Hodgdon Reloading Data Center VS Hornady Reloading Handbook

[gsparesa]

Response from Hornady Manufacturing Inc.

tech [[email protected]]

"I would never load any lower than the lowest load that we publish. Some books publish a max and a lower load or let you reduce it 10%. Some powders you can reduce, but WIN 296 and H110 do not work well when reduced down too far. It sounds that Winchester lists the Top charges and you can reduce that charge 3%. all of the data we have shot in our manual is safe and you should see no issues with it but these charges that Hodgdon is publishing may be safe but these are velocity ranges that maybe aren't suited to the purpose of what you are trying to do with the bullets Thanks"

 

[dahlgrenjohn]

I don't believe that. If you stick a bullet due to lead fowling or a bullet lodges in the barrel and you fire another the gun will blow up, even with minimum .38 spl load.

I have a photograph of a fine old K-38 with 11 of 12 bullets lodged in the barrel which was returned to S&W, sectioned, photographed and sent back to the complainant (who had returned it saying that it was no good because he couldn't hit anything with it). The bullet at the muzzle had fallen out and they were from commercial .38 special, mid-range ammo. Although this event happened years ago I am still amazed that the shooter wasn't aware of the unusual recoil, noise or lack of weight change/shift or visual signature. I would think that the propellant gasses leaking out the cylinder-barrel gap would make an unmistakeably unique sound.

 

[dwpmusic]

What a thread. I read a lot of it but not every post. I feel the pain of the OP. I'm just starting into reloading myself and the different recipes you can get for the same powder/same primer/same bullet is amazing and for a newbie, frustrating. I'm just taking it slow and trying to learn.

 

[1HAWKEYE]

I'd watch out that winchester/imr/hodgdon web site.The loads are a bit on the hot side I was going to use there data for some 45-70 loads at the trapdoor level for my 74' Sharps and the suggested loads from the hodgdon site would have actualy fallen into the Ruger #1 pressure levels.Your best bet when looking for a new load is to do a compairison between the Lyman,Hornady,Sierra manuals and split the difference with an average.

 

[Jellybean]

tech [[email protected]]

"I would never load any lower than the lowest load that we publish. Some books publish a max and a lower load or let you reduce it 10%. Some powders you can reduce, but WIN 296 and H110 do not work well when reduced down too far. It sounds that Winchester lists the Top charges and you can reduce that charge 3%. all of the data we have shot in our manual is safe and you should see no issues with it but these charges that Hodgdon is publishing may be safe but these are velocity ranges that maybe aren't suited to the purpose of what you are trying to do with the bullets Thanks"

Dang, they beat me to it. I don't have Hornady No. 8, but No. 7 has a list of their bullets and their suggested velocity ranges. They have loaded their loads and tested them to make sure they will work, but stopped at the maximum velocity that their bullets perform the best at. Other sources, even though they may be using Hornady's bullets, don't give a rats hiney if the bullets perform or not, that's not the products they are trying to sell. If hornady tried H110 at those charge weights, and they didn't work, they wouldn't have included it in their manual.

 

[Methuselah]

H110 data for 357 mag

I would NOT recommend these loads . I tried them in a 6 " Python and experienced case ruptures and FLAT primers on all with case ruptures on 2 out of 6 rounds. One split the case head from primer pocket to side of hull. Most catastrophic case failures I've ever experienced in 357 Mag and I push them to max with reloading manual data looking for primers to indicate pressures reaching max.

 

[Rollbar]

Those are cast from a Modern Bond mould, here at home!
They are 160gr WC.

I have run these bullets from mild to wild and they perform well at all velocities.

When they hit, they hit with authority!

These look good for iCORE/steel plate. How about a mold/cast number over on this post

http://smith-wessonforum.com/reloading/296540-educate-me-art-casting-bullets.html

Thanks Skip,
Jim

 

[TAROMAN]

I started reloading again after 40 years. (I let work get in the way.) I started out with 38's and Bullseye powder. Purchased 2400 for my 357 loads. I feel these are two very good powders to work with.

Now, get some Unique and you will have the "holy trinity" of handgun powders!

 

[jag22]

This isn't exactly on point but just FYI. I was watching that "How it is Made" tv show and they were showing the manufacturing of clone Colt SAA pistols (it was Uberti) and they mention that the barrels were tested to triple their rated pressures. I would say that's a pretty good safety margin. Seems like I remember that was how they used to test scuba tanks. They had to be retested every five years and I think they pumped in twice the rated pressure. If it didn't rupture it passed.