the pressure data in old manuals is from either a copper or lead crusher. It was found that the crusher method of measuring pressure missed the highest pressure spikes because they are too slow to catch the highest pressures that can and did/do blow up guns. I do not know when SAAMI switched from copper/lead crusher to pressure transducer data.
Before we "knew" better, CUP was just fine. Guns weren't blown up because handloaders followed standards, were they? Doesn't say much for those standard generating associations, does it?
PSI was used in the manual preceding the one posted out of. It was published in 1966. The picture below shows data from the 38spl, in PSI and there is a picture on page 67 of a pressure curve plot. In the manual published from the same publisher in 1964 they speak of pressure in PSI and are using copper crushers. In the manual that is pictured above on page 83 there is a picture of the electronic equipment used in their laboratory.
I am having problems finding the picture from their publication that shows an actual test firearm with the "wires" coming out from the receiver, but there is one.
I have given you several examples, and pictures Sharon to back up what I have said. You stated that there were blown up guns. Do you have any proof of that?
Honestly, I'm not trying to start a fight or anything, I'm just stating facts about the loads I use. There have been handloaders that have used some of these loads for decades with no ill affects. I have loaded and fired these in my firearms, mostly a M625JM with surprising accuracy and authority. I cast my own bullets and they are in the area of 12-15BHN, much softer than that of normal cast bullets.
I have been accused of "reading tea leaves" when discussing primer formation/deformation and case extraction but honestly, I have had none of these issues with these loads. In times past that was all the handloader had to go by.
These manuals are much spoken against but there were THE standard when they were first published.
FWIW