When I listed those loads I wondered who would be the first
one to get on here with a dire warning that they were "over
maximum". First of all I want to say that none are in any way
excessive loads for the 357 magnum. All are well within the
current reduced pressure standards for 357 magnum and
below published maximum charges. I don't know what
philosophy drives Oregon Trail's published load data but I
suggest that if you read a variety of loading manuals beyond
just scanning the load tables and read insightful magazine
articles you will gain an understanding of the difference
between a maximum charge listed and a maximum load.
alwslate
do I win anything for being the first?????
In an earlier post, I quoted loads for Bullseye, Titegroup and W231 from their data. When you posted your loads, I noticed the differences. I merely provided a comparison of what is in the bullet manufacturer's data and yours and I attached their data. Even the NEVER EXCEED in capital letters is from their presentation.
From my experience, Laser Cast bullets perform differently than other cast bullets. They have BHN's at 22 or 24? most others are in the 12 to 18 BHN range.
Please note, I did not interject any of my opinion as to the loads Oregon Trail list in their data or the loads you listed. I really did not intend to raise a "dire warning" to you or anyone participating in the thread. My intention was more to point out a fairly significant discrepancy. Not everyone has Oregon Trail's load data. I almost added the question, "why do you think their faster powder loads are so low?" But decided I'd leave out my opinion.
I understand internal ballistics is a very, very complex issue and the more I read on the subject, the more I realize how even more complex it is. There are few things we, as handloaders, can control and even measure reliably with respect to hitting maximum pressures. I do use many load data sources, some old, some new and some from web based bullet and powder companies.
Personally, I usually give more weight to bullet manufacturer's data when I am using their bullets, and even more weight when their test gun is very similar to my gun. In this case a perfect match. I tried their Bullseye and W231 loads up to their max and when I got 6 inch groups, I moved onto a slower powder (2400), which to me is a better choice for their bullets anyway.
I do not know what drives their philosophy either, could be other considerations than maximum loads. I have been reloading for 2 years so I do not experiment when it come to min and max loads and I stay within the published load data from many sources.
