Gentlemen:
Since you all have been so helpful, I thought I'd run another one by you all.
My defense handgun (actually only handgun at this point) is a S&W 686, 4 inch barrel. I've had it for about 8 years, bought it used. I've put a few thousand rounds through it. The cylinder lock-up seems a bit loose, but I do not think that the play is excessive. However, I am not extremely knowledgeable in this area, so I may be wrong.
I only mention the above in case it may affect my real question.
I primarily shoot cast bullets in it, but have loaded and fired a few hundred jacketed, in addition to some jacketed and cast "remanufactured" stuff that I got at gun shows before I started reloading.
I used a Speer manual only until a few months ago when I bought a Lyman. I've always used Blue Dot for my defense loads, using either Hornady 125 gr. XTP or Hornady 158 gr. XTP. (Some people have told me I ought to use a factory load for defense, but I've never had a misfire with a handload).
When working up my last loads with the 158 gr. XTP, I decided to up the max load from Speer's listed max load of 10.2. Lyman lists the top load for a 158 gr. jhp as 11.9, if memory serves correctly.
I began to get cratered primers at 11 grains, and recoil seemed pretty stiff, so I backed down to 10.2. Now, I know that the component changes (Hornady bullet instead of Speer, and Winchester primer instead of CCI) could affect things.
Should I keep it down to the lower loads? Or try different primers or some 2400? I figure that if I have to bank my life on my loads, I want them to be as hot as possible.
Thanks for any advice.
Ray Floyd
(Edited by Ray Floyd at 8:49 am on June 19, 2001)
Since you all have been so helpful, I thought I'd run another one by you all.
My defense handgun (actually only handgun at this point) is a S&W 686, 4 inch barrel. I've had it for about 8 years, bought it used. I've put a few thousand rounds through it. The cylinder lock-up seems a bit loose, but I do not think that the play is excessive. However, I am not extremely knowledgeable in this area, so I may be wrong.
I only mention the above in case it may affect my real question.
I primarily shoot cast bullets in it, but have loaded and fired a few hundred jacketed, in addition to some jacketed and cast "remanufactured" stuff that I got at gun shows before I started reloading.
I used a Speer manual only until a few months ago when I bought a Lyman. I've always used Blue Dot for my defense loads, using either Hornady 125 gr. XTP or Hornady 158 gr. XTP. (Some people have told me I ought to use a factory load for defense, but I've never had a misfire with a handload).
When working up my last loads with the 158 gr. XTP, I decided to up the max load from Speer's listed max load of 10.2. Lyman lists the top load for a 158 gr. jhp as 11.9, if memory serves correctly.
I began to get cratered primers at 11 grains, and recoil seemed pretty stiff, so I backed down to 10.2. Now, I know that the component changes (Hornady bullet instead of Speer, and Winchester primer instead of CCI) could affect things.
Should I keep it down to the lower loads? Or try different primers or some 2400? I figure that if I have to bank my life on my loads, I want them to be as hot as possible.
Thanks for any advice.
Ray Floyd
(Edited by Ray Floyd at 8:49 am on June 19, 2001)