SOW, IDescribe, Wobbly -- thank for the explanation!

I will load up some Extreme 124 gr RN at 1.125 OAL with 3.7, 4.0, and 4.3 HP-38 and see how they shoot compared to the ones I loaded at 1.15 OAL with  4.2 and 4.4 gr.

[baldrage]

I loaded up and fired off some of the Extreme 124 gr RN plated bullets at 1.125 OAL (as suggested by the cognoscenti; previously I had loaded some at 1.15 OAL), using HP-38 loaded at 3.7 gr, 4.0 gr, and 4.3 gr.  All three loads functioned and fired fine, none of the cases showed flattened primers or other signs of over pressure.  3.7 gr was very soft shooting but undoubtedly way too light to make power factor.  4.0 and 4.3 had a little more ?oomph? but still less recoil than my standard factory ammo (Blazer Brass 124 gr RN).  Seemed to be at least as accurate as the rounds I had previously loaded at 1.15 OAL.

Think I will load up 50 at 4.2 gr and another 50 at 4.3 gr and see if I can tell any difference or if one is more accurate for me than the other.

[woody57]

WOW, you Guys have my head spinning. My background in pistol shooting is NRA Bullseye and I have reloaded around 28,000 rounds of 45APC and I thought I knew
A little bit. But I guess I was right a,  "little bit". So I guess I am a little behind the curve in reloading 9mm. Now I do not plan on competing with the PCR, but I do want to make accurate rounds, when that time comes to start reloading I might need some help for you guys to help me figure this all out.
Miland

[Wobbly]

Miland -
"Fear not, for I bring you tidings of great joy." Everything you learned on 45ACP is applicable. The problems are... 9x19 Luger is a taper cartridge, a high pressure cartridge, and the CZ typically has a shorter freebore then you're accustomed to working with.

So you're going to need to round out your reloading process by taking several more steps. That's all.

When you update your reloading procedure to fully accommodate the CZ, then apply that knowledge back on 45ACP, you'll probably be making better ammo.

Tis the season to hang in there !! 

[woody57]

When you update your reloading procedure to fully accommodate the CZ, then apply that knowledge back on 45ACP, you'll probably be making better ammo.

That's what I was thinking also. Thanks for the encouragement. I look forward to the adventure.
Miland



[Mods corrected quote]

[baldrage]

Completed my first ?mass production? run with my Dillon SDB over the weekend.  I loaded up 100 of the Extreme 124 gr RN plated bullets at 1.125 OAL, using 4.2 gr HP-38 and Winchester Small Pistol Primers, and another 100 using 4.3 gr HP-38.  I was having some problems with primers flipping in my Dillon SDB a few weeks ago, but I monkeyed around with the primer slide and apparently got it in working order, because I had no issues over the course of loading 200 rounds.  I did not operate the SDB in full-on progressive loading mode for all 200 rounds, but rather, did 10 rounds at a time so I did not get too overwhelmed with everything going on during my first ?big? production run (previous to this, I had been using the SDB as a turret press to make one round at a time).   I measured the first round, and a random round out of every 10 thereafter for OAL and crimp.  I'm still getting variation of OAL up to .003, so don't quite have that smooth stroke that Wobbly talks about, apparently. 

I did not see any dead spiders at any point during this process. 

It took me about an hour to do 100 rounds, and that was with getting all the components out of storage, filling the powder hopper, triple-checking the charge, measuring every 10th round, etc. and then putting everything away when I was done. 

Plunk-tested/spin-tested all 200 rounds in my SP01 barrel and all passed.  I marked each round so I can identify which are 4.2 gr and which are 4.3 gr.  Only thing left to do is go to the range and shoot ?em off. 

[IDescribe]

Glad to hear.   


A couple of notes:

ONE -- Don't mark bullets unless you are comitted to using that exact marking for that exact load forevermore,  and use that marking for nothing but that load forevermore.  Instead, separate loads within boxes, and CLEARLY label the boxes as to what is in them and  how they are organized.  If you use a particular mark on a bullet today, you might not remember what that mark means 6 months from now when you pick up that box that you didn't shoot all of for whatever reason and think "I remember putiting this mark on here, but...". The only thing I would recommend marking cartridges for is differentiating your spent brass from someone else's.

TWO -- The odds of making a mistake with a particular cartridge go up dramatically when you stop the process, do something else, then restart.  You might think stopping every ten rounds helps you keep a handle on things, but it actually increases the odds of messing up.  As a general rule, you should not break the process except when necessary. 

[baldrage]

Thanks for the feedback!

ONE -- Don't mark bullets unless you are comitted to using that exact marking for that exact load forevermore ...  The only thing I would recommend marking cartridges for is differentiating your spent brass from someone else's.

Yup, that's why I marked the rounds -- so when I pick up brass after shooting at my indoor range, I can tell which rounds are mine, and examine them for any signs of overpressure.  They are all stored in labeled ammo boxes.

Good advice also on not breaking the process.  Now that I have some confidence in my ability to run the SDB as a true progressive machine, I won't need to stop as often.

[Wobbly]

I did not operate the SDB in full-on progressive loading mode for all 200 rounds....

My friend, you've been watching too many YouTube reloading videos. There is only one correct speed for any progressive press... slow and steady.

TWO -- The odds of making a mistake with a particular cartridge go up dramatically when you stop the process, do something else, then restart.  You might think stopping every ten rounds helps you keep a handle on things, but it actually increases the odds of messing up. 

This is true. Newbies have confirmed this several times.

As a general rule, you should not break the process except when necessary.

This includes the blogging process.
I can hardly wait until this thread reaches page 20 !!   

[baldrage]

I shot off all 200 rounds of Extreme 124 gr RN, using Winchester Small Pistol Primers, loaded at 1.125 4.2 gr and 4.3 gr. A summary of my range session is in my training log here: http://www.czfirearms.us/index.php?topic=79414.msg628012;boardseen#new

I could not feel any substantive difference between the two loads, but 4.2 seemed a bit more accurate based on results.  However, switching back-and-forth disrupted my focus on shooting technique and affected my overall accuracy over the course of this training session, so hard to treat this one outing as providing a definitive answer to which is best for me.  I will load a couple of hundred rounds at both 4.2 and 4.3, and shoot them in more standard training sessions over the next few weeks before settling on ?the one.?

[Wobbly]

I could not feel any substantive difference between the two loads, but 4.2 seemed a bit more accurate based on results.  However, switching back-and-forth disrupted my focus on shooting technique and affected my overall accuracy over the course of this training session, so hard to treat this one outing as providing a definitive answer to which is best for me.  I will load a couple of hundred rounds at both 4.2 and 4.3, and shoot them in more standard training sessions over the next few weeks before settling on ?the one.?

And that's true. When the full load range is at or above 1.0gr, and we divide the load range by 5 to setup our initial increments, then you'll end up with ammo with 0.2 or 0.3gr increments. 

If we go back to fill in (say between 4.2 and 4.4gr), we really don't expect to feel any differences in those 0.1gr incremental rounds. We are simply looking for minor accuracy improvements and adding a comfort zone over minimum PF.

If you really want to test accuracy, then get yourself a wrist rest and sit down.