Reloading thread
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I won an auction for an Iver Johnson in .38 (I was drunk, sue me) and realized I really need to reload for it if I at all want to shoot it and I cannot be arsed to clean black powder so I'd be using something like Unique or Trail Boss.
From the literature I've read it seems that a VERY precise powder throw, aggressive crimp and proper seating depth/ pressure is needed to make sure consistency is maintained and it doesn't go over pressure, I am on a rather tight budget, I know I can get away with a cheap press as long as I go slow and fiddle with seat depth using calipers but what is the cheapest scale I could get that can be accurate to at least a tenth of a grain?
Does aggressively roll crimping lead to pressure increases and if so is there a formula I could go by to maximize powder burn with pressure at safe levels? Does the loading data represent the max possible pressure or predicted pressure?
>>30107124
Don't throw Trail Boss. The powder is shaped like donuts and will be a pain in any cheap thrower. Get a scale (mechanical), a set of scoops and a trickler. Do not use Unique if you can get Trail Boss. Use a slightly undercharge scoop and trickle to desired charge.
Buy a starter kit. A single stage is fine, I prefer RCBS presses, but Lee is fine. I prefer Lee dies.
Crimping will raise pressure, but not significantly. The jacket or case mouth with fail first. I rarely crimp my own loads, only those for others.
>>30107124
If you insist on throwing it, find an older metallic thrower. It should be able to easily and consistently cut the powder between the measure drum and housing.
>>30107348
Okay, is there a brand of scale you'd recommend or just buy a good weight?
The reason I want to crimp is becasue the loads are rather light and apparently it's a problem for light loads like these because there's not enough time in taper crimps to fully burn before leaving, not sure how much of that is fudd lore though.
Is there an alternative to Trail Boss? My LGS stocks it but doesn't have it too often while they always have a couple canisters of Unique laying around.
>>30107540
I'm new so I just thought throwing powders is what everyone does but apparently for this I may as well volumetrically measure using scoops and trickle to finish, which on retrospect makes a lot more sense than buying a thrower for my applications.
>>30107573
I prefer RCBS for mechanical scales. Lee works, but their scales are pretty crude.
Try a moderate crimp (buy a set of dies with a crimp die) and try that.
The whole point of using Trail Boss (and it's weird shape) is that it takes up more volume and provides a more complete burn in these black powder designed calibers.
If you use have to use Unique, charge the reduced load and fill the rest of the case with a half or so of a cotton ball. This is not desirable, but it will work.
As for the crimp, I can remove the bullet from a factory crimped, lacquer sealed case in three or four blows from a kinetic hammer. There isn't that much force involved. It makes a difference, but not that much of a difference.
>>30107573
Any balance beam scale should be good. The various 505 models are pretty much standard.
There is no alternative to trail boss. It's made light so it can't be double charged in anything but a .50bmg size case. Fill you case to roughly the base of the bullet and you're good to go. Any pistol powder can be used if you want, just have to make sure your measuring is good.
The RCBS/Hornady measure works quite well but for low volume reloading of bulky powders you might be better off with the Lee scoop set.
>>30107636
>>30107647
Would making felt wads work as a more consistent filler if I can't find Trail Boss? Didn't know that the shape was different, just assumed it was a matter of formulation but from the looks of it I really should get that above all else. Goddamn hazmat fees
>complete cartridges are fine, ship 40 pounds at a time, we don't care put a fucking sticker and don't ship through USPS and it's cool
>primers and powder in packaging are a disaster waiting to go off though
Bureaucrats are human cancer.
>>30107837
Felt wads work, just make sure it fits snug. They are more expensive than cotton balls and you may have to buy 36cal felts for muzzleloading or cut your own.
>>30107647
> Lee works, but their scales are pretty crude
Do you mean they are inaccurate or just fiddly and a bit chintzy?
>>30107891
I have a bunch of wool felt from a previous project so just saturating with some kind of bullet lubricant should work well, I hope.
But I will definitely use that as a last resort given how Trail Boss seems to be exactly what I'm looking for. How careful should one be to not crush the shape though?
>>30107837
There is zero need for any kind of filler in pistol loads.
Load your charge and go.
>>30107985
Lurking anon here. You don't want lube coming into contact with your powder. It kills the charge, turning it into a smoky fizzle.
>>30108033
We are talking about using an inappropriate powder as a substitute for normal loadings.
>>30107985
Don't use lube. It will ruin smokeless powder.
As for the powder, don't worry about crushing a few of the grains (individual grains, not unit of mass gains). If you start affecting the volume, then you will have problems.
>>30108104
THERE IS NO NEED FOR FILLER IN PISTOL LOADS.
The filler is used in rifle cartridges to fill dangerous dead space in black powder loads and to hold the powder to the primer for even ignition.
Pistol cartridges have such small volume that filler of any kind is not needed. The primer will always ignite the powder no matter which position it's in in the case.
>>30108131
>>30108099
Fuck, I'm stupid, didn't even consider that and was stuck on black powder thinking, thanks, guys.
>>30108104
That's pretty neat, is there a comparison for black powder?
>>30108132
It is a Iver Johnson break. His Unique loads are going to be 1.5-2.0 grains depending on bullet weight, maybe less. This is going to be below capacity, short of seating the bullet deep, he is going to have dead space.
In a solid frame, yes, fill it up. Nothing is going to happen. Maybe even in a British break revolver. Realistically, he needs to load Trail Boss.
>>30108167
Not that I have handy. There are too many substitutes on the market today. It would have the same volume (approximately) as Trail Boss, but would weight a like 12-15 grains, if I recall.
>>30107985
On the Lee scales, they work fine but are harder to adjust and are cheaply made. It isn't worth what you save over a better scale to mess with it.
Don't buy a cheap digital scale for this. They are fine within 0.25 grains, which too much margin for error for this. A good digital is fine for this, just expensive.
>>30108230
Break open any commercial load. NO filler to be found.
.38 special is a perfect example. Massive case with tiny little charge of smokeless. Again no filler.
Filler has never been required or even recommended for smokeless pistol loads.
>>30108288
Are the digital scales put out by reloading companies okay or are they just rebranded crap?
>>30108359
Rebranded.
Some of the older ones were only good for .2gr accuracy.
>>30108399
Thought as much... So are there any companies to avoid? Seems the screw balance types are cheaper but seem a bit on the iffy side in terms of how annoying it'll be to set.
>>30108462
If you're going digital then actually get a real lab balance. Cheaper now than ever before and many older units for sale if you're cheap.
For anything short of a lab grade scale a simple balance beam is more than sufficient and quite a bit cheaper. The RCBS 505 or any equivalent Ohaus scale is pretty much the standard.
>>30107636
Seconding the RCBS scales.
New to reloading. Picked up a LEE beginner set. Everything is pretty cool, only thing I did was go get dad's RCBS scales and put the LEE away for s different time.
>>30108490
Sorry, should have specified for balance scales. Are Lyman, Pacific, Herters and Redding fine?
Probably should ask what makes a good scale to begin with.
>>30108628
Repeatability. The ability to calibrate the balance (usually small shot in the pan holder), magnetic dampening, clear graduations, sharp balance edge with a clean hard (preferably synthetic ruby or sapphire) seat.
Any of the manufacturers you mentioned will be good. they were all originally manufactured by Ohaus and may still be. the entry Lyman is cheaper and made of plastic but is still a decent scale.
>>30108696
Thanks, ging to order a used scale and hopefully when my LGS opens after Memorial Day they might have some Trail Boss or be willing to hold some after their next order.
