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I had to go out in the country to help a friend out and figured I might as well use the possible waiting time doing some shooting. I took my SR22 with a brick of ammo and my LCR with about 2ro reloaded 38 spl.
I started off shooting the LCR and shot maybe 50 rounds when I heard a pop instead of a bang. I thought dang it not again but sure enough there was the bullet sticking about 1/4" out of the barrel. I didn't have a punch or hammer so that was all she wrote for the LCR.
I then shot about 60 rounds of 22lr before the phone guy showed up. While he was doing his thing I was picking up 22 casings when I saw a 38 spl bullet laying on the ground about 10' from where I was shooting the LCR. Could be the squib had knocked that bullet out of the barrel as to why it was only 10' away. I only heard one squib sound though. The phone guy was finished so it was time for me to head back home.
On the way back home I stopped at a gunsmith to have him remove the bullet. I figured I could get it out but I wanted his experience and knowledge about the problem since this was the second squib I had. I also gave him 5 other rounds just to have him check over for any problems he might see. He removed all the bullets and all rounds did have powder in them. The squib knocked out without any real problem and the barrel looked okay as well.
He asked what powder was I using and he said it was basically a shotgun powder. I told him it was Hodgdon which I was told could be used for pistol ammo. He said it can but it isn't a fast burning powder and he suggested to quit using it. He asked how many gr was I using and I said 2.5 gr. He thought that was way to low and could be some of the cause of the squib. He looked in a data book and he found lowest to use was 3.5 gr. He suggested I remove the bullets to check for powder and also to reload with perhaps Winchester 131 powder instead of the clays.
When I got home I weighed several empty casings which varied from 68-73 gr, bullets were 124.5 to 125 gr, powder was supposed to be 2.5 gr which gave me a total of 200.5 +-. I weighed all my remaining ammo and found maybe 100 under 196 gr and maybe 75 in the 196-199.9 gr weight. Probably had a couple hundred 200gr + . I separated in three piles. Under 196, under 200, and over 200. I figured on removing all the bullets from those under 200 to be on the safe side. Could be if they are under 200 gr then they just might not have powder in them and I don't want to take a chance on them. I shot around 50 of those over 200gr and had no problems with them.
I went to the Hodgdon loading data site and under 125 gr 38spl with clays powder it said for 125gr HDY XTP start 3.5 max 3.9. 125 cast LRNFP start 2.5 and max 3.5. I am using Rainier 125 gr FP they are flat nose full plated bullets.
My next step is buy a bullet removal hammer and probably better powder. Dang it I have probably half a bottle of the Clays powder left.
I was surprised the casings had variance of 67.6gr to 73gr. The bullets were all 124.5 to 125 so that also makes me think my scale is not the problem for the variance.
The data book lists OAL min is 1.445. What would happen if say the OAL was say 1.355 OAL? Most OAL was running around 1.456+-.
I also asked the gunsmith about putting wads in casing to take up space and he said he didn't suggest it. I have read elsewhere that it can cause problems. More problems I don't need.
Anybody want to chime in don't hesitate giving your .02.
I have to say this bunch of reloads I only twice hit a 6"x10" board. That's not good from 50' IMO. I was perforating the board from same distance with my SR22 shooting Thunderbolt ammo no less.
I started off shooting the LCR and shot maybe 50 rounds when I heard a pop instead of a bang. I thought dang it not again but sure enough there was the bullet sticking about 1/4" out of the barrel. I didn't have a punch or hammer so that was all she wrote for the LCR.
I then shot about 60 rounds of 22lr before the phone guy showed up. While he was doing his thing I was picking up 22 casings when I saw a 38 spl bullet laying on the ground about 10' from where I was shooting the LCR. Could be the squib had knocked that bullet out of the barrel as to why it was only 10' away. I only heard one squib sound though. The phone guy was finished so it was time for me to head back home.
On the way back home I stopped at a gunsmith to have him remove the bullet. I figured I could get it out but I wanted his experience and knowledge about the problem since this was the second squib I had. I also gave him 5 other rounds just to have him check over for any problems he might see. He removed all the bullets and all rounds did have powder in them. The squib knocked out without any real problem and the barrel looked okay as well.
He asked what powder was I using and he said it was basically a shotgun powder. I told him it was Hodgdon which I was told could be used for pistol ammo. He said it can but it isn't a fast burning powder and he suggested to quit using it. He asked how many gr was I using and I said 2.5 gr. He thought that was way to low and could be some of the cause of the squib. He looked in a data book and he found lowest to use was 3.5 gr. He suggested I remove the bullets to check for powder and also to reload with perhaps Winchester 131 powder instead of the clays.
When I got home I weighed several empty casings which varied from 68-73 gr, bullets were 124.5 to 125 gr, powder was supposed to be 2.5 gr which gave me a total of 200.5 +-. I weighed all my remaining ammo and found maybe 100 under 196 gr and maybe 75 in the 196-199.9 gr weight. Probably had a couple hundred 200gr + . I separated in three piles. Under 196, under 200, and over 200. I figured on removing all the bullets from those under 200 to be on the safe side. Could be if they are under 200 gr then they just might not have powder in them and I don't want to take a chance on them. I shot around 50 of those over 200gr and had no problems with them.
I went to the Hodgdon loading data site and under 125 gr 38spl with clays powder it said for 125gr HDY XTP start 3.5 max 3.9. 125 cast LRNFP start 2.5 and max 3.5. I am using Rainier 125 gr FP they are flat nose full plated bullets.
My next step is buy a bullet removal hammer and probably better powder. Dang it I have probably half a bottle of the Clays powder left.
I was surprised the casings had variance of 67.6gr to 73gr. The bullets were all 124.5 to 125 so that also makes me think my scale is not the problem for the variance.
The data book lists OAL min is 1.445. What would happen if say the OAL was say 1.355 OAL? Most OAL was running around 1.456+-.
I also asked the gunsmith about putting wads in casing to take up space and he said he didn't suggest it. I have read elsewhere that it can cause problems. More problems I don't need.
Anybody want to chime in don't hesitate giving your .02.
I have to say this bunch of reloads I only twice hit a 6"x10" board. That's not good from 50' IMO. I was perforating the board from same distance with my SR22 shooting Thunderbolt ammo no less.