Reloading question about grain weight.

[6bg6ga]

I'll add something to think about...

Some powder measures will not measure down to the small grain loads. My Dillon powder measures will not go down to 2.0 grains even with the small powder bar. Powder measures like the lock and load Hornady that have micrometer barrels inside will measure down accurately.

Sometimes (my experience here) 380's can ripple the case wall no matter how good your setup is. (Insert the I don't have the Dillon 380 die set here) With my RCBS dies I set them up to insert the bullet to the correct height and very slightly crimp the case followed by another crimp only stage in which I use a 9mm taper crimp die. The results are every case comes out perfect with no ripples in the case wall.

[kmw1954]

Looking in my Lyman Pistol & Revolver Handbook I also see two examples, a 92gr RN and a 100gr TC..

My thinking is that by looking at the profile of the 92gr Lyman bullet and comparing it to the other mold of the same profile that are advertised as 95gr. I would tell myself that they are close enough to be one and the same. Just a change in alloy could be a change of 3gr in the same mold. So any published starting data for that 92gr bullet should be more than safe to begin with.

In my case I am using a 100gr cast RN bullet that also has no published load data. So being a bit more experienced I used the adage I see repeated over and over that cast data and plated data are one and the same, interchangeable. I don't completely agree with that statement but it got me to a starting point.

[6bg6ga]

The more manuals you have the better comparing loads in different manuals will cause you to take another look at a load from one that is way out of line of the others and catch mistakes be it our mistake or the data we are looking at. And there are manuals with questionable or dangerous data.
You may also want to keep a log when working up loads to know what works well for you and will save you from doing it all over . I don't depend on my memory for load data.

Very good advice on having more manuals. Your correct this makes you take the A manual and check it against the B manual.

With respect to manuals giving questionable data..... some of the older manuals did have heavier loads but one needs to remember that load pressure in some powders hits a high point followed by a slight decline in pressure followed by yet another peak. The older manuals did more load evaluation and testing and pushed loads to the max. I've personally shot some of these loads and some were more accurate for some reason and recoil well lets just say it felt different and leave it at that. Some of us older guys have experienced and know how to use some of the older data safely.

[6bg6ga]

Looking in my Lyman Pistol & Revolver Handbook I also see two examples, a 92gr RN and a 100gr TC..

My thinking is that by looking at the profile of the 92gr Lyman bullet and comparing it to the other mold of the same profile that are advertised as 95gr. I would tell myself that they are close enough to be one and the same. Just a change in alloy could be a change of 3gr in the same mold. So any published starting data for that 92gr bullet should be more than safe to begin with.

In my case I am using a 100gr cast RN bullet that also has no published load data. So being a bit more experienced I used the adage I see repeated over and over that cast data and plated data are one and the same, interchangeable. I don't completely agree with that statement but it got me to a starting point.

There is going to be a slight difference in friction between the jacketed bullet and the cast as well as a difference in bullet profile. All things given I generally will use the weight of the bullet in my determination but then again that just me.

[cainttype]

One other thing to keep in mind is that there are exceptions to every rule, and bullet weight vs powder charge is not as predictable as one might think.
Seating depth will be a large contributor to overall pressure, too.. So something like a 38/357 and a 148 grain wadcutter can easily develop dangerous/extreme pressures with powder charges that are totally safe with a 160 SWC when both are seated to their proper OALs.

[kmw1954]

There is going to be a slight difference in friction between the jacketed bullet and the cast as well as a difference in bullet profile.

Who said anything about a Jacketed bullet? No me. For as long as I have been reloading plated bullets they have routinely been describes as being loaded to cast bullet levels and I have had way too many discussions with others trying to refute that claim.. Also that claim that plated bullets are the same as cast bullets. This to the point that I have been called names because of my view.

There are many different parameters that can and will change a bullets performance besides just weight and material makeup,
such as shape as you say and also bearing surface area.

But I will stick with my statement that this 95gr bullet that is being described if it is the same profile as all others I have seen including commercial cast then in my view it is close enough that the data for the Lyman #356242 will work just fine.

[beshears]

Load data list Bullseye 2.0 to 2.8 and Unique 2.3 to 3.1 95 grain 380