I've been working up to find a good load for my 41 mag. Bisley using 265gr WFNGC hard cast bullets and trying to reach about 1200 fps with it, while trying to stay away from H110/W296 and the like. Ive been experimenting with Unique, and believe I have accomplished what I want as far as performance, but some people I have discussed this with have discovered my particular recipe is over published max loads for even a lighter weight bullet!

Problem I'm having with backing down is that I am not seein and signs of this being too much.

Primers are not flat or running out.
Cases virtually fall out of cylinder after being shot.
Mild recoil
No bulging cases or split necks or carbon build up on the brass
No leading in the barrel

To top it all off this particular load is VERY VERY accurate for me in the Bisley.

I know the classic signs to look for, am I missing something? I don't want to just throw this load out the window because there is no book that says its ok when I have real life results saying it is. I' am just second guessing myself by wondering if there is a sign that's happenening that I don't know to be looking for.

Any advice?

I'm not going to post the particular recipe as it is unpublished in ANY load manual anywhere and just because it appears safe in my gun doesn't mean it is in anyone else.

I would keep shooting it if it doesn't rattle your screws loose.

one thing to watch for if you have been working on this load recently is for additional pressure when summertime comes. All guns are different and with variables such as cylinder/barrel gap, headspace, etc some guns will take more than others. I would also watch to see if your accuracy falls apart in hot weather if you have not tested it yet.

Hadn't thought about temp difference with the coming seasons, it was 65+ when I shot it on Thursday, so that will be a concern.

BTW, Wapitrod, this is the gun I've been talking to you about having coated and front sight replaced.

One can be over SAAMI spec pressire without the traditional pressure signs showing a problem. It is best top stay within tested load data slecs


Just curious but why do you want to stay away from H-110/296?

I was going to ask the same question.

HS-6 should get you in the neighborhood without pushing the envelope.

I am with S4, picking a slightly slower powder might be a better solution.

I would in no way ever say you cannot do something like this, as I too have been known to push the envelope a bit. Besides the above noted temperature differences, there are are things that will need to be accounted for. When you are operating within the published pressure range for a load combination, you have a little more wiggle room for variability.

Temperature is a big one. But you also have lot to lot variations in all of your components, especially the powder and primers. The books all say to test each new batch of powder, and sometimes primers. I know lots of folks who do not do this, myself included. If your next can of Unique is a little faster than what you have now, are you going to test for this? Same with the primers. What about your lead bullets? Have you weighed them to confirm they are 265, and not 270 or 260. Will the hardness of the bullets on your next purchase match what you have right now?

What about your loading techniques? Do you run check weights on your scale, and use them each time with this combination? I do hope you weigh each charge, and not throw by volume.

I guess what I am saying is that you may have very little room for any kind of error. And if you goal is accuracy, you might find the same results with a slower powder that would have a bit more margin for error. And it is not just error, but normal variability that goes into your loading techniques and components.

Craig

HS-6 keeps popping up in my research, but I cant find any specific load data for it and 250+ gr bullets in the 41 mag.

The main reason I am not wanting to use 296/H110 is purely economical, 20+ grains of H110, or <13 or so grains with the others like Unique, HS-6, universal, titegroup etc.

A few grains of powder is a lot cheaper than shooting a revolver loose prematurely

Need to watch for temp with all of the powders. The only people I have talked to that claim that their powder is temp stable is the Ramshot people.

+

Remember that a slower burning powder means the force pushing on the bullet lasts longer so less pressure is required to do the same job. Less pressure is easier on the gun and you.

You won't find much for published data for the 41 mag and HS-6, or many other powders. The 41 gets ignored some. Reloading is common sense, and you can extrapolate data from others to get started. A 265 is a heavy for caliber bullet in the 41, therefore lets look at heavy for caliber in the two that bracket the 41, the 357 and the 44. Hodgdon lists 11.0 - 14.0 for a 280 and 11.0 - 13.0 grains for a 300 in the 44, and 8.0 - 9.2 for a 170 in the 357. I would feel completely at ease starting at 10 grains of HS-6 and then see "when enoughs enough"

Exactly....or worse yet; accidentally double charging a round and destroying your gun and possibly being injured. This won't happen with H110/296.

Thanks for this info, Ive wondered about using other rounds similar to gauge starting loads for an in between round, I see how its done now, That gives me a good place to start out.

H110 is the hardest recoiling powder Ive shot in this Bisley, its hard on me and apparently on my gun as it threw out an ejector housing screw on Thursday.

I have a load with H110 that is a handful. I also have a load with 14 grains of HS-6 which is quite pleasant, and still plenty powerful for most hunting. Both using a 250 JHP. It took a while to track down "+P" data for HS-6 in the 45 Colt as well and when I did find it, it was just what I thought it should be based on the 44 mag data. I think you will find 12 - 13 grains will do what you want it to do, but work up to it.

Pushing a 265 grain bullet to an honest 1200 FPS is best done with H-110/296 than it is with a fast powder like Unique

Thanks for all the info gents, I've definitely got some places to start, whenever I can ahold of some powder...heh!

I've read that with ball powders like HS-6 its best to use a Mag primer, have you seen any need of this s4s4u?

I use Win Lg Pistol exclusively, 45 ACP to 45 Colt +P

No worries about mag or non with WLP's

I've seen the mag primer deal too and I believe that's to completely ignite the loose charge. I use H110 in everything from the 357 to the big 500's. I'll use HS-6 in some lighter 475 loads and my 38spcl stuff.

I have used wlp and CCI standard primers in my 454 with HS-6, and not seen any real difference in terms of velocity that would be interperated as difference in pressure.

And Yodie, I came to the same conclusion with mid velocity 454's. I could crank up the velocity with Tight Group (fast like Unique) or use half again as much powder with HS-6 and be safely operating within a better pressure window. The cost of an additional few grains of powder is much better for my piece of mind ;^)

Craig

Thanks for all the tips fellas, Now the hard part...finding a pound of HS-6 for me to try...