Thanks to his tutelage, patience, and generosity, I do believe I'm on my way to getting a decent plinking load for Bobcat's GP100. He let me stop by the other day, and spent a few hours teaching me some things. So far, they seem to be improving my finished product!
All these targets were at 20 yards, off a pistol rest, fired single action, .38 SPL from a Ruger GP100 with 4.2" barrel.
PRE-SHREK: Winchester brass, CCI primers, Hodgdon HP-38 powder (4=3.5 grains, 5=3.6 grains, 6=3.7 grains), TN Valley 158 SWC lead bullets, 1.477 O.A.L.
PRE-SHREK: Winchester brass, Winchester primers, Hodgdon HP-38 powder (1=3.2 grains, 2=3.3 grains, 3=3.4 grains, 4=3.5 grains, 5=3.6 grains, 6=3.7 grains), TN Valley 158 SWC lead bullets, 1.477 O.A.L. Only #3 was worth measuring (0.937" outside to outside)
POST-SHREK: The "after" results were much better. Slightly smaller O.A.L., and tighter roll crimp (didn't really think about how important that could be)
Winchester brass, CCI primers, Hodgdon HP-38 powder (1=3.2 grains, 2=3.3 grains, 3=3.4 grains, 4=3.5 grains, 5=3.6 grains), TN Valley 158 SWC lead bullets, 1.447 O.A.L.
#2 is 0.770" outside to outside
#3 is 0.952" outside to outside
#5 is 0.750" outside to outside
I take full credit for any and all fliers......
Gonna make up some 3.3 and 3.6 grain HP-38 loads for Bobcat to try this week, see which works better for him. Gonna do some with a little more powder (Speer shows 3.9 to 4.3 grains with O.A.L. of 1.440 for that bullet) soon, too.
Then start over using the Power Pistol powder Shrek gave me to try! :daman:
All these targets were at 20 yards, off a pistol rest, fired single action, .38 SPL from a Ruger GP100 with 4.2" barrel.
PRE-SHREK: Winchester brass, CCI primers, Hodgdon HP-38 powder (4=3.5 grains, 5=3.6 grains, 6=3.7 grains), TN Valley 158 SWC lead bullets, 1.477 O.A.L.

PRE-SHREK: Winchester brass, Winchester primers, Hodgdon HP-38 powder (1=3.2 grains, 2=3.3 grains, 3=3.4 grains, 4=3.5 grains, 5=3.6 grains, 6=3.7 grains), TN Valley 158 SWC lead bullets, 1.477 O.A.L. Only #3 was worth measuring (0.937" outside to outside)


POST-SHREK: The "after" results were much better. Slightly smaller O.A.L., and tighter roll crimp (didn't really think about how important that could be)
Winchester brass, CCI primers, Hodgdon HP-38 powder (1=3.2 grains, 2=3.3 grains, 3=3.4 grains, 4=3.5 grains, 5=3.6 grains), TN Valley 158 SWC lead bullets, 1.447 O.A.L.

#2 is 0.770" outside to outside
#3 is 0.952" outside to outside
#5 is 0.750" outside to outside
I take full credit for any and all fliers......
Gonna make up some 3.3 and 3.6 grain HP-38 loads for Bobcat to try this week, see which works better for him. Gonna do some with a little more powder (Speer shows 3.9 to 4.3 grains with O.A.L. of 1.440 for that bullet) soon, too.
Then start over using the Power Pistol powder Shrek gave me to try! :daman: