how tuff is a .41 DWA or put your glasses on

[GradyL56]

I was chrono-ing some loads about a week ago the bullets were creeker 230s and my Lyman 410459 both are Keith type -- anyway -- I had loaded them with 2400 powder but I loaded them with out my glasses--- that was a mistake--  the first 220 Lyman I fired clocked 1589 wow  the next was 1631 - uh oh way too fast the next one was also in the 1600's -  :? so I thought I had better move on to the 230 bullets also with 2400 powder -- first one was 1613--no way- by now I knew what had happened-- I was to load 19 gr with the 220 gr and 18 with the 230 grain -- when I looked at my scales --they are Lyman --I  had actually loaded them 5 gr higher - the 230 wer very sticky the 220 were not   but both were overloads and visually they did not harm the gun which I am glad of  but I will use my glasses always from now on   but Dan's are tuff   :grin:

[Savage]

Good thing you were using a relatively slow powder like 2400. A faster powder might have equalled a trip to the ER. If you wear glasses it would make sense to wear them when performing such a critical task. I would rate that right up there with not smoking/drinking alcohol while loading!
When that first round went over the crono at "gee whizzz" velocities I would have stopped shooting and pulled the bullets on the rest of the batch. Don't let yourself be lulled into a false sense of security. I've seen the cylinders blown apart and the top strap blown away on the Super Blackhawk, one of the strongest revolvers out there!!

[GradyL56]

Wisedom well taken-- i did not shoot all of them   At first since they were two different bullets and loads -- I assumed that I had loaded the others correctly- one shot was all it took to prove other wise-- Sadly there is a first time for all things and this was a first  for me.t make this mistake. BTW -I saw a SBH blown up --the top strap was bent and the top three cylinders were gone -- bullseye not the 2400 he thought-- I do not even stock anything like that bullseye-- but glasses will always be on my 50 year old eyes-- still the DWA is tuff --I just do not want to find how tuff

[Savage]

Grady,
Good for you! You and I will leave the proof testing to the labs! I load a lot of Bullseye in 9mm/38spl/44spl/45ACP--I am EXTREMELY careful!!
Still you never know when that double might sneak by----
Stay Safe,
Savage

[GradyL56]

One thing I have done for years is use powders that fill up the case up like 800 x -- and some Herco  I like 800 x -a double charge of this will over flow the case-- I use 800 in .40s and .41s    Even with the 2400 or 296 I can over load badly it seems but not double charge  BTW I have some old Lyman data on 2400 which lists some heavy loads for the 220 Keith #410459 --stil they were lower than my overloads

[Reloader 100]

GradyL56
Have You ckd alliant Site or a NEW Alliant loading manual lately? Every load I have used for 30 yrs that had 2400 in it has been reduced by as much as 4grs. I first noticed this on the Speer Website while nosing around one day after I realized that something was screwy I went to Alliant and sure enough things had changed. My favorite load of 15 1/2 grs of 2400 ,a Speer 146SWC and CCI 550 primers was down to 13.5 w/ a standard primer. Well Hell now what am I going to do with the rounds I have loaded? After some debating I decided to go ahead and shoot Alliant be Damned. There story is that they are using better Equipment these days and they are reducing the loads. I have read that Vernon Speer didnt even own a Chrograph when He was starting out , just looked at the cases and went on untill something broke. So take a long look at the newer info.

[kciH]

GradyL56,
I though I might pass on to you something I was told about "sticky" extraction as it relates to revolvers.  I was speaking to a tech at Hodgdon about some starting load info for some new .41 caliber bullets that I'll be swaging when I recieve my Corbin equipment.  His comment was that flat primers are a useless pressure indicator when testing revolvers because the cases slam into the breechface at any higher power level.  That I already knew.  The thing he mentioned to me about using sticky extraction as a sign to back off, was very dangerous practice.  The phrase was "when you're getting sticky extraction, the gun is near the stage where it will let go".  I would advise not loading till the cases get sticky and then backing off a little as it may be WAY too much.  I'm glad to hear that you and your gun made it through your error.  If you load, or do anything else for that matter, long enough....you will make a mistake.  Luckily your's wasn't damaging to yourself or others.  As far as the DW goes, I would rate it as strong or stronger than ANY revolver Ruger makes, including the SRH.