AJ
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Has anyone used a good loading of 700X for 148 grain WC in .38 Special? Have a few pounds that I can use up.
700X for .38 Special
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If you plan on 'running' thru a 52 I'd avoid it.
Have you tried reloading sites for 700x data?
Have you tried reloading sites for 700x data?
The Hodgdon site has some loads. You really don't need very much. It looks like their top load is 2.5 grains.
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AJ
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scattershot
Member
Be careful with your load variations.. In my experience, the stuff meters like cornflakes.
Update: I just loaded 10 rounds (threw 10 charges, that is) with excellent consistency. Difference this time, I settled the powder in the hopper by tapping it lightly with a wrench handle. I was surprised at the results.
Update: I just loaded 10 rounds (threw 10 charges, that is) with excellent consistency. Difference this time, I settled the powder in the hopper by tapping it lightly with a wrench handle. I was surprised at the results.
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boatbum101
Member
2.5 - 2.6grs . It's accurate in both 38 & 45 target loads . Coarse flakes not the best metering but not as bad as 800X .
Ed Fowler
Member
In my experience 700X meters well enough that it provides about the most accurate loads in 9mm, 45. Have not tried 38's. = or- .1 does not make much difference on the target at 88 yards.
rockquarry
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I've never used it, but you might try a Lyman book. 700X was and may still be a popular .38 Special wadcutter target powder. Should be plenty of data available though much of it might be in older sources. I don't know if it's faster or slower than Bullseye in burn rate but it should be close.
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AJ
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I have a 41st and 45th Edition of the Lyman Loading manuals and no joy there. I also have the Lyman Cast Bullet Loading Manual and finally found it there. It states 2.7 grains to 3.3 grains for a 148 grain bullet. I also have a burn rate chart pasted into the book I record all my loading in, not sure when or where I found it but was smart enough to keep it. On that chart 700X is listed as No.8 and Bullseye is listed as No.9.
I have digital and beam scales, also RCBS and Lyman Powder Measures, but I use more than anything Lee Powder Spoons. Those are what I learned on many moons ago. The loading manual I referenced goes back to 1975 and I learned before that. I have two different sets of the spoons (old and the "New Improved"). One of the spoons is for 2.7 grains of 700X. So will try that.
Thanks to everybody who responded.
STORMINORMAN
Member
I like both 700-X & 800-X, and will concur that getting a constant & consistant 2.5 gr powder charge (+ or - 5%) is naturally more difficult than with a larger load (say, 10.0 gr)...
And that's because that 0.1 gr in a 2.5 gr load is already 4% and most scales don't always measure to a better accuracy than 0.1 gr to begin with.
And this is where measuring by volume can come in handy. According to LEE their #3 scoop is 2.2 gr of 700-X: I'd just set my Ohaus @ 2.5 gr and use a HEAPING #3 and see how close it really comes... Then a small trickle (or two?) to get the scale centered, and repeat.
Almost impossible to double-charge (or even overcharge, by much?) a case this way, and it's pretty fast as well. Just scoop, adjust if necessary, then pour into the cases.
Now, 700-X may not drop well, hence the oft-heard "it meters like cornflakes!" But it seems to trickle well manually, and also from the Hornady L-n-L Autocharge. At least in my experience.
It is also unlikely there's going to be a problem with loading wadcutters "too deep"...?
Cheers!
P.S. I don't think that 2.5 MAX is truly a crucial upper limit, either: in the 125gr XTP the difference Hodgdons shows between a normal 38 Special & a +P load is 0.2 gr. With a 158 gr XTP the difference is 0.3 gr. Just IMHO.
P.P.S. I'm really interested in the previous post about LEE spoons being 2.7 gr vs. the 2.2 gr of 700-X I just checked in my shop! Are there NEW LEE spoons? This would be a situation where an additional 0.5 gr of powder would make a significant difference!
And that's because that 0.1 gr in a 2.5 gr load is already 4% and most scales don't always measure to a better accuracy than 0.1 gr to begin with.
And this is where measuring by volume can come in handy. According to LEE their #3 scoop is 2.2 gr of 700-X: I'd just set my Ohaus @ 2.5 gr and use a HEAPING #3 and see how close it really comes... Then a small trickle (or two?) to get the scale centered, and repeat.
Almost impossible to double-charge (or even overcharge, by much?) a case this way, and it's pretty fast as well. Just scoop, adjust if necessary, then pour into the cases.
Now, 700-X may not drop well, hence the oft-heard "it meters like cornflakes!" But it seems to trickle well manually, and also from the Hornady L-n-L Autocharge. At least in my experience.
It is also unlikely there's going to be a problem with loading wadcutters "too deep"...?
Cheers!
P.S. I don't think that 2.5 MAX is truly a crucial upper limit, either: in the 125gr XTP the difference Hodgdons shows between a normal 38 Special & a +P load is 0.2 gr. With a 158 gr XTP the difference is 0.3 gr. Just IMHO.
P.P.S. I'm really interested in the previous post about LEE spoons being 2.7 gr vs. the 2.2 gr of 700-X I just checked in my shop! Are there NEW LEE spoons? This would be a situation where an additional 0.5 gr of powder would make a significant difference!
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rockquarry
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AJ
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P.P.S. I'm really interested in the previous post about LEE spoons being 2.7 gr vs. the 2.2 gr of 700-X I just checked in my shop! Are there NEW LEE spoons? This would be a situation where an additional 0.5 gr of powder would make a significant difference!
There are two different sets of Lee Powder Spoons. The set in the Black box I got used in the early 1970's and the white box Improved spoons I got quite a while ago. Both throw different amounts for the spoons that are in them.
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nbedford
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Just about everything is slower than Bullseye.
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AJ
US Veteran
Not 700X. This is different chart than the one I have pasted in my record book, it too lists 700X as faster than Bullseye. Comparative Burn-Rate Chart Lists 163 Powders << Daily Bulletin
Back in the 70's I used 2.8 grains 700X with a 148gr. HBWC in 38sp. It produced 777 Fps. Nice shooting round. Your results may very. Start low and work up. Be careful. Second addition Lee book shows 686 for 2.0 grains and 804 for 2.5 grains of 700X. You might start in that range.
Good luck and go by the book.
Good luck and go by the book.
rockquarry
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According to the 2020 Hodgdon burn rate chart, fast to slow, Bullseye is at #13.
OP
AJ
US Veteran
....And 700X is at #12.
STORMINORMAN
Member
A BIG THANK YOU! for the clarification!
Thanks for the info. Those older ones are probably collector's items by now?
PLEASE confirm that they are not the same bright yellow as the newer ones? That, in a reloading instance like this thread describes, could be a real problem (probably not for an experienced reloader like AJ) as someone with less expertise reading a thread like this one might obtain the older set and think 2.7 gr was 2.2 gr... Or worse?
Danger, Will Robinson!
Thanks for the info. Those older ones are probably collector's items by now?
PLEASE confirm that they are not the same bright yellow as the newer ones? That, in a reloading instance like this thread describes, could be a real problem (probably not for an experienced reloader like AJ) as someone with less expertise reading a thread like this one might obtain the older set and think 2.7 gr was 2.2 gr... Or worse?
Danger, Will Robinson!
OP
AJ
US Veteran
Thanks for the info. Those older ones are probably collector's items by now?
PLEASE confirm that they are not the same bright yellow as the newer ones? That, in a reloading instance like this thread describes, could be a real problem (probably not for an experienced reloader like AJ) as someone with less expertise reading a thread like this one might obtain the older set and think 2.7 gr was 2.2 gr... Or worse?
Danger, Will Robinson!
The older ones are black and the newer ones are yellow. Have two sets of each, guess I am just a packrat.
