Loading for multiple handguns chambered for the same cartridge

[rintinglen]

I like to tinker and consequently I have made loads for many of my different guns that are unique.

My 38 Specials get 358-311 over 4.0 grains of WW-231 or 3.5 gains of Bullseye, or 358-432's with the same powder charges, or else 3.2 grains of WW-231 under a H&G 50. However, my S&W 342 get 125 grain boolits over a piddly charge of Bullseye, (2.8 grains I think, but I am not certain0 it hurts when you crank off a full on 38. Those chaps with their .357 lite weights have my respect. Likewise, my S&W 52 gets 358-063 wadcutters seated flush and I don't use those in my other guns, though I suppose I could. I have 5 different 9 mm molds all of which get some use and each has a different powder charge. I have 9 32 molds, ranging from a 71 grain HP up to a 125-ish SWC for my 32 ACP's, 32 S&W Long's, 32-20's and 327's. Don't even get me started on rifle loads.
But to answer the original question, I shoot for best accuracy and complete reliability in each gun.

[MT Gianni]

Another exception I just thought of is that I have Target ammo. in 38 special. I know it will group well in anything but it's generally reserved for a model 14 S&W.

[robertbank]

Interesting question.

I have a few 9MM guns. These guns are or have been used by me for competition. Fine accuracy is not an issue in the action shooting sports but reliability is. For my 125 gr bullets (FMJ & Lead TC/RN) I load them to 1.1" and size my lead bullets .357. These bullet combinations work is all my 9MM semi-autos - German, Italian, USA, & Czech. I don't have any 9MM revolvers. There is not much daylight between any of them in performance. My home gun uses factory nuclear cartridges made by Winchester.

I dedicate .40 cal new brass fir my 40 cal reloads destined for my new 10 mm Ruger. This is a project that has not yet been completed. I have a Tanfoglio 40 cal and an M&P Pro in 40 cal that shoot anything I throw at them and the cartridges for these guns are loaded to a specific power factor for IDPA. The load for the two semis may or may not be the same for my Ruger 40 cal cartridges.

I have a Ruger GP-100, 686 and a Model 10 that get any cartridges reloaded in 38spl & .357mag as appropriate. OAL is determined by the bullet I have used. I size all my lead bullets designed for these guns .358.

Note: I have a 1888 Colt New Navy 41LC that was recently converted to 38LC after the 41LC barrel developed a split in the forcing cone. My gunsmith installed a new .357 barrel and an ild 38LC cylinder He attached a new front sight and re-blued the gun. By definition this gun remains an Antique under our Criminal Code of Canada and is not considered a firearm. I use 38spl cases loaded lightly in the gun and keep the ammuniotion for this gun separate from my other 38spl cases. The gun will only use nickel brass that has been tested to allow the cylinder to rotate. The 38spl cases vary significantly in the design of their bases. The brass coloured brass seem to have thicker rims and binds the cylinder. Before anyone has heart failure with a little care this new revolver works. It gives me a gun that I could carry legally pretty much anywhere I want to. Remember I live in Canada. I know I am not about to freely carry the gun open or concealed in around Terrace. What is legal and what could bring the local ERT out for target practice suggest a great deal of common sense by me is in order.

Take Care

Bob
[s If any 38spl cartridges were to get mixed into batchers designed for the old Colt would go directly to my Ruger GP-100 for use. I am a bit anal about that.

[Old School Big Bore]

@ Rintinglen - Reading up through this thread, I was thinking, "wait til you throw a couple PCCs into the mix". I have .38/357s in J, K, L & N frame sizes but, oddly for me, no levergun yet, looking for a 92 or a pump. I feed the target HBWCs and service-level SWCs RFs & RNs to all of em except the 686 I use for our matches, that one gets the MP HBWC in a magnum case with the boolit seated out to pilot in the throat. Yes I had to increase the HP38 a couple tenths. 44 Spl/Mag are 2 bulldogs, a 624, a 4" M29, two SBHs, a B92, Deerstalker, Handi-Rifle, and a 788. I have 44 molds from 120 gr WC to the MP HBWC to Keiths/Thompsons to the 305 gr WFN and most of them get utilized in some fashion. EDC for the SPLs is 200 gr GDHP. The Handi-Rifle is my test bed for all things .44 and the B92 is my go-to walkin-around rifle since I cut back the carrier step to make it feed Keiths. I had to do some finagling to get it to feed the Lee 210 but now it's happy. Duty/EDC for the 29, which was my duty revo for decades, is unapologetically the Speer discontinued 225 gr JSWCHP over 10.0/Unique. I put them up in once-fired Speer cases and if anyone asked, they are "factory". The 92 loves that load and was my patrol carbine when I carried the 29. While my past agency included a Big Bore division, the 29 got the MP HBWC over 4.5 of W231 with the boolit seated out and lightly crimped in the front grease groove. I still have a couple speedloaders full of those WCs reversed over 7.0/Unique. They will stop, the size of a quarter, in the third water jug after shattering the first two, and I have a reduced version in SPL brass for the Bulldogs and 624. The 29 won me lots of bets with two Lee 120 gr WCs over 3.5/Bullseye: "I can put 12 holes in that target faster with this revolver than you can with that auto"...don't judge me! I wish Lee would bring that little collar button back in a six-cav. I used to shoot the SBHs in IHMSA until our club switched to Hunter silhouette; that was a Keith over 11.0 of Unique and it took down the 200 meter rams just fine. Now both my SBH are 4 5/8" and I usually put a Skeeterish Keith load in them if I'm woodswalkin with them and the 92. The 624 reminds me it's a SPL every time I try to pass a warmish load off on it. Rather than trade it off as I have the 45 Colt mountain gun, I feed it the same mild stuff as the Bulldogs, usually a lighter weight WC/SWC/RN/RF with about 4 gr of a faster powder up to around 6 of Unique. The Deerstalker has been on a diet of J-words because I've had to unsolder a gas system before and I don't figure on doing that again never ever never. I'm looking forward to PCing fixing that. The 788 has yet to deliver decent groups with ANYTHING and the reproduction magazines are such a PITA that it's in danger of becoming a disappointing safe queen. And I wanted it so badly and chased it so diligently...(sigh). 45 ACP is a match 1911, XD45, and 625JM and besides the match load, I keep some ball equivalent around because the XD45 won't run on anything reduced and doesn't like SWCs. I have plans for several of the Lee RFs and TC for that one. The 625 gets MP HBWCs and various RF/SWCs in AutoRim brass. They all get 230 GDHP for EDC. 45 Colt is two 4 5/8" BHs and an R92. Got rid of the Mountain gun because of having to load powder puff ammo for that kicking beast. I'm still playing with load development but it I have some good candidates for revo/rifle same-data loads. The .30 Carbine is another beast altogether because I like to plink with mild loads, especially the MP HBWCs, in the blackhawks, but need some oomph to run the carbine action. Full loads in the blackhawks will deafen people three counties away. Still gonna cut 'em to 4 5/8" and have .32-20 cylinders made. Also still looking for an AutoMag III and a Raging Thirty. If I were able to re-caliber revolvers, one or two of my 28s would be an 8-shot .30 with moon clips and spare .32-20 cylinders. The .32-20 is also a separate-ammo lash-up because the rifle is a nice late strong B53 but the pistol is an elderly 1905/4 and I really don't want to stretch anything on it. I'm tending toward nickeled brass in the Browning and plain in the little revo, but I may end up color-coding with PC. In the meantime I'm launching a letter to S&W to see whether they date the K-32-20 post 1920-ish. My 9mm situation is all over the map - we own three different 9X19 pistols and an AR9, and friends/family have a mixed bag of different match, blasting & carry 9s including a Skorpion whose chamber is practically a funnel and will eat anything in reach. Mostly the 356402 and its Lee clone will work in all of them, but I recently had to bump 500 rounds of the Lee TCs about .010 deeper and re-taper crimp them to run in a match-chambered 1911 belonging to my shooting partner. Still on the waiting list for the 356-125-2R and the 358-125-RF.
Long story short, I do have some "omni" loads but most of my firearms, which unfortunately were all recently lost in a tragic boating accident, have some favorites which I try to keep somewhat in stock.
Ed <><

[robertbank]

Old school big Bore - ou reminded me I do reload for fpur different PCC's The four all shoot my generic 4.1 gr 231, OAL 1.1" TC lead and RN FMJ 125 gr loads reliably. The load is accurate in the four of them I just load them to shoot paper in IDPA PCC division, I am in the process of working up a load for my Ruger PCC that will perform out to 100 yards. Not sure why. I guess it falls to, "because I can". The four PCC's I own are remarkably accurate.

Take Care

Bob

[gifbohane]

My CZ (9mm) has a tight chamber. I load shorter COL as a result and it works fine in my other 9mm.

[ABJ]

I do both. I load ammo that fits everything, but I also work specific loads out for the gun if I like the gun. If I don't like the gun I trade it normally.

Same for me. I do have a couple of loads for 38 special that shoot very very well in dozens of different guns. DEWC crimped in the crimp groove on top of 3.5 Unique or 3.4 HP-38. Second load is the Lee 105 swc on top of 4.1 HP-38. These are what I call my universal 38 loads.
I have a couple of single actions that will shoot minute of snake head if I switch to the Lee 148 bnwc in 20:1, same powder charges.

I agree with Larry on 44 special,(5.0 Bullseye under a 240) its a soft load and no load I have tested will out shoot it. Shoots well in my flattop and 2 different S&W.

The 45 acp, are of different mfg's so OAL has to be gun specific in my case, mostly because I shoot H&G 68 style SWC's. The one constant is they will all shoot 4.1 of Bullseye and all accurate. The bullet weight doesn't seem to matter, 175/185 or 200.

The 9mm, oh what fun multiple guns are with cast. All I can say is I have found a universal boolit (125-TC) only. No universal OAL's or powders or charge weights. I am getting close with Power Pistol.

I love reading threads about the so-called universal or go to loads. Past threads on the subject is why I tried the 44 special bullseye load. Some of the old go to loads like the 38 wadcutter with 2.8/2.9 Bullseye have not worked for me, but it didn't take long to find the ones that did.

Hunting guns like 45 colt and 44 mag I just load the hunting load and practice with it also.

Tony

[44MAG#1]

How many of the ones that go through the gymnastics of loading all these different loads for all these different guns do so because it is "NEEDED" or do it because they "LOVE TO TINKER AND EXPERIMENT"?

[Plastikosmd]

Semi= Loaded about the same

Revolver= vary based on gun (Ie Taffin 357 load for FA only)
FA 45acp loads = revolver only, Fred Schmidt 38 wc only etc

[No_1]

I guess it would depend. The only calibers I have more than 2 guns chambered in would be 38 special, 357 Mag, 45 Acp, 45 Colt, and .41 magnum. For those calibers I have been able to find loads that both feed and provide acceptable accuracy in all guns I shoot. I think if I had one that needed different ammo than the others in the same chambering it would go down the road unless there was something uniquely spectacular to it.

[tazman]

How many of the ones that go through the gymnastics of loading all these different loads for all these different guns do so because it is "NEEDED" or do it because they "LOVE TO TINKER AND EXPERIMENT"?

Love to tinker and experiment-----That's me. I am constantly looking for a load for any particular gun that works better than the classic loads. I haven't found one yet. I did find a few that work just as well due to necessity a few years ago during the last powder shortage.
I also came up with some fun stuff for practice and grins.
I have no idea how many molds and powders I have tried over the years just to "try it out". Lots of fun and experience making stuff work.
The ammo that I depend on turns out to be the classic loads(if there are any for a certain cartridge) that just run in anything. Seems they work in nearly any gun. Not just mine. Of course, I test them in my weapons to confirm, but they always work.

[44MAG#1]

Tinkering and experimenting. Gives someone something to do, Right?

[ABJ]

Tinkering and experimenting. Gives someone something to do, Right?

Yes, and the more you do, the more you learn about powder choice and boolit weight etc..

Tony

[44MAG#1]

What does one learn? I have done the same thing over the years but other than having something to talk about at the Gun Shop or the range with other shooters really what has one actually accomplished? Except to make the checking account lighter and figuring out that there are no magical combos that makes a poor shot a fair shot, a fair shot an average shot, an average shot a good shot, a good shot an excellent shot, and an excellent shot a phenomenal shot?
I've never seen that happen.
Harking back to Mr. Keith, when his 4 inch M29 was lifted and until it was returned, him not knowing if he would get it back, wonder if he worked up a load for the one he carried in its absence to extract the last bit of accuracy for it or if he just crammed some Keith loads he already had in it because he knew the would do whatever he needed to do with the gun?

Yes, and the more you do, the more you learn about powder choice and boolit weight etc..

Tony

[tazman]

What does one learn? I have done the same thing over the years but other than having something to talk about at the Gun Shop or the range with other shooters really what has one actually accomplished? Except to make the checking account lighter and figuring out that there are no magical combos that makes a poor shot a fair shot, a fair shot an average shot, an average shot a good shot, a good shot an excellent shot, and an excellent shot a phenomenal shot?
I've never seen that happen.
Harking back to Mr. Keith, when his 4 inch M29 was lifted and until it was returned, him not knowing if he would get it back, wonder if he worked up a load for the one he carried in its absence to extract the last bit of accuracy for it or if he just crammed some Keith loads he already had in it because he knew the would do whatever he needed to do with the gun?

I haven't found a magic load that makes me a better shot. I have found several loads that, if I continued to use them, would make me a much worse shot. Things not to do as it were.
One was a particular boolit/powder combination in a 9mm pistol that shot patterns at 10 yards with many of the holes showing boolits going through sideways.
I often find loads that simply do not work for whatever reason. I stick with the ones that DO work.

[44MAG#1]

Now with that being said, let's say you have four 44 Magnums, if you work up a good load in one and try it in the other 3 could there be one that would shoot so badly that it would harm your shooting ability when shooting in field positions, not off the bench rest. Standing, kneeling, sitting, etc.?

I haven't found a magic load that makes me a better shot. I have found several loads that, if I continued to use them, would make me a much worse shot. Things not to do as it were.
One was a particular boolit/powder combination in a 9mm pistol that shot patterns at 10 yards with many of the holes showing boolits going through sideways.
I often find loads that simply do not work for whatever reason. I stick with the ones that DO work.

[tazman]

Now with that being said, let's say you have four 44 Magnums, if you work up a good load in one and try it in the other 3 could there be one that would shoot so badly that it would harm your shooting ability when shooting in field positions, not off the bench rest. Standing, kneeling, sitting, etc.?

For me, that gun and load would be a full magnum load in nearly any single action revolver. Those hurt my hands to the point I would flinch after a single cylinder of use, thereby effecting any other shooting I would do.
File this under why I don't shoot single action handguns.

[44MAG#1]

Then let's pick the 357 Magnum in the same scenario. Maybe the 45 Colt in the same senario.

For me, that gun and load would be a full magnum load in nearly any single action revolver. Those hurt my hands to the point I would flinch after a single cylinder of use, thereby effecting any other shooting I would do.
File this under why I don't shoot single action handguns.

[bobthenailer]

I have General Purpose loads that shoot well in all hand guns in that caliber , and have some loads worked for max accuracy in a particular gun.
This works pretty well for every caliber except 9mm,were there's is no switching ammo between guns !

[tazman]

Then let's pick the 357 Magnum in the same scenario. Maybe the 45 Colt in the same senario.

You would get the same answer. Single action handguns don't work for me. My knuckles get beat up shooting them.
The only cartridge I can shoot in a single action revolver without pain is 22lr.

I was initially referring to a load that shot so badly that it made you look like a bad shooter regardless of how good you were.