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Thread: .38-55 & app

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    .38-55 & app

    Hope was high as we hit the range today. Put together 10 ea. of LEE's 379-250-RF boolits with 33,35&39 gr/weight APP.
    Boolits seated to the crimping ring, comressed to accomadate, .040 fiber wad & LEE alox.
    The gun liked the 33 gr. load the best, but were a
    ways from where I'd like them to be. The others, all over the place. I'm thinkin' the gun don't like them boolits too well.

    While we where, I had loaded up some APP loads for the 45-70, using the Lyman 457193 405 gr boolit @ 55 & 52 gr./weight. I figured might as well give them a try.......... Lets just say I wasted my time on those.

    Knarley

  2. #2
    Banned bigted's Avatar
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    first off I do not know what APP stands for [I know huh? ]. second I really like my 38's [have two ... single shot and an old 93 Marlin]. I have some loaded with Cartridge grade GOEX ... matter of fact I loaded 55 grains in the case and compressed enough to load my Tom Accurate molds 250 grain boolit to the crimp groove. haven't shot em yet but hope to soon.

    would be very interested in what the sub's do in these 38-55 cases. what a great old cartridge.

    no smiles tho with the 45-70 huh? what kind of accuracy are we talkin about with the 38?

  3. #3
    Boolit Master Skipper's Avatar
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    I use the Lee as cast from Lyman #2 alloy over 9 gns of Unique and lubed with liquid alox. Groups are about 1.5" at 75 yds.
    The strongest reason for the people to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against the tyranny of government.
    -- Thomas Jefferson

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
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    APP= American Pioneer Powder it's a black powder "sub".............
    Both guns are shooting all over the place but it is NOT the fault of the powder.
    They don't like the boolits they are getting fed. And a few other details.
    That situation is going to be remedied soon.

    Knarley

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    APP= American Pioneer Powder it's a black powder "sub".............
    Knarley, in case you didn't see it, there is now a separate category for substitute powder discussion
    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/foru...er-Substitutes
    This category has been dedicate only to "Original Gunpowder"
    Regards
    John

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Boy View Post
    Knarley, in case you didn't see it, there is now a separate category for substitute powder discussion
    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/foru...er-Substitutes
    This category has been dedicate only to "Original Gunpowder"
    Ummm.............
    This IS the "Subs" category.........

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
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    Knarley ... Opps! My bad
    Regards
    John

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by John Boy View Post
    Knarley ... Opps! My bad
    No pro-blemo..........

  9. #9
    Banned bigted's Avatar
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    thanks for the explanation on the powder. I look forward to seeing how you get along with this powder.

    buff arms has boolits for sale already lubed and sized in 50 round box's and might I recommend the 275 grain .380 boolit from them to experiment with. these boolits have so impressed me that I purchased their mold for this same boolit ... just wish I had gotten the double instead of the single mold tho.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by bigted View Post
    thanks for the explanation on the powder. I look forward to seeing how you get along with this powder.

    buff arms has boolits for sale already lubed and sized in 50 round box's and might I recommend the 275 grain .380 boolit from them to experiment with. these boolits have so impressed me that I purchased their mold for this same boolit ... just wish I had gotten the double instead of the single mold tho.
    I have been using this powder for quite some time for cowboy action shooting. The wife and I both use it for rifle,pistol & shotgun. The boom isn't quite the same, and it doesn't throw the flame and sparks like black. But it sure shines if ya like smoke! Cleans up with soap & water like black, but one doesn't have to use special lubes for it. Runs thru a progressive press just fine. We buy a case at the beginning of the year. Measures volume to volume to black.

    Knarley

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy Litl Red 3991's Avatar
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    The APP site sure does list a lot of don'ts for loading cartridges. One thing that stands out is their advice not to compress the stuff as it's supposed to give lots of velocity spread. The other thing is not to have air space in the case. The stuff sounds like a one trick pony for cartridges. Or more exactly, a powder that isn't good except when you've found exactly the right amount.

    It sounds like you're proving their advice about one load, or maybe finding out why they gave that advice. Which of the three (33,35,39) was closest to filling the case with just a bit of compression? Their advice might not be as important for pistol cartridges or shooting that doesn't demand much accuracy, but would be worth trying for a rifle cartridge you want to shoot with some accuracy.

    General loading instructions are to fill the case with our loose powder just to the point where the base of the bullet will very slightly compress the powder, about 1/16", when it is seated. NO FURTHER COMPRESSION is recommended or advisable and will result in increase pressures and erratic velocities! It is important that no air space or gap be left when the bullet is seated, and the use of fillers is not recommended for general cartridge shooting, but is often required and acceptable for achieving the lower velocities desired in Cowboy Action Shooting.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check