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boogieman
HB Full Member
| Joined: | 23 March 2008 |
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| Posts: | 9 |
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Posted: 31 March 2008 02:41 AM |
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I reloaded years ago and have recently started again, I remember about flattened primers, but when working up loads, what signs do you look for , that tell you thats hot enough, don't load it any hotter!. There are many things to watch out for, what do you people look for that makes you stop and set the limit before you blow up your pistol, I follow the start load and settle before the never exceed load. thanks john (boogieman)
Attachment: large_procdp2.jpg (Downloaded 118 times)
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Charley
Administrator
| Joined: | 9 September 2005 |
| Location: | San Antonio, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2223 |
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Posted: 31 March 2008 12:41 PM |
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Nothing but the dreaded red X for your picture. With most handguns, by the time pressure is to the point where you are seeing signs like leaking primers and that sort of thing, your handgun is likely to be in pieces.
I go by recoil, where and how far autopistols throw brass, what the brass looks like, how hard is ejection with revolvers, etc. Flattened primers may or may not be a sign of higher pressure
____________________
"You all can go to Hell, I'm going to Texas" David Crockett (and probably George Bush)
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wheezengeezer
addicted handloader
| Joined: | 16 July 2007 |
| Location: | Jeddediah Jones Swamp, Kansas USA |
| Posts: | 622 |
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Posted: 31 March 2008 01:14 PM |
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| a cronograph is also a big help in many cases to estimate pressures.
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I was raised in the 50's on gunpowder and jackrabbits.salt and pepper wooda made'em taste better
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boogieman
HB Full Member
| Joined: | 23 March 2008 |
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Posted: 31 March 2008 01:23 PM |
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Thanks for the reply charley, I will try to keep recoil and leaking primers in mind when i check the brass after a test shot. I am not sure what the dreaded X is, but my pic of the kimber shown is not my reload test pistol, i use a eaa witness, i think it is much stronger made, and although i dont think it is expendable, it is much cheaper to replace than the kimber. my last loads i tested were 185 gr nosler jhp and 7.7 gr of unique, seemed to bark loudly but ejected fine, no visual pressure signs i could see. The post here is to gather information from the pros on pressure signs to learn more about it, any info is appreciated . seeya john
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boogieman
HB Full Member
| Joined: | 23 March 2008 |
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Posted: 31 March 2008 01:24 PM |
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OOP's
Last edited on 31 March 2008 01:27 PM by boogieman
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boogieman
HB Full Member
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Posted: 31 March 2008 01:29 PM |
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| yes good idea, I saw that chronographs are not that expensive, something to think about, thanks john
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Paul Tummers
HB Life Member
| Joined: | 18 June 2007 |
| Location: | Berg En Terblijt, Netherlands |
| Posts: | 332 |
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Posted: 31 March 2008 01:47 PM |
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It is a long time agoo that I loaded some pistol rounds, but I think, looking for pressure signs is just an estimating, unless they are so very obvious that even a non- knowledgable person sees, there is something seriously wrong.
I load up to performance, start low and stop when I have reached a level, mostly somewhat higher than half-way between minimum and maximum recommended loads for a given bullet in the manual, and do not substitute one bullet with the same weight from a different brand to the loading data recommended for another brand wthout backing off powder charge to minimum and start all over again.
I reload rifle ammo only but flattened/cratered primers can have other causes than high pressure, which also goes for exessive headspace, which can cause signs similar to high pressure.
The only safe way I know is to have the pressure measured, but I cannot tell you were to go for this in the USA.
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There almost always is a way to do things better, more often than not by simplifying.
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boogieman
HB Full Member
| Joined: | 23 March 2008 |
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Posted: 31 March 2008 02:02 PM |
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| Thanks paul, I was looking for that kind of perspective, I like to try new loads and experiment a little, while still within the safe zone in the books, But sometimes the books are way different from each other, I have a speer reloading manual that states 5.9 is max for a 185 jhp, and a lee manual that states 7.4 as a starting load using unique, so i tried the speer info, got a stove pipe and a cloud of smoke and unburned powder,hihi no problem, Then i loaded up to the start load of the lee book and have a nice full load similar to factory ammo, So there are lots to check before settling on a recipe, I will keep in mind the signs you people have pointed out to me on excesive pressure. thanks john
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wheezengeezer
addicted handloader
| Joined: | 16 July 2007 |
| Location: | Jeddediah Jones Swamp, Kansas USA |
| Posts: | 622 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | pistol |
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Posted: 31 March 2008 02:20 PM |
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| hodgdon used to pressure test ammo that they had pressure barrels for.
____________________
I was raised in the 50's on gunpowder and jackrabbits.salt and pepper wooda made'em taste better
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Charley
Administrator
| Joined: | 9 September 2005 |
| Location: | San Antonio, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2223 |
| Photo: | | | Are you a handloader?: | Yes | | Favorite type of cartridge to load?: | I load everything! |
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Posted: 31 March 2008 09:33 PM |
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| The red X means there is no photo visible. Some systems show some pics, some don't. I looked at work, didn't show. I can see it at home, nice pistol.
____________________
"You all can go to Hell, I'm going to Texas" David Crockett (and probably George Bush)
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sako06
addicted handloader
| Joined: | 22 July 2007 |
| Location: | California USA |
| Posts: | 493 |
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Posted: 17 August 2008 07:15 AM |
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| When you see smoke leaking from your weapon after firing and the primer falls out after firing a shell it's time to reduce powder charge. Last edited on 17 August 2008 07:17 AM by sako06
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Paul Tummers
HB Life Member
| Joined: | 18 June 2007 |
| Location: | Berg En Terblijt, Netherlands |
| Posts: | 332 |
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Posted: 17 August 2008 01:06 PM |
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sako06 schreef: When you see smoke leaking from your weapon after firing and the primer falls out after firing a shell it's time to reduce powder charge.
Perhaps this is the moment, a dependable chrono pays the money back, spent on it, because if the figures are at- or over the speed given at max load, one should reduce the powdercharge somewhat.
If something happens to yourself or bystanders due to gun-parts who suddenly declare themselves independable due to overloaded handloaded ammo, I think you have some kind of a real problem.
____________________
There almost always is a way to do things better, more often than not by simplifying.
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sako06
addicted handloader
| Joined: | 22 July 2007 |
| Location: | California USA |
| Posts: | 493 |
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Posted: 17 August 2008 03:58 PM |
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| We had a club member who paid little heed to published max loads,we never knew how many weapons he destroyed but everyone learned to ignore Dirty Bobs recommendations.I was at our range when a member was firing his newly acquired heavy framed S&W 44 special handgun that a local idiot masquerading as a GS had rebored to accomodate 44 mag ammo.Bird Legs had fired a couple of 44 special loads w/o any problems then he fired a 44 mag load when we heard a heck of an explosion and saw metal parts flying,the shooter wasn't injured but part of the cylinder was gone & the top strap was peeled forward.We told him to take it back to the seller and get a refund.
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swampshooter
HB Full Member
| Joined: | 3 August 2008 |
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| Posts: | 83 |
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Posted: 18 August 2008 04:56 AM |
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| as mentioned previously a chronograph is very valuable when hand-loading handgun ammo. when approaching max. loads do not deviate from published data. in an auto pistol pay attention to how far your pistol throws brass from factory loads. if your reloads exceed this or exceed factory velocities, back off. in a revolver when cases become difficult to extract, pressures are high. trying to hot rod handgun loads is a very dangerous proposition. if working with max. loads follow published data explicitly and check chrono. vel. vel. is produced by pressure, if your vel. is high, so are your pressures. if the manual says 6.0 grs. of xyz powder is max. and gives 1,000fps. and you load 6.0 grs. of xyz powder and only get 925fps. do not increase that load trying to get 1,000fps. better safe than sorry or worse yet, injured. likewise if your vel. is higher than published vel. or any other pressure signs are noticed, back off. keep in mind that your firearm will last much longer with low pressure loads. many handguns don't last very long when fed a steady diet of max. loads.
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