Many ? on Loading Mangum Handgun loads

Soilarch · 12-26-2005, 01:39 AM

I got a LEE hand press, dies, the LEE reloading cd and one of those caliber specific "little" handloading manuals. Season opens the 12th and I would like to work up a load for my 41mag. Its in a SW 57. Here are my questions.
1. Favorite powders? I'm looking at H110, lilgun, 296, No. 7, No. 9,and blue dot. I'm open for suggestions but it's gonna need to be a fairly popular powder (due to time constraint) I'd like it to be clean but for importantly is a low flash and economy. It doesn't take long to clean my pistol.
2. Along the same lines as the first. Load density? Some of these recipes I find have really low LDs...like mid 40%. Is this something to shy away from since I'm a beginner and requires more accurate powder measures for consistency? NOTE!!!! I will be hunting in cold weather!!!
3. I don't have a chrono...and its a straight walled case so are there pressure signs besides flattened primers?

I'd really really appreciate any advice the more experienced can other. And it should be noted I'll buy one box of the heaviest bullets I can find and one of your standard 210 jacketed. H110 seems to give the highest LD and velocities so I'm leaning towards it, but this will limit what it can do with the heavier bullets should they need to be seated deeper...correct? Alright, I could go on forever with little questions like that but I'll leave it at that.

Thanks

Soilarch · 12-27-2005, 02:42 AM

I've settled in on Blue Dot for my powder. Doesn't have the LD that H110 or 296 but read many positive comments on the net about it. As far as flash...who knows, but it hits the economy mark. It takes 1/3 less powder to reach compareable levels. Still wondering about pressure signs. Primers and sticking cases in the chamber...anything else?

Charley · 12-27-2005, 05:52 AM

Never loaded for the .41, but for the .44, I've always used 2400 or AA#9. I use standard primers, but where I hunt 25 F is low. If I hunted in lower temps, I would look into magnum primers. Pressure signs are as you noted, sticky extraction and flattened primers. These are sometimes the sign of other things as well, so look at the big picture.

12-27-2005, 07:43 AM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: Soilarch

I got a LEE hand press, dies, the LEE reloading cd and one of those caliber specific "little" handloading manuals. Season opens the 12th and I would like to work up a load for my 41mag. Its in a SW 57. Here are my questions.
1. Favorite powders? I'm looking at H110, lilgun, 296, No. 7, No. 9,and blue dot. I'm open for suggestions but it's gonna need to be a fairly popular powder (due to time constraint) I'd like it to be clean but for importantly is a low flash and economy. It doesn't take long to clean my pistol.
2. Along the same lines as the first. Load density? Some of these recipes I find have really low LDs...like mid 40%. Is this something to shy away from since I'm a beginner and requires more accurate powder measures for consistency? NOTE!!!! I will be hunting in cold weather!!!
3. I don't have a chrono...and its a straight walled case so are there pressure signs besides flattened primers?

I'd really really appreciate any advice the more experienced can other. And it should be noted I'll buy one box of the heaviest bullets I can find and one of your standard 210 jacketed. H110 seems to give the highest LD and velocities so I'm leaning towards it, but this will limit what it can do with the heavier bullets should they need to be seated deeper...correct? Alright, I could go on forever with little questions like that but I'll leave it at that.

Thanks

For hunting rounds, I go with LD. I try to stay 80-100%. Seem to shoot consistently and you usually get optimal velocity. I would stick with H110 and lilgun. Thats what I use on 44 mags. But I also use fast powder like unique for plinking and cast loads. The Low Density loads generally are dirty but shoot well like unique. I get alot of smoke even with 9gr of Unique and 240gr cast bullet. But with lilgun or H110, you are going to get some flash. But it burns clean I think.

Look for primer marks that doens't look right. Most of the time with revolvers, I see cratering on the primer.

handloader1 · 12-28-2005, 11:14 PM

I would go with a Ballistic Advantage BOAR-SLAMMER Premium Hunting Bullet (325) 529-3363 .41 mag. 220 gr WFN gc . or 250 gr. WLN gc, or Cast Preformance.41 cal. 250 gr. WFNGC or 255 gr. WFNGC. Good luck.

Soilarch · 12-29-2005, 12:08 AM

All I found were some 215 swc cast bullets with a lubed ring. (didn't want to wait on an order) Loaded up 5 of each: 11gr Blue dot, 12gr, 13gr, 14gr, and yes 15 gr. Cases just barely stuck on the 15gr and primers looked fine. I don't have a chrono but the 12gr and 13gr "felt" compareable to my factory 210JHP factory hunting loads that push 1300 fps. Plan on staying at 14gr for a hunting round. Tomorrow will try to find a fun load with 10gr, 9gr, and 8gr. Thanks guys...dang this junk is fun!!!!! Can't wait to load my 22-250 DOWN for close coyote work and then with some 60gr partitions for deer at standard (perhaps even a little low) levels. Then, of course, I'll have to buy dies for the 44mag 357mag...and buy another rifle or two just so I can play with more loads.

Charley · 12-29-2005, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Tomorrow will try to find a fun load with 10gr, 9gr, and 8gr. Thanks guys...dang this junk is fun!!!!! Can't wait to load my 22-250 DOWN for close coyote work and then with some 60gr partitions for deer at standard (perhaps even a little low) levels.

Don't know how long you've been handloading,but you have found a truth that some take much longer to find, and some never do. YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO LOAD TOP END LOADS! The mid range and sometimes lower end loads are a lot of fun.

Rootsy · 12-29-2005, 06:23 AM

i load for 45 Colt (in a ruger blackhawk) and 357 mag in a S&W 686.... for "magnum" max velocity hunting loads i always seem to fall back to H110 or WW 296... They fill the case well yet aren't compressed when bullet is seated... but leave little air space which allows for a pretty consistant load. I use unique for my plinking loads...

problem i have with bluedot is that #1 it is extremely dirty most of the time, especially in anything less than a full power load... and #2 it doesnt fill up the case and it is "position" sensative.. that means that if you have the gun holstered and draw to shoot and then have a follow up shot there is going to be significant difference... due to the position of the powder relative to primer, etc, resulting in a different burn rate, etc... there are powders on the market that are NOT position sensative or so they claim...

i also use 2400 and IMR 4227 but not all that much... i have probably loaded just about every handgun and shotgun powder on the market in the 45, 357 mag, 357 sig and 40 S&W...

also be aware that different primers from different manufacturers are different hardnesses and some will flatten much easier than others...

a flat nosed (wide meplat) semi wadcutter will kill just as well if not better than a JHP, you'll actually get more penetration and a gnarly wound channel... and you'll get more velocity out of the lead bullet for the same powder charge (if it is the same weight as the jacketed bullet that is)

Soilarch · 12-29-2005, 11:56 AM

Charley, I've been reloading all of about 3 days haha! Unless you count shotgun loading witha combined experience of loading only two different loads. (My dad is one of 5 brothers and I acquired the "old setup"... was told to go get some red dot and "This is the light bar" "This is the heavy bar"...figured the rest out on my own and did weight the charges and shot to so I'd know for my own curiosity's sake but can't remember what they were.)
Rootsy, the reason I went with Bluedot was 'cause I was chatting with my uncle about it and he ended up giving me about 1/4lbs. and I did read some on the net love it. When it runs out and this first handgun season is over I'll be back at the drawing board.