Reloading Manual FIRST EDITION Shoot the Silver Bullet from the Company that Wrote the Book on Accuracy. U L L E B T OREGON TRAIL C O Y M P A N • Unique 7-element alloy contains silver • Finer, stronger grain for greater consistency • 24 BHN hard cast • Your satisfaction is always guaranteed • You’ll love our personalized customer service 1-800-811-0548 www.laser-cast.com Reloading Manual FIRST EDITION U L L E B T OREGON TRAIL C O Y M P A N Oregon Trail Bullet Company, a dba of Flexible Mining Co. P.O. Box 529 • Baker City, OR 97814-0529 1-800-811-0548 • Fax: 541-523-1803 www.laser-cast.com © Copyright Flexible Mining Company, 1998 all rights reserved Table of Contents From the Author . .1 Foreword . .3 Chapter 1: Reloading 101 Why We Reload . 7 44 Special Pistol. 92 Reloading. 8 44 Magnum Pistol . 94 Glossary of Terms. 10 45 ACP. 98 Properties of Black and Smokeless Powder . 13 45 Auto Rim . 102 Primers . 17 45 Schofield. 104 Brass Casings . 22 45 Colt . 106 Bullets . 30 45 Colt for Ruger . 108 What Makes These Things So Accurate? . 32 Understanding Bullet Obturation. 34 Bullet Fit in Revolvers. 36 Chapter 3: Rifle Loading Data 30 M1 . 113 Loading Procedures and Safety . 38 30-30 Winchester. 115 32-20 Rifle. 117 Chapter 2: Handgun Loading Data .357 Magnum Rifle. 119 32 H&R Magnum . 47 38-55 Winchester. 122 32-20 Pistol . 49 38-40 Rifle. 124 9x19 (9mm Luger) . 50 .41 Magnum Rifle. 126 9x21. 53 44-40 Rifle. 128 9mm Largo . 54 44 Special Rifle . 130 9x23 Winchester . 56 44 Magnum Rifle . 132 38 ACP. 59 444 Marlin . 135 38 Super Auto + P . 60 45 Colt Rifle . 137 38 S&W . 64 45-70 Government. 140 38 Special Pistol. 66 .357 Magnum Pistol . 70 38-40 Pistol . 74 Chapter 4: Loading for the Competitor So, You Wanna Be a Cowboy . 145 .40 S&W. 76 NRA Action Pistol . 147 .40 S&W Long-Loaded . 81 Steel Challenge . 153 10mm Auto . 83 IPSC/USPSA . 156 .41 Magnum Pistol . 86 Police Pistol Combat. 168 44-40 Pistol . 88 Handgun Metallic Silhouette. 171 44 Russian. 90 Cowboy Action Shooting. 174 It is expressly and strictly the hand- loader’s responsibility to know their firearms, reloading equipment, components, procedures and safe- ty practices. Oregon Trail Bullet Company has no control over indi- vidual reloading practices, reload- ing components or the quality of the firearms in which the resulting ammunition will be used, and as such, assumes NO liability for mishaps of any kind resulting from the use or misuse of the reloading data presented in these pages. Every attempt has been made to be sure that this load manual is accurate; however, it is the respon- sibility of the reloader to verify all loads against manufacturers’ speci- fications and guidelines. From the Author he creation of the Laser-Cast Reloading Manual proved to be no triv- Tial undertaking, bending as it did its principal authors to the task for over a year while co-opting the talents of many other contributors. Properly recognizing and thanking them all is no less difficult as this manual would not have been possible without the efforts of all who helped. Still, I will take a shot at it, however inadequate the results. Foremost among many, my co-author Gayl Morse; his patient intel- lect, unwavering focus and relaxed perspective brought forth the best from the rest of us. Given a task worthy of Sysiphus, Gayl prevailed with his undefeatable armor of perfectionism alloyed with great gen- erosity of spirit. He is simply of the highest order of men. The loading and range testing of 38 various calibers demanded the coordination of quite a collection of guns and equipment, all bor- rowed. With his connections, old friend Gary Morgan took on his role of gun pimp with great relish, prostituting us out shamelessly to our associates to obtain the test guns we required. We are also no less indebted to Gary for some of the excellent cartridge descriptions found herein as well as his excellent internet background research. The monumental work of initial data entry and text formatting called for the ministrations of a true computer geek. Doomed by his well- known genius with the keypad, Steve McCormick was drafted. Our fellow USPSA shooter and master programmer came in just as we were satisfied we didn’t know what the hell we were doing and saved us from ourselves. His basic data presentation design was used in this manual, transforming a process that resembled the decoding of the 1 “message of 13 parts” into a sleek and efficient system. Without Steve’s work, the book would still have been finished — years later. Still, the huge piles of somewhat-organized data sheets, cartridge descriptions, articles and chapter groups we ended up with were with- out value as a reloaders’ resource. Making this stuff live and breathe was left to the creative talent of Amy Siedenstrang of Boone Graphics. Amy attacked the formatting and publishing of our manual with cheerful patience. Her quick grasp of difficult, unfamiliar material was key to the successful publishing of the attractively functional, accessi- ble book you hold before you. Every page bears her creative touch. Again, many other individuals and companies contributed to this manual. We thank all for their generous support: Bill Anderson Bob Hull Greg & Cristina, GMDR Lee Precision, Inc. “Bounty Hunter” Scott Anderson, Walt Mansell BAR H Productions Guy Neill, Blount, Inc. Walt Burres Robert Schrag Mike Dalton Irving Stone III, Bar-Sto Precision Mike Detty Starline, Inc. Dillon Precision, Inc. Robert Venkus Entréprise Arms, Inc. Mike Venturino Bill Falin, Accurate Co. Bill Williams Mickey Fowler Chuck & Julie, J.B. Hodgdon, Hodgdon Powder Oregon Trail Bullet Company, Company to whom we are deeply grateful Finally, the author must thank his most loyal supporter and the font of his inspiration, his beloved wife Beki. All things are possible for a common man loved by a great woman. Shoot well, be safe, and have fun. See you on the range. Bruce Gray, 1998 2 Foreword IT’S ALL ABOUT SHOOTING shot a gun for the first time over 10 years ago and it wasn’t to I learn how to defend myself. It was to see how fast I can punch the tightest 6-shot group on a paper target. Like most American gun- owners nationwide, the guns I use today are sporting firearms. It is a passion I share with my friend Bruce Gray and millions of other recreational shooters across the country. When Bruce asked me to write an introduction for the Oregon Trail Bullet Company’s reloading manual that he was authoring, I immedi- ately agreed because I’ve seen good results from the cast lead prod- ucts that the Oregon Trail Bullet Company manufactures. I also knew that Bruce Gray’s expertise would be beneficial to the vast number of recreation shooters across the country. Bruce is a true grandmaster shooter who has been involved in the competition shooting sports for over 20 years. He is also one of the country’s most intelligent gunsmiths. To him, a micro-second improvement in his competition run-times or a fraction-of-an-inch reduction in his target shot groups is a major deal because it can spell the difference between winning and losing. As a result, he con- stantly pushes the envelope of speed, accuracy, technique, equip- ment and ammunition. It is a practice he shares with millions of other recreational shooters who over the years have been the con- sumer backbone of the American firearms industry. Today’s firearms industry contributes over $30 billion to our country’s gross national product (GNP) every year. This amount is over six times bigger than the $5 billion that the much-hyped and highly visible enter- 3 tainment industry has been contributing to the national economy each year. Being a major economic performer is a role the industry has tra- ditionally played in the American economy since the 1800s when, sin- gle-handedly, it fueled America’s first industrial revolution. Within the firearms industry, the sports and recreation market con- tinues to loom as the single biggest user base, accounting for 99.89% of the approximately 5.4 billion rounds of ammunition fired in the United States each year. Sports and recreation shooters continue to be the primary users of gun products, ammunition, accessories and services in our country. It is this overwhelming consumer base that Bruce Gray and myself remain to be a part of, the same group of gun-owners that I feel will benefit most from Oregon Trail Bullet Company’s new book on reload- ing data. This demographic group is also the most potent tool we have today to exact political change for gun owners in America today. We must always keep in mind that political correctness changes with the winds of the times. What was politically correct decades ago can become politically correct today. Cigars are politically correct once again in 1998 and the walls of the once-revered racial quotas in our schools and other public services are being torn down in favor of per- formance and excellence. Changes can and do happen. All it takes is a little dynamism among the constituent base most affected by the changes. To turn the anti- gun tide around, the first step is for gun-owners to go out to the range more often and in bigger numbers because in the end, the big- ger and louder economic base always prevails.