Problems with Hodgdon Clays?

[broomhandle]

Hi All,

My pal talked me into buying four pounds of Hodgdon clays.said it was real clean burning.

I used up my old 231.

Setup the Dillon 550B for some 38 wadcutters.
With the Clays measured thru the Dillon powder measure, the scale tells me the charge floats +/- .01 I cleaned every thing and tried again same thing!

Is this normal for this powder / measure ? Just big flakes?Should I do some thng in a diffrent manner?

Thanks for any help.
broomhandle

[fecmech]

Clays just isn't going to measure as well as 231 or Bullseye particularly in the small charge weights used for .38 wadcutters. That said I don't think +-.01 is going to show up much if at all in group size at handgun ranges. Clays is a good powder, I've used it in shotshell and handgun but it does'nt beat Bullseye for accuracy out of my guns. This "clean" thing that guys go Ga Ga over with Clays is over hyped IMO. If you are shooting lead the bullet lube is what smokes up the gun. I shoot a 390 Beretta 390 in sporting Clays and normally run 2K+ rounds before cleaning using 700x and Red Dot with no malfunctions. I tried Clays and did not see any difference. If you find you don't like it some shotgun guy will take it of your hands with no problem. Nick

[Beau Cassidy]

You will not notice 0.1 grain difference in velocity, accuracy, or report. I use Clays almost exclusively in my lead bullet loads down to 2.9 grains in the .45 ACP.

Beau

[Swagerman]

Clays is good medicine for my .44 specials, 4.0 grains = 771 fps can get me 2 inch groups at 15 yards.

Wish I could take it off your hands, but hazmat fees are rediculious on shipping.

Give it a chance and come back and tell us how you did.


Jim

[broomhandle]

Hi Clays reloaders,

I made two runs of 50 each, 38cal. 148 grain wadcutters
using two grains & three grains of Clays.

Both shot well. I just wanted to check with other reloaders about the floating charge weights.I have been using Bullseye, 231, Unique & 700X in the past.

I teach a basic hand gun course at a local range. I don't need monster loads for new shooters & keep wear & tear down on my revolvers.

I think 2.2 +/- grains will be my new practice load.

WoW thats alot of bullets! 4 pounds of powder=28000 grains of powder divided by 2.2 grains =12,727 bullets!

Thanks for putting my mind at ease.

Be well & safe,
broomhandle

[lefty_red]

Never tried CLAYS, but I use UNIVERSAL CLAYS and have no problem in my 41 and 357.

Jerry

[rbstern]

fecmech, I find the Clays difference in cleanliness with handguns is the black soot. Sure, the gun still gets dirty from the lube, but the difference for me between Clays and powders like 231, HP38, Red Dot, etc., is severe. With Clays, I can put the gun away without feeling guilty about cleaning. With the graphite coated powders, I feel like the gun needs to be cleaned after any amount of shooting.

broomhandle, with light Clays charges, a firm crimp is needed. I found that light charges and a light crimp gave me inconsistent igniton due to powder position in the case. Tightening the crimp or bumping the charge solves the issue.

[slughammer]

I made two runs of 50 each, 38cal. 148 grain wadcutters
using two grains & three grains of Clays.

Seated FLUSH? I think three grains for a wadcutter is over book values. Unless you seated it long?

[Crash_Corrigan]

I run Clays in my Ruger P 90 .45 ACP. With a hand cast (of course) LRN (WW) of 208 Gr with 4.3 Gr of Clays I get excellent accuracy @ 850 FPS. With 5.1 GR of Clays with the same boolit I am duplicating factory specs of 1000 FPS on the Hornaday 200 GR +P XTP Jacketed Hollow Point. This is a hot load for a LRN but I am trying to duplicate the recoil and muzzle blast of my duty load so I can not be surprised which I have to launch one of these babies at a human. It does wear you out kinda quick and by the 3rd box of fifty I had enuf fun and went back to the 4.0 to 4.3 clays loadings. Besides I don't want to beat up the gun too much.
Dan

[broomhandle]

Seated FLUSH? I think three grains for a wadcutter is over book values. Unless you seated it long?

Hi Slughammer,

Thanks for the reply.The load is in the Lee red reloading book, they say we can go to 3.2 of Clays.
It shot well not much recoil.
I used a normal crimp.

Be well,
broom

[slughammer]

Hi Slughammer,

Thanks for the reply.The load is in the Lee red reloading book, they say we can go to 3.2 of Clays.
It shot well not much recoil.
I used a normal crimp.

Be well,
broom

http://www.hodgdon.com/data/pistol/38spec.php

Clays is one of my favorite powders, always concerned with loading levels with it though.

[broomhandle]

Hi All,

Thanks for the new replys, I must have missed them before.
Thanks for the Hodg. site I bookmarked it.

Be well,
broom