Range Report

Chris from Minnesota · 03-21-2009, 02:01 PM

I was able to get to the local range on Wednesday and tried some hand loads with my vintage pistols. I cast my own lead bullets and am using a Lyman 9mm round nose 120gr mould. I just took my reloading equipment out of storage and had about 2500 small pistol primers and a pound of Unique not my favorite choice of powder but I'm having had trouble finding reloading components. I checked my email today and Midway USA has finally shipped my order for 8 pounds of Bullseye from three weeks ago, now I will have to make a new load for Bullseye.

I'm using 4gr of Unique (Unique does not not throw every consistently + or - .4gr) under a 120gr lead cast bullet with an overall length of 1.09. I've noticed some here on the forum are using an C.O.L. of 1.14 and 1.15 which I was concerned at first but if I go any further the first band of lube would be exposed.

Any way the load seems to work in my Luger I was able to shoot five fully loaded mags with only two failure to feed which I think is the mag (it's dented and old) I will find out when I get some Mec-gar mags. For the rest of the day I only used 6 in the mag and had no troubles for the rest of the day. My Astra 600 seems to like everything I feed it, I haven't had any malfunctions with it, my P.38 does not like the load, a lot of stove pipes I'm going to try 4.5gr and see if that works. All of the pistols have new standard Wolf recoil springs installed in them.

azlaw · 03-21-2009, 03:24 PM

That looks like very nice casting and lube work. Way too much work for me for pistol rounds, but I may have no choice on the 45-70 bullets I need, so I am shopping for furnace and sizer.

H

Sieger · 03-21-2009, 04:50 PM

Hi:

For a round nose bullet, your OAL should be way out there at 1.169 to 1.173. At this length, you will be able to shoot a full 8 rounds without jams (if your magazine is in some kind of shape). Who cares if your top groove is exposed, as long as you don't drop the rounds in the dirt, it won't make a hill of beans of difference.

Now as to your load, for Unique, your load sound a bit low. If your bullets really weigh 124 grains, I'd work up from about 4.5 to 5.2, or so, looking for accuracy and perfect function..

Forget about throwing a powder like this and go get a scale. I know it takes longer, but you will be rewarded by fine accuracy in a Luger.

For your Bullseye load, try from 3.6 to 3.8 grains. My accuracy load with this powder is 3.7 grains with the 124 grain bullet.

Enjoy!!

Sieger

Chris from Minnesota · 04-15-2009, 10:27 PM

Ok second attempt, I pushed the OAL out to 1.15 with 3.6gr of bullseye, I put two full mags through my byf with no problem, but I'm not shooting that any more now that I have a shooter.

I put 50 rounds though my Erfurt shooter and had no problems with feeding but I did have some problems with the breach block not going fully in to battery. When I would push the toggle closed I wouldn't be able to open it, I think the bullet is sticking to far into the bore. I'm going to back the OAL to 1.14 and see how that works.

Also my P.38 didn't fulling eject some casings so I'm going to up the change to 3.7gr of bullseye. Thanks for the pointers Sieger, I will get this work out soon.

Neil Young · 04-16-2009, 08:16 AM

I set my charger to throw slightly less than the desired weight and throw the charge into the scale pan. You can then trickle the charge up to specification very quickly. This works quite well for me.

John Sabato · 04-16-2009, 03:24 PM

Here's a tip for you reloaders.

Years ago I took my powder trickler and replaced the handle with a pulley. I found a geared motor with a pulley from a small toy that turned the shaft at a comfortable rate and used D-cells to power it and a door bell button to turn it off and on.

I "throw" each charge just shy of the weight that is desired into the pan of the scale and the trickler is already in place, so I just push the button to trickle the remainder until the scale balances. This idea isn't patent pending so help yourself and make one of your own...

John Sabato · 04-16-2009, 04:13 PM

Let me caution members that to build such a powder trickler, you have to ensure that you don't create a spark hazard with the motor and activating switch... after all, we are dealing with GUNPOWDER, even if it is not black powder... you still don't want any surprise flashes while you are reloading, eh?

...and thanks to my good friend Heinz for recommending that I add this caution...

Chris from Minnesota · 04-16-2009, 05:36 PM

I have a scale and powder trickler, and when I'm loading my rifle cartridges, I set my powder thrower low and finish off with the trickle. Just not ust to being that accurate for my pistol cartridges I will for the luger, but not for my Sig P226.

Throwing works fine for the Sig I just check every 20 or 30 shells to make sure I not going over my max. Even informal shooting at steel pigs at 100 yards I do well against wheel guns, but I have 15rds to there 6. And then there is the occasional pig that wont go down after 5 rings. The guys are all laughing at me and then I find a stick behind the pig holding it up.

03-21-2009, 02:01 PM	#1
Chris from Minnesota User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 58 Thanks: 3 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Range Report I was able to get to the local range on Wednesday and tried some hand loads with my vintage pistols. I cast my own lead bullets and am using a Lyman 9mm round nose 120gr mould. I just took my reloading equipment out of storage and had about 2500 small pistol primers and a pound of Unique not my favorite choice of powder but I'm having had trouble finding reloading components. I checked my email today and Midway USA has finally shipped my order for 8 pounds of Bullseye from three weeks ago, now I will have to make a new load for Bullseye. I'm using 4gr of Unique (Unique does not not throw every consistently + or - .4gr) under a 120gr lead cast bullet with an overall length of 1.09. I've noticed some here on the forum are using an C.O.L. of 1.14 and 1.15 which I was concerned at first but if I go any further the first band of lube would be exposed. Any way the load seems to work in my Luger I was able to shoot five fully loaded mags with only two failure to feed which I think is the mag (it's dented and old) I will find out when I get some Mec-gar mags. For the rest of the day I only used 6 in the mag and had no troubles for the rest of the day. My Astra 600 seems to like everything I feed it, I haven't had any malfunctions with it, my P.38 does not like the load, a lot of stove pipes I'm going to try 4.5gr and see if that works. All of the pistols have new standard Wolf recoil springs installed in them. Attached Thumbnails

04-16-2009, 08:16 AM	#5
Neil Young Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Scottsboro, Alabama Posts: 540 Thanks: 546 Thanked 438 Times in 165 Posts	Quickly using scales I set my charger to throw slightly less than the desired weight and throw the charge into the scale pan. You can then trickle the charge up to specification very quickly. This works quite well for me. __________________ Neil The hurrier I go the behinder I get. Sometimes it takes me all day to get nothing done.

04-16-2009, 03:24 PM	#6
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,150 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	Here's a tip for you reloaders. Years ago I took my powder trickler and replaced the handle with a pulley. I found a geared motor with a pulley from a small toy that turned the shaft at a comfortable rate and used D-cells to power it and a door bell button to turn it off and on. I "throw" each charge just shy of the weight that is desired into the pan of the scale and the trickler is already in place, so I just push the button to trickle the remainder until the scale balances. This idea isn't patent pending so help yourself and make one of your own... __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

04-16-2009, 04:13 PM	#7
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,150 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	Let me caution members that to build such a powder trickler, you have to ensure that you don't create a spark hazard with the motor and activating switch... after all, we are dealing with GUNPOWDER, even if it is not black powder... you still don't want any surprise flashes while you are reloading, eh? ...and thanks to my good friend Heinz for recommending that I add this caution... __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

04-16-2009, 05:36 PM	#8
Chris from Minnesota User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 58 Thanks: 3 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I have a scale and powder trickler, and when I'm loading my rifle cartridges, I set my powder thrower low and finish off with the trickle. Just not ust to being that accurate for my pistol cartridges I will for the luger, but not for my Sig P226. Throwing works fine for the Sig I just check every 20 or 30 shells to make sure I not going over my max. Even informal shooting at steel pigs at 100 yards I do well against wheel guns, but I have 15rds to there 6. And then there is the occasional pig that wont go down after 5 rings. The guys are all laughing at me and then I find a stick behind the pig holding it up. Attached Thumbnails

03-21-2009, 03:24 PM	#2
azlaw User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 204 Thanks: 1 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	That looks like very nice casting and lube work. Way too much work for me for pistol rounds, but I may have no choice on the 45-70 bullets I need, so I am shopping for furnace and sizer. H

03-21-2009, 04:50 PM	#3
Sieger User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: New York, NY Posts: 1,575 Thanks: 2,124 Thanked 400 Times in 249 Posts	Hi: For a round nose bullet, your OAL should be way out there at 1.169 to 1.173. At this length, you will be able to shoot a full 8 rounds without jams (if your magazine is in some kind of shape). Who cares if your top groove is exposed, as long as you don't drop the rounds in the dirt, it won't make a hill of beans of difference. Now as to your load, for Unique, your load sound a bit low. If your bullets really weigh 124 grains, I'd work up from about 4.5 to 5.2, or so, looking for accuracy and perfect function.. Forget about throwing a powder like this and go get a scale. I know it takes longer, but you will be rewarded by fine accuracy in a Luger. For your Bullseye load, try from 3.6 to 3.8 grains. My accuracy load with this powder is 3.7 grains with the 124 grain bullet. Enjoy!! Sieger

04-15-2009, 10:27 PM	#4
Chris from Minnesota User Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 58 Thanks: 3 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Ok second attempt, I pushed the OAL out to 1.15 with 3.6gr of bullseye, I put two full mags through my byf with no problem, but I'm not shooting that any more now that I have a shooter. I put 50 rounds though my Erfurt shooter and had no problems with feeding but I did have some problems with the breach block not going fully in to battery. When I would push the toggle closed I wouldn't be able to open it, I think the bullet is sticking to far into the bore. I'm going to back the OAL to 1.14 and see how that works. Also my P.38 didn't fulling eject some casings so I'm going to up the change to 3.7gr of bullseye. Thanks for the pointers Sieger, I will get this work out soon.