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Mesquite Creek Mike

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Well Boys I finally got me a SDB from my buddy Lucky Lennie. I'll be loading Federal #200 primers and Lucky Duece 110gr bullets. I am trying to decide on powder, between Clays, Trailboss and VihtaVuori. Any thoughts out there? Also how many gms. on any of your recomended powders. Thank's MCM

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Bookmark these sites and refer to the Cowboy Loading Data:

 

http://www.vihtavuori-lapua.com/disclaimer.php

 

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

 

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx

 

Here is an Old Thread answering your question for another shooter.

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It's against the rules to discuss load data on this website, but I'm sending you a PM.

 

RBK

 

Edit: I will say that I highly recommend Hodgdon's Clays Powder.

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When I first started reloading, I went to Dillon in Scottsdale and told them the kind of reloading I wanted to do and told them I was in their hands and give me everything I needed-I had no clue. To their credit they recommended a SDB. Toward the end they asked what kind of powder I needed to use and I had no clue. They said more Bullseye is sold for pistol shooting than any other and they would start there. Since then I have tried several different powders and always ended back at Bullseye. It is cheap to use, as clean as any other and is hot enough to work at any reasonable temps. I took all the stuff from them home including two reloading manuals. First day I worked with the hardware, I loaded 200 rounds. I still shoot basically that same load, although I have tried many many other loads. I now load on a 650 because I am loading for two shooters and liked the case feeder and powder checker. I now load 8-10,000 rounds per winter, all Bullseye.

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There is no "best" powder, everyone has their favorites. I like Trail Boss, it's a good, clean-burning powder. Bullseye is a fantastic all-around powder. I got a good deal on a five pound jug of Clays Universal. As the name says, it's universal, works in most anything. I have been loading 38 Special with it for awhile and it works well. Just pick one and go with it. I avoid Unique, although a great old-timey powder, it's pretty dirty. I'd start out with Trail Boss or Bullseye.

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Guest diablo slim shootist

lots different powders out there-lots of us use Tight Group

i found it goes bang in any weather and its not case sensitive

(meaning its position in the case wont effect its performance ;)

some powders work better for different calibers. i shoot 38s

mostly-but use American Select in 45s because i have lots of it :FlagAm:

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All I load now is Black and I'm quite pleased with that, but if I were to venture off into smokeless land one thing I would do for sure (which has already been suggested) is to pick a bulky powder. One that fills at least 60 percent of the case volume. In that way it would be impossible to double charge your case since it would overflow. Smithy.

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All I load now is Black and I'm quite pleased with that, but if I were to venture off into smokeless land one thing I would do for sure (which has already been suggested) is to pick a bulky powder. One that fills at least 60 percent of the case volume. In that way it would be impossible to double charge your case since it would overflow. Smithy.

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Howdy

 

A couple of things. It is always helpful when asking for loading data to specify what caliber you are talking about. Removes some of the guess work.

 

May I assume that since you are talking about 110 grain bullets and Federal 200 primers you are talking about 38 Sp? Federal 200 primers are Magnum Small Pistol primers. There is no need for magnum primers with cowboy loads. Magnum primers will up the pressure somewhat. All you need for cowboy loads are standard small pistol primers.

 

For Mrs Johnson's light 38 Sp cowboy loads I like Clays. For my own 38 Special plinking loads I prefer Unique.

 

I still don't see the point of a clean burning powder for revolver loads.

 

As stated, we cannot post specific load data here. You can find it on the official web sites of the powder companies. Always regard internet loads with a suspicious eye.

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I still don't see the point of a clean burning powder for revolver loads.

 

I don't understand, Why would you not want a clean burning powder?

 

I agree that it shouldn't be the only reason to choose a powder but if the powder of choice stays inside the pressure range you need, the recoil is low or acceptable to you and the accuracy in your gun('s) is there, why wouldn't clean burning be a plus?

Seems like less chance of fouling while shooting, easier to clean the guns when the time comes. Wouldn't it also mean you are burning all the powder and therefore are using it more efficiently?

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Trailboss is a light, puffy-type powder that is excellent for filling large volume cases like .44s and .45s. I know of at least one pard that uses Trailboss in .38s so it is doable. VihtaVuori is an excellent powder but you will probably find that it's a little on the expensive side. Clays is my favorite powder. Some say it is positionally and tempurature sensitive. I have not found that to be the case but I generally shoot in sunny Southern CA. I can't relay actual load data on the Wire, but if you want it, I can PM you some info.

 

IROT

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Bear Saint Paw: Driftwood is like me, shoots mostly Blackpower, so compared to that, ANY smokeless powder is cleaner burning. And you are going to clean the gun anywy, so who cares if it gets a bit dirty? As long as it doesn't affect accuracy or make the gun lead up.

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Howdy Again

 

I shoot Black Powder in CAS but I shoot plenty of Smokeless in other shooting disciplines.

 

Clean burning and low pressure cowboy loads are pretty much an oxymoron. The only way any powder will be truly clean burning is if the pressure is high enough to completely seal the case in the chamber, so that blowby is eliminated. If the case does not expand enough to seal the chamber, then some gas will squirt past the chamber and leave soot on the case.

 

The secondary cause is that all Smokeless powders burn better with higher pressure being generated. The higher the pressure, the better the burn. One reason that pressure does not get very high in cowboy loads is that there is not a whole lot of powder pressent. The other reason is because bullets tend to be relatively light. With a light bullet it tends to start moving before much pressure builds up. With a heavier bullet the bullet is delayed in leaving the case, so pressure begins to build higher than with a lighter bullet. Combine light loads and light bullets and you have a prescription for sooty cases. And you may also have some unburnt powder grains left in the bore.

 

But in reality, how many times have you ever heard of a single action revolver or a lever rifle jamming because of soot? We are not shooting finicky semi-autos here. These guns will keep working usually no matter how dirty the loads are. That's why I just don't think being clean burning is very important.

 

And it does not take any more effort to clean some of soot out of your bores. Leading may take more effort, but modern cleaning solvents make short work of Smokless residue without much scrubbing needed.

 

As an aside, my Black Powder 44-40 empties usually pop out of my rifles cleaner than many other shooters' smokeless loads do. Has nothing to do with how clean the powder burns, has everything to do with how well the thin brass expands to seal the chambers.

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Red Dot,Clays, TiteGroup all good.If your shooting 38 special I would not bother with Trail Boss,I tried VV its expensive & I found it to have alot of unburned powder.

 

 

 

Good Luck AO

 

Yep Yep Red Dot is all I use in all three gunzs. Promo, loads tha same and is even cheaper. I've loaded RD for 12 years +

 

 

RRR

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Another vote for Red Dot.

I was using VitaVourhi N320 - but it is expensive and sometimes hard to find. Great powder tho.

I changed over to Red Dot because it was cheaper and plentiful (every trap range will have Red Dot in stock)

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.38s are easy to load because you get very good results with the most popular powders. From the choices you suggested, I would say Clays. VV is too expensive and Trailboss is sold in short weights I believe. Trailboss was created as a solution to a problem most of us don't have (double charging).

I like American Select if given a choice, but I've also used Bullseye and W231. Since I also have 2 kegs of Winchester Superlite, I guess I'll use that next.

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Trailboss was created as a solution to a problem most of us don't have (double charging).

 

Howdy Again

 

With all due respect, Trailboss was created specifically to fill up most of the empty space in large capacity cartridges when loaded with light loads. Many of the old Black Powder cartridges, 38 Special being one of them, have a large internal capacity so that they could contain a man stopping charge of Black Powder. Modern Smokeless powders are much more powerful, pound for pound, than Black Powder, so a much smaller charge is needed to do the same job. This often results in a lot of empty space in the case. Lots of empty space can translate to a poor burn with erratic results when using extremely light loads. So Trailboss was created specifically to take up a lot of space in big old cartridges when used with relatively light loads.

 

The anti-double charging aspect of Trailboss is a little bit questionable. It is still possible to get a double charge of Trailboss into many cases without overflowing. Hopefully the alert reloader will notice the huge charge in the case, but it is still possible to seat a bullet.

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Also how many gms. on any of your recomended powders

Can't believe believe no one picked up on this.

The main reason we can't post Loads on ther wire is a mis-stroke could lead to a bomb rather than a loaded Cartridge.

Powder is measured in Grains (GR) not Grams (GMS)

 

1 grm of powder might work in a certain case with a certain powder but it would equal about 15.43 Grains of powder but measuring a little more or a little less with a Gram scale would be next to Impossible.

 

That said there are several 38 powders out there that work well. Personally I Like Clays,231 and Winchester WST.

Most shooters end up with a favorite powder for this or that but variety can be the Spice of loading. Having a Fall back or go to powder is important as now days you can't always get what you want. Some folks are fortunate enough to have a Gun Shop that keeps their favorite power in stock but Even Dealers can't alway's get what you want when you need it!

Since you know Lucky Lennie he would be a good source of 1st class first hand knowledge and talk to local shooters at your Club too most probably reload.

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