mevertsen
Well-known member
I have a GP100 I bought about 10 years ago.
I have 150 pieces of brass. 50 Federal I bought as factory ammo and 100 pieces of Hornady I also bought as factory ammo - XTP if I recall correctly.
The last time I loaded that Hornady brass was 2013, with a 125 grain Sierra and Unique. I just recently shot the rest of that. I had since worked up a load with the Federal brass and 158 XTP bullets with IMR 4227. 1 50 round set to work up and 1 50 round set at near max. I have 12 of those left and plan to scrap the brass since I have been running near max loads and this is the third loading there.
I planned also one more load in this Hornady brass, and discovered a problem. When I started the process yesterday, I checked length and it all came in uniform .050 under, which I didn't realize was potentially a problem until I was almost done.
I went back through my notes for my loads, backed off half a grain, and loaded up 99, just like I have for about every pistol round I've ever loaded. I run a moderate load of various powders in mixed pistol brass all the time.
Then, my measurements with the bullets seated were quite short again?
I read my new manual again and found the warning about the FTX bullets and needing shorter brass. But using this brass for other loads could cause dangerous pressures.
Apparently all the Hornady brass is short, and I am stuck with 99 loads .050 short.
My plan is to pull a few and work up to this load I currently have to make sure it's safe. But then it occurred to me...
Are they safe at all with the brass being that short? Even starting at a low charge and working up to where I currently am? What a pain.
2nd eta...
I pulled a few and loaded up from 14.0 to 15.0 plus had what I loaded at 15.5 to start with.
I shot all of them in the GP 100 with no issues and no concerns at this point other than the short brass just being a pain.
I have 150 pieces of brass. 50 Federal I bought as factory ammo and 100 pieces of Hornady I also bought as factory ammo - XTP if I recall correctly.
The last time I loaded that Hornady brass was 2013, with a 125 grain Sierra and Unique. I just recently shot the rest of that. I had since worked up a load with the Federal brass and 158 XTP bullets with IMR 4227. 1 50 round set to work up and 1 50 round set at near max. I have 12 of those left and plan to scrap the brass since I have been running near max loads and this is the third loading there.
I planned also one more load in this Hornady brass, and discovered a problem. When I started the process yesterday, I checked length and it all came in uniform .050 under, which I didn't realize was potentially a problem until I was almost done.
I went back through my notes for my loads, backed off half a grain, and loaded up 99, just like I have for about every pistol round I've ever loaded. I run a moderate load of various powders in mixed pistol brass all the time.
Then, my measurements with the bullets seated were quite short again?
I read my new manual again and found the warning about the FTX bullets and needing shorter brass. But using this brass for other loads could cause dangerous pressures.
Apparently all the Hornady brass is short, and I am stuck with 99 loads .050 short.
My plan is to pull a few and work up to this load I currently have to make sure it's safe. But then it occurred to me...
Are they safe at all with the brass being that short? Even starting at a low charge and working up to where I currently am? What a pain.
2nd eta...
I pulled a few and loaded up from 14.0 to 15.0 plus had what I loaded at 15.5 to start with.
I shot all of them in the GP 100 with no issues and no concerns at this point other than the short brass just being a pain.
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