Range Report:WW cheapo 38 SP vs reloads

[omgb]

I just got back from the range and man-oh-man, I'm never shooting that dirty WW Cheapo 38 SP ever again. 50 rounds of that sooty crap left my gun black and my hands a mess. It even caused my cylinder to drag after 20 rounds. By way of contrast, I shot 250 rounds of 2.4 grains of Clays and a 150 grain SWC lubed with LBT Blue and had almost no soot and zero leading. What ever Winchester is loading that stuff with is dirty. it shoots well, but the dirt factor is a real turn-Off.

[Four Fingers of Death]

The aussie powders are virtually all clan burning. I used to shoots lots of AS50, which is sold as International in the states I am told. You can shoot all morning and there is a light golden sheen over the barrel, etc, very pleasant. Before that I used 452AA and was happy with it, but looked like a steam train driver after a hundred or so rounds.

[Beau Cassidy]

I think you will find that clays performs exceptionally clean in other light load pistol applications also.

[Poygan]

I ran some American Eagle past my chronograph using a 6" Python with the following results: 776 - 807 - 858 - 744 - 750 and 796. Don't recall if it was dirty or not but it certainly wasn't very consistent. This was the lead RN in case there was any other varieties.

[rbstern]

Love to shoot Clays. It's very clean. Not all Hogdon powders are.

HP38, with it's graphite coating, will soot up a gun fairly quickly. It's a trade off. Clays doesn't meter automatically as well as many other powders, particularly with light loads. But, if you can accurately measure it out, it's terrific stuff.

[Bret4207]

Ya gota get the brass for reloading somehow. I shot up a bunch of the white box Winchester 38 RN in my Colt Officers Model with 7 1/2" barrel. Found out 2 things- 1. I need glasses. 2. I can reload lots more accurate ammo, but that cheap stuff works OK on rocks.