Interesting experience with 2400 today...

by Brian A, Thursday, October 22, 2015, 13:20 (3308 days ago)

I loaded up a few 357 magnum cases with 158 gr cast SWC bullets over 14 gr of 2400 from an old square one pound can I have been using for years, set off by Rem 2 1/2 standard small pistol primers in Winchester brass. Loaded six into the chambers of a S&W Mod. 27 and it sounded like a rifle going off when firing the first three. Decided to check the brass before continuing to shoot and saw the primers were all flat, then found out all three cases were sticky and took a good whack to extract them.

I next tried one in a 357 magnum Contender and the primer was flat and case sticky again. I have loaded a couple hundred 20 gr loads with this powder in 44 magnums under cast and jacketed bullets with no signs of high pressures at all, so doubt it is the powder. My manuals list max charges with 2400 for the 357 and 158 gr cast bullets with these primers as 15 to 15.5 gr, so had thought this would be a safe place to start and had hoped this would be good for use in K-frame Smiths.

Anyone have an idea what may be going on? This can is down to just a tiny bit of powder left and next is a newer container of 2400 that is still sealed and only about six or seven years old, that I know has been stored in a cool, dry place since new.

Hmm...everything looks OK.

by Hoot @, Diversityville, Liberal-sota, Thursday, October 22, 2015, 13:57 (3308 days ago) @ Brian A

That should not be a top end load. I'd be tempted to pop the top on the other jug and load a few using the new powder. From here, I'd think it's a powder issue. Perhaps it turned on you?

Hmm...everything looks OK.

by Brian A, Thursday, October 22, 2015, 20:19 (3308 days ago) @ Hoot

That should not be a top end load. I'd be tempted to pop the top on the other jug and load a few using the new powder. From here, I'd think it's a powder issue. Perhaps it turned on you?

That was my first thought, that it had turned on me, especially since I just loaded about 200 rounds of 44 mag with it using 20.0 gr. Pulled out a couple rounds of the fresh 44 loads and shot them in a Rossi 92, where they showed no signs of high pressures at all. Since there is very little of the old powder left, will dump it and put some of the fresher powder in the measure then load a few more rounds and try again.

just a thought, did you double check your powder charge?

by Fowler, Thursday, October 22, 2015, 14:24 (3308 days ago) @ Brian A

I know I have set the powder drop up thinking of load x and got distracted and had it dropping a different charge. Seems the most likely sinerio, pull a bulletin a remaining round and make sure of your charge weight.

just a thought, did you double check your powder charge?

by Brian A, Thursday, October 22, 2015, 20:27 (3308 days ago) @ Fowler

I know I have set the powder drop up thinking of load x and got distracted and had it dropping a different charge. Seems the most likely sinerio, pull a bulletin a remaining round and make sure of your charge weight.

Since these are the first 357 mags I loaded this go 'round, I fiddled with the measure quite a bit to get it throwing correctly. My press is an old Dillon 450 with the original measure that is a bit temperamental to adjust accurately, so each of the first few rounds gets weighed, than each 10 until I'm satisfied it is throwing properly. None of those measured from these 12 rounds varied by more than +/- 0.1 gr.

Interesting experience with 2400 today...

by Warhawk, Hot Springs, Arkansas, Thursday, October 22, 2015, 14:40 (3308 days ago) @ Brian A

Keep in mind that 2400 was reformulated at some point. Mr Taffin reccomends dropping to 21 grains of the reformulated 2400 for the "Keith Load" in 44 Magnum. I'd probably drop my charge by at least .5 grain when I tried the new powder.

Interesting experience with 2400 today...

by Brian A, Thursday, October 22, 2015, 20:35 (3308 days ago) @ Warhawk

Keep in mind that 2400 was reformulated at some point. Mr Taffin reccomends dropping to 21 grains of the reformulated 2400 for the "Keith Load" in 44 Magnum. I'd probably drop my charge by at least .5 grain when I tried the new powder.

The powder used was from an old square can, don't know when they discontinued those, but it was probably at least 40 years old. I am pretty sure my 'new' container, at about 6/7 years old, is older than the reformulation as well, but I agree it would be prudent to drop it back a bit and work my way up carefully.

Interesting experience with 2400 today...

by Wildcat, Flint Hills of Kansas, Thursday, October 22, 2015, 15:38 (3308 days ago) @ Brian A

I went from new 2400 to metal can old stuff while loading a bunch of .44 Special a couple of weeks ago. I'd forgotten I had the old can and when I ran out of new stuff, couldn't find any locally. I was only loading 16.5 grains but no pressure issues with either can.

Interesting experience with 2400 today...

by Ken O'Neill, Friday, October 23, 2015, 06:47 (3308 days ago) @ Wildcat

2400 was changed in the very early 1980's to the current somewhat "hotter" version.

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