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Old 05-07-2016, 04:24 PM
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Erich Erich is offline
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Location: High Desert of NM, USA
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Tennessee Valley Bullets 158-gr hardcast LSWC, any case, 6.0 grains of Power Pistol, CCI standard SPP.
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Originally Posted by 38SPL HV View Post
Thank you Erich, what velocities are you obtaining with 6.0 grs PP? I too used this loading in the past in my N Frame and liked it.
Depends on the gun and the conditions and the way you hold your tongue when you shoot, of course, but a representative sampling one afternoon at the Albuquerque City Range (5950'>sea level, c. 40°F) would be:

1 7/8" Model 38-2 M 855.3 fps/ES 11.48/SD 5.09 (257 fpe)
3" Model 36-1 950.6/41.86/20.07 (317 fpe)
4" Model 15 956.0/40.75/14.93 (321 fpe)
6" Model 14 1030/22.39/10.14 (372 fpe)

Basically a little more "oomph" than the old FBI Load. Honestly, it could be the magic lube Jessie puts on his bullets.

I'd note you can get almost identical results from Unique using data that was published and acceptable (not even max!) until the Great Neutering of the .38 Special, but obviously the pressures are a little bit higher with the Unique loading than with the even-our-Twenty-First-Century-lawyers-are-okay-with-it factory-published Power Pistol data I used and am willing to discuss on an open forum.

Now, I've said this before: the old counterleaners who recommended Unique to a young college student who could only afford one can of powder to use with his Lee Loader, they did me right - and God bless them, because they set me on a path that's led to a rewarding lifelong hobby. But, if I were the counterleaner these days, I'd probably point the youngster toward Power Pistol . . . and, in fact, this is where I directed my younger brother when he asked me about it a few years back. Only downside I've seen is it's flashier.
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Last edited by Erich; 05-07-2016 at 04:26 PM. Reason: To add fpe, in case anyone cares. :)
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