I am very confused. reason why is located in post

[milsurpaddict]

HEy everyone.

I am pretty much a new be to reloading and have only been doing it for about 6 months. What I am having a hard time understanding is that the loads for almost all the calibers I am loading for are about the same amount of grains.

Here are some examples

357 with 158 grain lead boolit with small pistol primer and hp38 powder the manual calls for 3.5 grains.
9X18 Makarov with 98 grain lead boolit small pistol primer and hp38 powder calls for 3.5 grains
40 S&W with 175 grain lead boolit small pistol primer hp38 powder calls for 3.4 grains
9mm with 124 grain lead boolit small pistol primer hp38 powder calls for 3.5 grains

My question is why are the loads so similar. When I loaded for my 357 the round felt like and sounded like a 32 caliber pistol.

What am I not understanding about this process. Even when you look at the never exceed load they are all mostly comparable in grains across multiple grain boolits.

Please help. I loaded 38 sp loads last night with a 158 grain boolit small pistol primer hp-38 powder and the manual said 3.4 grains and never to exceed 4.1 grains. This amount barely covered the bottom of the case.

So I again implore please educate me.

Thanks

[fecmech]

The .38 spl round was originally designed for black powder and as a result has way more room than needed for smokeless loads such as you are using. The .357 magnum was a hot rodded version of the .38 spl. developed in the 30's and operates at approximately twice the pressure of a .38 spl.(35000psi vs 18000 psi) and the case was lengthened to prevent it being fired in small frame .38 spl's that might blow up. So it has even more space than needed with light target loads you are shooting. The Key point here is operating pressure not the grains of powder. If you do some research you will find the cartridges have different safe pressures and all sorts of other variables you SHOULD be aware of. Get some loading manuals and educate yourself as to what is going on in a cartridge. If you are going to reload ammo you need to understand basics and your post indicates to me you don't really understand what's going on and this could be a danger to you in the future. I AM NOT being critical of your knowledge level, we all were at one time where you are. Purchase a couple different manuals and learn the fundamentals of reloading. A person who only reads reloading recipes and has no real understanding can eventually be harmful to himself or others. Good luck to you and welcome to CastBoolits.

[rexherring]

Check several manuals. Here's a good site for basic reloading. Many loads in the .38 are less than 1/4th capacity. If you want a greater fill to prevent a double charge, you need a fluffy powder like Trail Boss. You can fill the case up just to the base of the bullet. (no compressing of the powder)

http://www.reloadammo.com/

[rsrocket1]

Your .357 load seems pretty anemic. Yes, it will probably push the bullet out of the barrel, but 4.5-5.0 grains is more typical for that combination and even 5.0 grains would give you the recoil of a mid to stout 38 special load. The Hodgdon site says 5.0 max for HP38 in 357 with a 158g LSWC.

The 40 S&W load also seems pretty light. 4.1-5.0g is what Hodgdon recommends for 180g bullets. Yes they may work at 3.4g, but I'll bet you'll have sooty cases and empties that either FTE or eject only a few inches out of the gun. Again, no problem so long as you wear eye protection. I've had a few cases go right into my face when loading ultra light recoil rounds.

3.4-3.8 is the right load for 9x18 Makarov because it is a low pressure rated round 20,000 psi opposed to 35,000 for 40/9x19Luger/.357

I agree that there are some loads that do seem to be similar for certain combinations of bullets, for example:
My favorite loads are 5.0g Unique and it works for 180g 40S&W, 230g 45ACP and 158g .38 Special. This load is on the low side for 40, mid range for 45ACP and pretty hot for 38 Special, but it is much more coincidental than it is a rule of thumb.

You can load small amounts of dense powder in cavernous cases such as 38 special and 357, but you must be very careful. Even bulkier powders such as Unique which will overflow on a double charge in 45ACP/40/9mm will be difficult to see at the bottom of a 357 case. You just have to be very vigilant with these loads.

[Moonie]

When I was loading and shooting 357 I used large charges of W296, certainly didn't feel or sound like 32 anything. RO at the indoor range thought I was shooting a 44... Those 125gr condom things would go very fast in front of large charges of W296.

[I'll Make Mine]

Those 125gr condom things would go very fast in front of large charges of W296.

That's certainly the truth. I've got some loads with 110 gr J-words that the manual says ought to be about 1600 from a 6" vented barrel -- using H-110, which I keep hearing is identical to W296. Fireball the size of a basketball or bigger, and a blast you can feel moving your clothes, but the recoil isn't bad and they're good for pie plates in rapid fire at twenty feet. Useless for hunting -- too light for deer and they'd turn a rabbit into mist -- but I sure wouldn't want someone shooting them at me... :twisted:

[UBER7MM]

What I am having a hard time understanding is that the loads for almost all the calibers I am loading for are about the same amount of grains.

Here are some examples

357 with 158 grain lead boolit with small pistol primer and hp38 powder the manual calls for 3.5 grains.
9X18 Makarov with 98 grain lead boolit small pistol primer and hp38 powder calls for 3.5 grains
40 S&W with 175 grain lead boolit small pistol primer hp38 powder calls for 3.4 grains
9mm with 124 grain lead boolit small pistol primer hp38 powder calls for 3.5 grains
.....


milsurpaddict,

Welcome to the forum.

What you are looking at in similarity is only powder charge weight. As stated by others, pressure is the variable you need to pay attention to. Each of the loads you've quoted have different bullet weights/lengths, case design and capacities, seating depths etc... so, they're all different. Jacketed and cast lead projectiles make a big difference in pressures as well. Do not substitute one for the other.

Continue to study your manual(s) and stay within the published loads, approaching the maximum loads with caution. Personally, I don't load to published maximum loads for three reasons:

1) Accuracy is usually found at less then max loads. IMHO, this is more so with cast boolits than with jackets.
2) Components tend to wear out quicker at max loads, Cases and barrels to name two.
3) With a less than max load allows me a greater margin of error.

One other constant with reloading that I've found to be true:
"Every gun is a law unto itself." Meaning that a worked up accurate load in one gun, may not be accurate in an identical gun.

Enjoy your new hobbie. I hope this helps,