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rbstern
06-07-2006, 02:34 PM
I finally settled on a WC820 load for 357 magnum (batch BAJ47323 from hi tech ammo, the "use H110 load data" stuff).

I worked up to 13 grains under a water quenched Lee 358-158 round nose tumble lube, with a heavy dose of Lee liquid alox. Leading was held down to reasonable amounts, the accuracy is excellent, and the recoil, well, let's just say it's magnum-like, but not so bad as to be painful to shoot. The WSPM primers were flattened, but did not flow back around the firing pin, and no other pressure signs were present. Safe, but maxed out.

What I found interesting was this: With lesser loads, typically 10 to 12 grains, sometimes using regular small pistol primers, there was much more muzzle flash. My 13 grain max loads were surprisingly "dim." This is out of a S&W Model 66 with 4" barrel.

My guess is that I finally got to a pressure minimum where the WC820 burned efficiently in the 4" barrel length, instead of continuing to ignite outside the barrel, due to lower pressure. Obviously, this is just an observation, but I suspect it is an indicator of a reliable minimum effective pressure for a short barreled gun being fed with WC820.

felix
06-07-2006, 02:40 PM
820 seems to do its best all around with the pressure adjusted to just where it first begins to burn into very small balls. In cold weather you would probably have to add a half grain to maintain that same pressure (burnt ball size). Adding more powder does not seem to add more velocity. Yes, 13 grains with my powder lot, and lead lot, is the summer time load with 150-180s. My lot seems to be about half-way between the on-hand AA9 and the on-hand 296. ... felix