Heads up - .360" 200 grain bullets for Webleys & the like.

[jmoore]

Started loading- Still can't find most of my .38 S&W brass!




A puzzlement:

The nickel plated Winchester cases have good bullet retention, almost too thick towards the base, but the Remington cases only retain the bullet by the crimp. In fact, the bullets can be rotated without undue force. (No "wiggle", though.)

Obviously the Rem. cases are thinner, but does it really matter? If the bullets don't pull out of the cases under recoil, what would be the downside?

BTW: The Lyman Manual "starting load" and "max load" are only 0.2 gr apart! Jeepers!

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[jmoore]

As for power, well I'm wondering if the tales of bullets being stopped by heavy German winter clothing might not have a little merit!


Grazing hit at 50yds into the 2x4 upright (fronted by some distressed strand boarding)






A little digging, and- Ta-da!, a "re-usable" bullet!!!

It's NOT pretty, but here's the first 18 rounds fired at 50 yards...only 13 hits, and few good ones at that! I'm NOT blaming the Enfield, just myself!



I mean, good grief, the .22 did this:



It ought to be about a third the size of group. Too much working, not enough shooting.

[chartreuse]

BTW: The Lyman Manual "starting load" and "max load" are only 0.2 gr apart! Jeepers!

Yes, that's one reason I'm holding out for finding some True Blue (I think a store nearby may have some - need to check). The spread with that is 0.4 gr - not much, but twice that for Unique!

[jmoore]

Yes, that's one reason I'm holding out for finding some True Blue (I think a store nearby may have some - need to check). The spread with that is 0.4 gr - not much, but twice that for Unique!

 

As it turned out, my old Hornady powder dispenser had no trouble maintaining less than a 0.1gr spread, so I quit trickling the last little bit. Did weigh each and every one, though! Also, to prevent possible double charges, a bullet was seated immediately after dispensing the powder into the case. Slow going, but I don't expect to do a thousand or two at a time, like 9mm or .45 ACP.

As for the "best" powder, I'd reckon Trail Boss would be it, but no data.

[chartreuse]

I started some today, using Remington brass, but I found they gripped the bullet tightly with no crimp to speak of. I'm using the Lee carbide .38 S&W set.

I notice that one of your pics shows a couple of different seating depths. I didn't have much time today, so just put a dozen together with 2.2 gr of True Blue seated to the OAL in the book of 1.175", but that leaves a good 1.8" clearance in the chamber, so I was thinking of doing a few 1/2 doz batches at 0.1 gr increments, with a couple of different seating depths, then sticking the Webley in a vice and firing it single action, to see how the groups compare.

[jmoore]

I started some today, using Remington brass, but I found they gripped the bullet tightly with no crimp to speak of. I'm using the Lee carbide .38 S&W set.

 

I notice that one of your pics shows a couple of different seating depths.

 

Different dies might solve the brass thickness issue- just use whatever works best.

The differences in length are not from seating, but from shooting! The long one is the last of a cylinder full, as described above. Bullet shifted, but not a lot.

[chartreuse]

The differences in length are not from seating, but from shooting! The long one is the last of a cylinder full, as described above. Bullet shifted, but not a lot.

Eek!! That'll teach me to read more carefully.