I just received the latest edition of Pet Loads by Ken Waters. It is a new printing which includes ALL of his Pet loads articles from Reloader. Available from Midway considerably cheaper than from Wolfe Publishing.

1160 pages of reloading data and articles including a lot of rarely covered calibers. Ones of interest to S&W owners include the 32 S&W, 32 S&W Long, 32-20, 38 S&W, 44 Russian and 455. All of these are cartridges with fairly minimal data available in most reloading manuals. Also data on a lot of older and oddball rifle cartridges.

He also covers his techniques for judging pressure of ammo using case expansion measurements and claims to have never damaged a gun using his techniques.

All in all a excellent reference of data and info on an awful lot of different cartridges.

Ken Waters has been a great source of information for over 50 years, mainly with reloading, but also on classic rifles and important personalities in the shooting field.

His other book- "Ken Waters'Letters" is also an interesting read!

Both books are "must haves" for serious shooters.

Good shooting.

I've got one of the original 2 set versions. Love it. Still ref it often even though quite old. He was pretty conservative -- so I'm guessing he never did any damage to the guns he tested.


Recent studies/experiments have put the case head measurement pressure method into question. Speer's latest manual shows that (in revolver cases) you can't tell anything from primer appearance. Just use the recommeded loads in current manuals and you should be fine. An extra 100 fps doesn't mean a thing.

FWIW,

Paul

I have both the two set version and the new "all-in-one" version. The two set version is MUCH easier to handle and read (duh-h-h) but of course the new one has ALL of the Pet Loads articles under one cover (not fifteen or twenty ).

The information is more than EXCELLENT. It is to be relied on...

Dale53

Paul;

Ken did not use head expansion but expansion at the pressure ring above the head, comparing it with expansion levels of factory ammunition. This is the area just ahead of the solid case head. To minimize errors he also tried to keep all loads with a given powder to one brand and lot of cases. In fact he noted that head expansion was a much less sensitive indicator of pressures than the method he used.

He agreed that it was not a perfect system but in combination with other indicators of pressure levels it is the best that most reloaders have available if, as he was, developing loads using powders for which no published reloading data is available.

He also took into consideration the action strength of the guns he was working with.

He was a reloading experimenter and IMO his record of success speaks for itself.

When was the last reloading article written by Ken Waters for Handloader and or Rifle Magazines?

quote:

Originally posted by Rich W:
Paul;

Ken did not use head expansion but expansion at the pressure ring above the head, comparing it with expansion levels of factory ammunition. This is the area just ahead of the solid case head. To minimize errors he also tried to keep all loads with a given powder to one brand and lot of cases. In fact he noted that head expansion was a much less sensitive indicator of pressures than the method he used.

He agreed that it was not a perfect system but in combination with other indicators of pressure levels it is the best that most reloaders have available if, as he was, developing loads using powders for which no published reloading data is available.

He also took into consideration the action strength of the guns he was working with.

He was a reloading experimenter and IMO his record of success speaks for itself.

In the August 2005 Handloader Mag, "Velocity and Pressure" p.62 by John Barsness used the Ken Waters Method on a 22 Hornet, 30-06 and 270 and then had the loads pressure tested. The 22 Hornet was within 7% of SAMMI, the 30-06 was dead on at 60K PSI, and the 270 was 70K PSI. John Bs question "how can you know which result you will get?". He goes on to say that a chrono will help, but the use different primers and bullets will also cause results to vary (sometimes susbstantially).

I wouldn't hesitate to use any of Ken Waters data -- working up from below (and not going above reco charges) of course and looking for ejector mark on case head or difficult bolt lift/extraction as an indication that a particular load was not suitable for use in my gun. His velocities are within (and below) expected levels for cartridges/guns in his material. My point was that individuals are NOT very well equipped to go beyond current manual recommendation using any technique. Further, they are well served starting at the Min suggested load with the recommended components and work up to the reco max (a chrono would help -- do not exceed velocity in manuals). An extra 100+ fps isn't worth the potential problems.

FWIW,

Paul

quote:

Originally posted by dennis40x:
When was the last reloading article written by Ken Waters for Handloader and or Rifle Magazines?

Dennis,
His last reloading article was a few years ago, but sometime last year HANDLOADER wished him a Happy 90th birthday!
A friend of mine wrote him encouraging him to attend the Coors Schuetzenfest in Golden during its heyday, but he said he had trouble traveling that far-from Connecticut to Colorado-back then, probably 15-20 years ago.
Don't forget he's a member of the Greatest Generation!

Good shooting.

quote:

Homie:
Dennis,
His last reloading article was a few years ago,

I thought it was longer than that but can’t remember for certain or wouldn’t have asked the question. When he developed the 7-30 Waters I purchased a M94 angle eject. It was sort of a flop in rifles but seemed to be more accepted in single shot pistols. I have correspondence with him concerning the subject cartridge.

His last Pet Loads article is dated Feb 2002 in the new latest edition of the book. It is claimed to have all of his articles in the series.

Glad to hear he is still going at 90+. Might help to reduce worries of some about the bad health effects of working with lead and other reloading items.