rber E

NEAL KNOX Editor and Publisher

RALPH TANNER, JR. Director o f Sales

RICK JAMISON Associate Editor

DAVE LeGATE Art Director

LYNDA RITTER Editorial Assistant

RICHARD L. ALDIS Staff Photographer

JOYCE BUETER Circulation Manager

TERRY BUETER Circulation

WANDA HALL Accounting

BARBARA PlCKERlNG Production Supervisor

JANA KOSCO Executive Secretary

TECHNICAL EDITORS

BOB HAGEL CLAY HARVEY WALLACE LABISKY BOB MILEK AL MILLER MAJ. GEORGE C. NONTE, JR. HOMER POWLEY KEN WATERS JOHN WOOTTERS DON ZUTZ

Published by Wolfe Publishing Co., Inc Dave Wolfe. President

Handloader The Journal of Ammunition Reloading

March-April 1977 Vol. 12 - No. 2 Box 3G30, Prescott, Arizona 86302

FEATURES: Pet Loads: .30-30 Winchester. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Waters 22

The 16 Stretches Out.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Don Zutz ‘26

3 0 ACP - Better Than You Think.. ..................... Clay Harvey 27

Complete Reloading: Case Preparation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bob Hagel 30

New Federal Wad and Hull.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Wallace Labisky 34

Super Velocities From One 7x57. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dennis Hall 38

Extending the Powley Computer.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rev. Kenneth Howell 42

DEPARTMENTS: Editorial. ...................... .6 Loading the Old Ones.. . . . . . . . . .16

Reader Bylines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Tip to Tip.. 20

Pyrodex Plant Explosion. Cartridge of the Month. . . . . . . . . .33 . . . . . . . . 10 Answers, Please.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Dan Pawlak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 ProducTests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Lock, Stock Et Barrel.. . . . . . . . . . 14

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Propellant Profiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

The HANDLOADER. Copyright 1977, is published bi-monthlv by the Wolfe Publishing Company, Inc., P.O. Box 3030, Prescott, Arizona 86301. (Also publisher of Rifle Magazine.) Telephone 1602) 445-7810. Second Class Postage paid at Prescott. Arizona, and additional mailing offices. Single copy price of current issue $1.25. Subscription price: six issues $6.50; 12 issues $11.50; 18 issues $15.50. Outside U.S. possessions and Canada -- $7.50, $13.50 and $18.50. Recornmended foreign single copy price, $1.50. Advertising rates furnished on request.

Publisher of The HANDLOADER is not responsible for mishaps of any nature which might occur from use of published loading data, or from recommendations by any member of The Staff. No part of this publication may

free lance writers must be accompanied by stamped self-addressed envelope dnd the publisher cannot accept responsibility for lost or mutilated manuscripts.

Send both old and new address, plus mailing label if possible, to Circulation Dept., The HANDLOADER Mayarine. P.0.Box 3030, Prescott. Arizona 86301.

; p be reproduced without written permission from the editor. Manuscripts from

Change of address. Please give six week’s notice.

YOUR MARCH-APRIL COVER

The Presentation Grade Crown and Exhibition Grade Super Crown Krieghoff skeet guns on this month’s cover were custom stocked in French Walnut by Jack Dockwiller. The 4-barrel skeet sets went from the Krieghoff factory in Germany to the United States, then back to Europe for engraving and back to Dockwiller in the United States for the stocks and then to Bruce Kinkner of Southwest Shooters Supply in Phoenix who now owns the guns. Photo by Richard L. Aldis.

4 HANDLOADER Magazine

In shooting.

facturing high-performance powders for better than sixty years; powders that have been good enough for YOU to make them famous. We know why, too.

Because our emphasis has always been -and continues to be-on: precise formu- lation; high energy; fast, clean burn; anti- corrosion, shot-to-shot consistency, and economy.

RED DOT”. Number 1 reloading shot- shell powder. Shot-to-shot consistency for breaking 100 straight. BULLSEYEm - Unmatched consistency in pistol and revolver loads. GREEN DOT” - Versatile. economical. Great for upland game, target loads and many other uses. HERCOm * Perfect for heavy loads, espe- cially for 12 gauge. UNIQUEo - Adaptable to just about any type loading, pistol. revolver, shotshell, even cast bullets. RELODER 7e - Old standby. High velocity, great accuracy. BLUE DOTm - The cne for reach and pene- tration in magnum, waterfowl, and other heavy loads. HERCULES 2400° - Experts’ choice for small capacity rifle and magnum pistol loads. Fine grain for accurate measuring. Hercules Smokeles Powders. Right on1

See your dealer for free Hercules Powder Guide.

And in powder manufacturing. Hercules has been formulating and manu-

Look ‘em over:

ti€ RC UL€S 1 N C O R P O R I T E O

XS77-1 Wilrnington Delaware 19899

Four Men Killed at Pyrodex Plant

(Pyrodex Corp. News Release)

DISASTROUS accident at the 28, were in or near that building, and

The explosion, or extremely rapid tle, Wash., killed four employees, includ- ing Dan Pawlak, president of the com-

hot or flaming debris into two other buildings, each about 50 yards away,

27.

The remote, mountain-top plant, which igniting the product they contained. The had been producing the highly successful majority of the product in that area was replica black powder for a year, was in finished Pyrodex, being loaded into a normal operation at the time. It had been van-type truck for transportatior to the inspected by state officials the day prior magazines; there were no other explo- to the accident, and only two minor safety sions, only extremely rapid burning which recommendations were made - both of released massive quantities of gases. The which had been complied with, The drums of Pyrodex in the van peeled back plant, which was leased from the State of its roof and sides, but the floor wasn’t Washington, had originally been built for distorted or buckled. the manufacture of high explosives.

Rosburg was in a lightly constructed More than three tons of Pyrodex, in control shed between the two buildings,

various stages of manufacture, flared, where he could control the initial proces- destroying three production buildings. sing in No. 1, and observe it on From the accounts of two employees who closed-circuit television. Although less survived, and the physical evidence, than 50 feet from Building No. 4, where initiation apparently occurred in Building the van was being loaded by Barry No. 3, used for semi-final processing. Roberge, 28, and A1 Tindall, 53, who were Pawlak, who had arrived at the plant a killed, he was protected from the intense few minutes before, had evidently gone heat by the plywood walls of the shed.

Pyrodex Corp. plant near Seat- were killed instantly. A pany and co-inventor of Pyrodex, on Jan. burning, ofthe ProPel’ant in No* 3

directly to that building after speaking

and Rosburg, both of whom will be rebuilt in a new location. While escaped unharmed, other than minor the new plant is being built, existing bruises, and burns received in a search equipment may be used to

finished Pyrodex now in the maeazines.

briefly with plant manager Don Hansen A company spokesman said the plant

through burning areas for other survivors. processing Of a large quantity Of semi-

Hansen, who was tending the electrical which would help alleviate thev heavy generators on the slope just below Build- demand for the product. Although RS ing No. 3, which contained more than and P grades will be in even shorter 3,000 pounds of partially finished pro- supply for some months, a spokesman for duct, said he heard a noise like something Hodgdon Powder Co., the exclusive U.S. falling against the side of the building, distributor, said moderate quantities of followed almost instantly by a loud CTG and Cannon grades are available. exdosion. CTG may be substituted in the same

charges as RS or P in most applications, Experts who viewed the Scene said that particularly in large bore guns, when used

something - the cause is not yet known with a ,‘hot9, cap or modern primer. - apparently caused part of the product being-processed to ignite, which i n turn ignited the remainder of the product in the building. At the point in the building where the greatest quantity was located, a portion of the concrete building slab had been pressed about three feet into the gfound by the immense pressure, indicat- ing a possible “very low-order detona- tion.” The concrete was cracked by the force, but - contrary to press reports - there was no shattering or cratering such as caused by even small charges of high explosives. Pawlak, 30, and Don Huff,

The Pyrodex spokesman said, “We cannot begin to express the sense of loss we feel due to the deaths of these outstanding men. Dan Pawlak was not only a close, personal friend of everyone involved in Pyrodex, he was a friend of all shooters, for his inventions will help make the sport safer and more enjoyable for years to come. Dan conceived and developed Pyrodex because of the great need for a safer product than black powder; despite his being killed in this terrible tragedy, he succeeded.” 0

10 HANDLOADER Magazine

k

Super velocities in A 1

7x57 By DENNIS HALL

Hall chronographed the 7x57 loads this Oehler Model 21/50 system at Prescott Sportsman’s Club Range.

through the

AITING FOR LOAD data on W your favorite cartridge when a new powder is introduced can be nerve- wracking. It may be months or years before the loading manuals list it or magazines run articles on it. Manufac- turer’s data for the new powder is usually skimpy, at best; scores of calibers and/or bullet weights are left out; and we have no way of knowing whether the new powder is not suited to the left-out calibers, or whether the manufacturer simply did not have enough time to test all caliber and bullet combinations before placing his

the possibilities of the three slow-burning rifle powders introduced within the past year or so. Norma’s MRP, Hodgdon’s H-205 and W-W 785 all seemed to hold promise for my new Ruger M-77 7x57 with the heavier bullet weights. With all the previously available slower powders, case capacity was found to be short before maximum pressures could be reached. The new powders could be more dense, providing velocity advantages in my 7x57 with the heavier bullets. To find out, I ran my own extensive test program; in the process I discovered a number of surpris- ing things about my rifle and the cartridge.

propellant before the reloader’s pocket- Some would call me a seat-of-the-pants book. This was the dilemma as I viewed handloader. After gaining some famili-

38

arity with various recommended loads and CCI 200 primers in my rifle, I proceeded with the newer powders, using primer appearance and case extraction as a guide. Although the case expansion measurement system is rapidly gaining acceptance as the handloader’s best indicator when maximum loads are reached in a given rifle, I’ve found the older case-extraction/primer appearance criteria to be pretty reliable. The key is to proceed s-I-0-w-1-y and carefully, paying particular attention to bolt lift and case extraction.

It doesn’t matter how slowly and carefully one proceeds if he begins with an over- maximum load. Winchester listed a couple of 785 loads for the 7x57 in their Ball Powder Loading Data booklet. They recommended 49 grains of 785 behind the 175-grain bullet giving 2,450 fps MV and 42,500 psi chamber pressure. For the 150-grain bullet, 51.4 was recommended for 2,610 fps and 41,000 psi. Knowing the Ruger would stand considerably more pressure than this, I started at 50 grains with the 175-grain bullets and worked up. After arriving at a maximum load with this heaviest bullet, the lighter bullet

First, I needed a place to start.

HANDLOADER Magazine

Hall experienced a number of case head separations and blown primers while working to absolute maximums for his 7x57. setting the shoulder back in sizing, creating an excess headspace situation which caused the cases to stretch on firing and to eventually separate.

Many of the case separations were due to Hall

loads would come easier - simply by to see what sort of velocities I was getting. using the heavier bullet data as a starting In short, the results shocked me. My point. Hodgdon also supplied a few loads were churning up 140 to over 400 H-205 loads in the Hodgdon Data fps more velocity than equal bullet Manual No. 22 and I used this as a weights shown in the manuals. starting point for the H-205. Norma listed two loads for the 7x57 in their Norma News Letter for the 150 and 160-grain bullets which also served as a point of departure. However, this limited data served only as a starting point for my rifle would prove to handle far more than any of these recommended loads.

I started with new, unprimed Winches- ter-Western brass, loaded in batches of five and proceeded to the point that high pressures were obvious: until bolt lift became difficult, and the primer showed an obvious cratering or gas leak. In a few instances, I experienced a separated case. However, it was later found that I was setting the case shoulder back slightly in sizing - the separated cases were my fault, not the result of the high pressures. The M-77 handled the escaping gas from the head separations beautifully. After what I considered an over-maximum load was reached, I backed up to the point that a case could be loaded five times and fired without chambering or extraction problems, and the primer pocket still remain tight. The accompanying data includes loads at that point, and all are maximum in my rifle. Most rifles probably won’t take loads this hot for reasons we’ll discuss later.

After the maximum loads were reached, I chronographed five-shot strings

-

It was hard to believe that this much velocity advantage could be realized over conventional IMR powders. It’s often said that cartridge manufacturers hold pressures down in calibers when the cartridge was originally chambered in older and weak-design guns, as the 7x57 was. But, due to the current practice of loading manuals specifying which rifle the data is worked up in, I doubt they’re holding pressures down when the loads are worked up in a strong modern rifle.

Hornady used a Winchester M-70 rifle for their testing and list a 2,800 fps maximum load velocity with the 1.54-grain Spire Point, loading 50.5 grains IMR- 4350. With the same bullet, 56.5 grains

The accuracy of Hall’s rifle was inconsistent with various loads and bullets. However, accuracy

usually improved with MRP as a maximum load was reached. The top row of targets illustrates

the accuracy received with MRP and the 175 Hornady Spire Point bullet. The first group

was fired in working up toward maximum with 53.0, 54.0 and 54.5 grains. The second group was

fired with 55.5 grains, the third with 56.0, and the fourth with 56.5 grains. According to Hall, his rifle would not shoot the 175-grain Sierra boat-tail

bullet well with any of the loads tried.

March-Ami1 197l

Norma’s MRP gave 2,943 fps in my rifle. Hornady lists 2,500 fps maximum load velocity with either 46.014350 or 48.51 4831 and the 175-grain round nose bullet. With that bullet and 56.01MRP in my rifle I received 2,742 fps.

The Speer manual, where a Ruger M-77 was used, lists 2,538 fps maximum velocity with their 160-grain soft point ahead of either 47.0/4350 or 45.0/H-414. That bullet gave 2,951 fps MV from my rifle with 56.5 grains MRP.

Nosler used a Hart-barreled Reming- ton 40X rifle for their load development. They list 2,563 fps MV for the new style 175-grain bullet with 48.O/IMR-4831. Loading 55.5/MRP in my rifle produced 2,750 fps MV with the same bullet. The 140 and 160-grain Nosler bullets I used in my testing were the old style, with the relief groove, so there can’t be a direct comparison with the new Noslcr manual which lists only their new-style bullets. Both Sierra and Lyman manuals show M-95 Mauser rifles being used for testing so I felt a comparison with these older, less-strong rifles would not be valid.

For comparison with other cartridges, Hornady lists 3,100 fps maximum MV with their 154-grain Spire Point in the 7mm Remington Magnum and 2,800 fps in the .280 Remington. Speer lists 2,893 maximum MV with their 160-grain soft point in the .280 and 3,039 fps from the 7 Mag with this same bullet. Going to a still heavier bullet, Nosler lists a maxi- mum MV of 2,678 with their 175-grain semi-spitzer in the .280 and 2,958 in the 7mm Magnum.

As can be seen, chronographed loads in my M-77 with these newer powders are shading the larger-case .280 Remington,

* #

# a

39

and are coming mighty close to 7mm Remington Magnum velocities, in some instances. Of course we’re comparing four different rifles and very likely four different maximum pressures due to different criteria of a maximum load. Suppose the manuals were holding pres- sures down for this particular caliber - this still doesn’t explain why velocities better the bigger-cased .280 Remington.

I then decided to chronograph some IMR-4350 loads in my rifle since there is a considerable amount of data listed for this powder in the 7x57. As can be seen from the accompanying table, I still receive velocities in excess of what should be expected from this cartridge; it was apparent that the new powders weren’t the sole reason for the high velocities my rifle was producing.

My rifle has a long throat; trying to seat bullets out to touch the lands, I found it couldn’t be done and still have enough bullet left in the case for a good grip, even with the long 175-grainers. An accompanying photo shows one of these long bullets seated in reverse by chamber- ing to illustrate just how long the throat was. But this still wouldn’t seem to account for such outlandish velocities.

Rick Jamison mentioned that Ed Shilen said bores over normal were fairly com- mon in this rifle and caliber so the rifle was taken to Paul Marquart, a local barrelmaker, and the “M” part of former A&M Rifle Co. fame, to obtain a bore

Dave LeGate made both bore and chamber casts of Hall’s rifle to determine measurements. Though the

chamber cast appears “wrinkled” from being cast in a cool chamber, this was done three times, dimensions

being very similar on each casting.

measurement. Marquart found that the bore was in fact, slightly oversize near the muzzle, but not unusually so. Dave LeGate, Rijle and Handloader art direc- tor volunteered to make a chamber cast to determine both chamber and bore meas- urements near the breech. LeGate made the Cerrosafe cast, and the dimensions he came up with accompany this article, along with SAAMI specifications for a 7x57 cartridge. LeGate found both the chamber and bore to be oversize. He then double-checked his methods - the cast was very carefully made, and measure- ments were taken exactly one hour after the cast was removed from the rifle, in accordance with Brownell’s instructions supplied with the Cerrosafe. To check his casting technique, LeGate made another cast of the chamber and bore of an unfired Star-gauged 1903 Springfield Sporter barrel. The barrel, made in May, 1938 was still in the shipping container along with the star gauge records indicat- ing it had a bore of .3082-inch. LeGate’s cast gave exactly the same measurement indicating his casting technique was good.

After looking at the chamber cast dimensions of my M-77, it became

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

The top photo shows the seating depths Hall used in his load tests. The cartridge at extreme left had the bullet seated in reverse by chambering to illustrate the length of the M-77’s throat. The bullets used, lower photo, correspond to the loaded rounds at top. I] 140-grain Nosler [old style], 21 154 Hornady Spire Point, 31 160 Speer, 41 160 Nosler [old style], 51 160 Sierra boat-tail, 61 168 Sierra Match King, 7) 175 Hornady round nose, 81 175 Sierra boat-tail, 91 175 Hornady Spire Point, I O ] 175 Nosler [new style].

40

obvious why I so easily set the shoulder back with my RCBS dies, resulting in excess headspace and case separations. The outsize dimensions in the throatlneck area as well as the bore might also explain why I could safely stoke so much powder in the little case.

After reviewing the results of all this testing, it’s easy to see why a load worked up in one rifle, and considered maximum, really doesn’t mean much as it applies to another rifle. Most of my maximum loads would probably freeze the bolt handle if fired in any other rifle, so don’t even attempt to load them without working up from below.

However, in working with these rela- tively new powders, I did discover several interesting characteristics. As far as 160 and 175-grain bullets are concerned, the only ones I chronographed in my rifle with 4350, the newer powders didn’t improve velocities over what could be obtained with this older IMR powder.

It seemed that with MRP there were no sudden jumps in pressure; pressure seemed to increase evenly as the powder charge was increased. MRP gave the highest velocity with all bullets except the 140-grain Nosler. MRP also seemed to give the best accuracy when the top loads were used. Accuracy with MRP in this rifle with the best loads was average - about 1 112 inches with all bullet weights.

Winchester’s 785 wouldn’t flow smoothly, apparently due to static elec- tricity which caused it to stick in my funnel; it seemed to attract itself as well. [Ed. Note - When powder sticks to funnel walls due to static electricity, blow

HANDLOADER Magazine

At right are the “maximum” cartridge dimensions of the 7x57. The chamber draw-

ing was made from a Cerrosafe cast of the test Ruger rifle. Longitudinal dimensions

were made with a vernier caliper, and are only approximate; diameters were measured with a

micrometer, and should be within a few ten-thousandths of the actual dimensions. Muzzle measurements were made by inser- tion of gauges in the muzzle. Note that the

muzzle groove diameter is “oversize,” at .2852, and there appears to be .0008 taper,

muzzle-to-breech. [Land diameter at the breech could not be measured accurately.]

The bullets used measured very close to .2840. Most significant is the long [.330]

throat, clearly visible on the cast, and detected by the reverse bullet test made

by Hall.

gently into the empty funnel; moisture from your breath will help kill the funnel’s charge. - N.K.] This ball powder also seemed to burn dirtier than either H-205 or MRP, judging by the appearance of the bore after firing. The barrel was also harder to clean with this powder, but not hard enough to be any sort of a problem.

Using an 8-inch soda straw for a drop tube, 60.0 grains of this powder could be loaded in the W-W case and a 140-grain Nosler still be seated. There were no sudden jumps in pressure with this powder and it gave the highest velocity with the 140-grain Nosler bullets (3,046 fps). This load also shoots around 1 1/2 inch groups in my rifle. Primers became loose a t 58.5 grains in my rifle with 160-grain old style Nosler. This powder also gave uniform velocities; the biggest biggest variation in the 5-shot strings was 46 fps with the 175-grain Sierra boat-tail. The smallest variation, 22 fps, was with the 175-grain new style Nosler.

H-205 seemed to be the fastest of the three powders but is just a little bulkier than MRP. All MRP and 785 loads were heavily compressed, but H-205 doesn’t take kindly to being compressed very much. Pressures seemed to jump rapidly if it was. Not being able to compress it accounts for the lower velocities reached. I received a blown primer and partial head separation at 56.0 grains behind the 168-grain Sierra Match King. I also received a blown primer at 55.5 grains with the 175-grain Sierra boat-tail. H-205 gave the smallest groups of the test series in my rifle.

When I started the test series I felt that the new powders would give me consider- ably improved performance, particularly with the heavier bullets. As it turned out, I did get super performance at sane pressures, but the new powders had little to do with it. So much for another theory. But the tests were interesting, for al- though I learned a lot about the new powders, I learned a lot more about my rifle. 0 March-April 19J7

20-45’

/

12

MUZZLE

.2-2 GWOVE D(A. ,2780 LLNDOIA.

rn RUGER M.77 7x 57 7 0 - 97921

7x57 MAXIMUM Load Data Ruger M-77 rif le with 22-inch barrel, temperature-48 degrees, Oehler M-21 150 chronograph system. Velocities are an average for five shots.

Powder Charge, Bullet Grains

140 Nosler (old style) 56.5 154 Hornady Spire Point 53.5 160 Sierra boat-tail 53.0

Hodgdon H-205

160 Nosler (old style) 53.5 160 Speer spitzer 53.5 168 Sierra Match King 53.0 175 Sierra boat-tail 52.0 175 Hornady round nose 53.0 175 Nosler (new style) 52.5 175 Hornady Spire Point 52.5

Winchester-Western 785 140 Nosler (old style) 60.0 154 Hornady Spire Point 58.0 160 Sierra boat-tail 57.0 160 Nosler (old style) 57.5 160 Speer spitzer 57.5 168 Sierra Match King 57.5 175 Sierra boat-tail 56.0 175 Hornady round nose 57.0 175 Nosler (new style) 56.5 175 Hornady Spire Point 56.5

Norma MRP 140 Nosler (old style) 57.5 154 Hornady Spire Point 56.5 160 Sierra boat-tail 56.0 160 Nosler (old style) 56.5 160 Speer spitzer 56.5 168 Sierra Match King 56.0 175 Sierra boat-tail 55.0 175 Hornady round nose 56.0

175 Hornady Spire Point 55.5 175 Nosler (new style) 55.5

MV, VPSI

2,896 2,704 2,681 2,713 2,695 2,694 2,611 2,632 2,658 2,665

3,046 2,866 2,858 2,792 2,886 2,775 2,692 2,636 2,670 2,622

2,893 2,943 2,864 2,829 2,951 2,817 2,751 2,742 2,750 2,757

DuPont IMR-4350 160 Sierra boat-tail 52.0 2,953 175 Sierra boat-tail 49.0 2,773

All loads were fired in Winchester-Western brass ignited by CCI 200 primers. All MRP and 785 loads were heavily compressed. The 175-grain Hornady round nose was seated to an overall length of 3 118 inches. The 175 Sierra boat-tail, 175 Nosler, and the 175 Hornady Spire Point were seated to 3 114 inches, and the rest of the bullets were seated to a 3 31 16-inch overall length.

4 1