elpac3
Member
Have been working on handloads for the model 53, 4" jet.
Have been using Unique and BE86. Have previously used BE 86 grain for grain with Unique in the .357 and .44 with good success. Given the difficulty finding Unique, coupled with the lack of any new load data for an obsolete cartridge, I have ventured "off the farm" and tried BE86 (which is also now almost impossible to find)
The PPU factory load is a 45 grain round nose on top of 7.8 grains of a very fine ball powder (much small grain size than H110 / 296) which produces 1443 fps in the 4" barrel. Using the chamber inserts, CCI 40 grain SV produces 911 fps.
Using PPU jet brass and .222, 45 grain PPU bullets I have the following data:
grains Unique BE86
6.0 1514 ----
6.2 1542 1450
6.3 1473 1516
6.4 1498 1470
Brass and the chambers were cleaned with alcohol prior to firing to prevent case setback. Chrono was a Garmin.
Load data for the 45 grain bullet were the same in the Sierra manual from the 1970's and the newest one purchased last year. Top end Unique load is listed as 6.8 grains.
The unique load had somewhat sticky cases at 6.3 grains and the BE 86 loads produced sticky cases at 6.4 grains. Coupling this observation with the drop in velocity for Unique at 6.3 grains might suggest this is pressure peaking.
Accuracy has been so-so. All loads have shot under 2" at 25 yards from a rest at the bench using iron sights. The .22 LR loads short from the chamber inserts produced groups less than 1.25 inches from the same distance.
I just had a case failure at reload #10 at the point where the taper starts. Cases have been annealed every other reload.
Have been using Unique and BE86. Have previously used BE 86 grain for grain with Unique in the .357 and .44 with good success. Given the difficulty finding Unique, coupled with the lack of any new load data for an obsolete cartridge, I have ventured "off the farm" and tried BE86 (which is also now almost impossible to find)
The PPU factory load is a 45 grain round nose on top of 7.8 grains of a very fine ball powder (much small grain size than H110 / 296) which produces 1443 fps in the 4" barrel. Using the chamber inserts, CCI 40 grain SV produces 911 fps.
Using PPU jet brass and .222, 45 grain PPU bullets I have the following data:
grains Unique BE86
6.0 1514 ----
6.2 1542 1450
6.3 1473 1516
6.4 1498 1470
Brass and the chambers were cleaned with alcohol prior to firing to prevent case setback. Chrono was a Garmin.
Load data for the 45 grain bullet were the same in the Sierra manual from the 1970's and the newest one purchased last year. Top end Unique load is listed as 6.8 grains.
The unique load had somewhat sticky cases at 6.3 grains and the BE 86 loads produced sticky cases at 6.4 grains. Coupling this observation with the drop in velocity for Unique at 6.3 grains might suggest this is pressure peaking.
Accuracy has been so-so. All loads have shot under 2" at 25 yards from a rest at the bench using iron sights. The .22 LR loads short from the chamber inserts produced groups less than 1.25 inches from the same distance.
I just had a case failure at reload #10 at the point where the taper starts. Cases have been annealed every other reload.
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