load failed

[rmurf]

i loaded imr 4227 10gr in a 38 special case  with 110gr bullet the primer went off but the powder did not egnite. the bullet stuck in the barrel it was a contender . has any one ever had this to happen what did i do wrong i used standred small pistol primers.

[PlacitasSlim]

Was there powder left or did it just not have the power to push the bullet out

[BCB]

rmurf,
It is my opinion that the 110 grain bullet is too light to allow proper ignition of 4227 which is a fairly slow pistol powder (generally slower than H-110).  It would probably work better with bullets of 158 grains or greater and a good heavy crimp.  There certainly are much better powders available for the 38 Special than IMR- or H-4227.  Good-luck...BCB

[stimpylu32]

rmruf

Just wondering why you picked IMR 4227 for the 38 spl. , just seems slow as far as burn rate and there so many powders that work so much better in this round . 

stimpy

P.S. - Hodgdon / IMR does not even list this powder on their web site for the 38 spl.

[OR-E-Gun Bill]

i loaded imr 4227 10gr in a 38 special case  with 110gr bullet the primer went off but the powder did not egnite. the bullet stuck in the barrel it was a contender . has any one ever had this to happen what did i do wrong i used standred small pistol primers.

I'm looking through my Lyman 48th and they have a section specifically for T/C Contender & Encore. There is no listed loads for the 38 Special although there is a listing for the 357 Magnum. The IMR 4227 powder is the designated most accurate load for the 357 Magnum with the 110 gr. JHP.

Not knowing diddley about Contenders, I have to ask, does T/C Contender not recommend using 38 Specials in their 357 Magnum handguns? And perhaps that's why Lyman has no listed loads for the 38 Special?

Maybe I'll learn something new today...

Bill

[Jerry Lester]

Just a word of advice from somebody who's been all over the whole 38/sub-sonic thing.

Stay away from 4227 in 38 cases unless you want a very nicely cut ring burned permanantly into that 357 chamber. That 110g bullet would barely have enough resistance to let 4227 burn with magnum primers, much less standard primers. It's all you can do to get it to burn with 125g+ bullets with standard primers, then the pressure is way to low to allow the cases to seal in the chambers resulting in a tremendous blow by of hot gasses, which contrary to popular belief, "WILL" cut a groove in a 357 chamber.

I'd suggest moving up to a 125g bullet, and pushing it with 4.5g-5g of Unique. You'll have a nice accurate load with virtually no recoil, and it'll be a lot friendlier to your chamber. Better yet, load 6g of Tite Group with a 125g bullet in 357 cases, and I garrantee you'll be glad you did.

[454Puma]

rmurf
 Yep no load listed of IMR4227 use in 38 special in there manual! Try adifferent powder!