Handgun booster/duplex loads

[Jonathan]

Does anyone use booster/duplex loads in handguns?

[9.3X62AL]

Welcome to the board, Jonathan!

I don't recall seeing much discussion here of the duplexing issue concerning handguns, but duplexing and triplexing used to be practiced with some frequency with the 454 Casull when it was still a wildcat--and before WW-296/H-110 was available as a canister powder. This dates from the early 1960's in some old references I recall reading a while back--Cartridges of the World, 3rd Edition (Barnes), I think. Someone else spoke of this within the past couple weeks, IIRC.

There are a LOT more powders available these days than were available in the 1960's, which kind of renders duplexing and triplexing into the same status as 8-track tape decks. I've done it a little to get some inexpensive VERY slow-burning powder (WC-860) performing better in the 45-70, but I'm sure there are commercial powders out there that can provide better performance and accuracy at only slightly higher cost per round. For me, it was mostly about getting powder I could buy (at the time) for $3 a pound to be useful. I'm still not sure if WC-860 is an actual "propellant" in the 45-70, or just a filler with attitude.

[felix]

Al, filler with attitude! Couldn't say it better if you were Nat Hawthorn himself! ... felix

[9.3X62AL]

Aw, thanks Felix. Just checking into Reality Central for a few minutes before heading out to Misinformation Station (county courthouse).

To illustrate what this "duplexed" powder does when so treated, I was running the Lee 405 grain plain-base with 3.0 grains of IMR-4198 underneath 48.0 grains of WC-860. This cleaned up a lot of the unburned granules that remained after firing the slow stuff unassisted, but not all of it. Accuracy was decent, but velocity was barely 1000 FPS--not real useful. In contrast, 6.0 grains of the 4198 under 46.0 x WC-860 provides a bit of compression, clean bore, and 1300 FPS--which approaches 1873-level/32" barrel ballistics from the Ruger's 22" barrel. Much better.

I would have to crunch the numbers to see if use of this powder at $5/lb is still the bargain it was at $3/lb., as opposed to an accurate load using conventional powder/loads. A detailed analysis with chronography would be a good idea too, rather than relying on 1 shot over Buckshot's machine and 20 or so more through my downrange box out in the desert. SD and ES don't seem to be too bad, but 100 shots would be better to "crunch" than 20.

[Bucks Owin]

I've tried "duplex" loads in .357.....

(Two 82 gr WC boolits stacked!) :roll:

Dennis