Maintenance schedule and service life of a Airwieght J-Frame?

[LSP972]

I bought 4 pounds of Titegroup during the ammo panic because it was about the only handgun powder I could find. I really don't like it very much. ...

Neither me. Its dirty, for one thing. I'm told it does great in upper-range loads, but I'm all about mild these days.

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[jh9]

Neither me. Its dirty, for one thing. I'm told it does great in upper-range loads, but I'm all about mild these days.

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My goto load with titegroup for IDPA before they lowered the power floor was either 4.4 or 4.5 grains. In order to make power floor I had to use over book max for +P data. Granted it was over by .1 grains, but still. I checked with another guy also shooting SSR and using titegroup and his experience matched mine.

For reference in the same gun (686-5) I'll make PF with a standard pressure charge of Unique (granted, 4.7 is maximum for standard pressure, but still standard).

You can almost fit THREE charges of that +P+ dose in a .38 case. A double charge is easy to miss...

Titegroup is not a good .38 powder.

[NEPAKevin]

Titegroup is not a good .38 powder.

Maybe I have girly hands, but I quit using Titegroup for 38 loads because it seemed like at practice, after the second reload, I could hardly hold the cylinder to insert the speed loader it was so freaking hot. I switched to American Select and no more fried fingers. Have heard that Clays is another good choice.

[Lester Polfus]

I have also found that my J frame heats up more than it seems like it should, especially considering how light of a charge I'm using. I'm wondering if that's one of the reasons I'm getting so much leading.

[jh9]

Maybe I have girly hands, but I quit using Titegroup for 38 loads because it seemed like at practice, after the second reload, I could hardly hold the cylinder to insert the speed loader it was so freaking hot. I switched to American Select and no more fried fingers. Have heard that Clays is another good choice.

Oh yeah. Try being left handed.

When I was using titegroup I would usually leave an IDPA match with a bunch of little quarter moon burns/blisters on the web of my right hand since every reload meant punching the right thumb through the frame window and letting the forcing cone fall on the web of my right hand so I could work the ejector with my right hand pointer finger. Titegroup is a fast burning powder, and that forcing cone gets hot.

Nowhere near as bad with Unique or American Select (the latter in short colt brass for USPSA).

[LSP972]

Maybe I have girly hands, but I quit using Titegroup for 38 loads because it seemed like at practice, after the second reload, I could hardly hold the cylinder to insert the speed loader it was so freaking hot.

YES!!!

Me too.

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[LSP972]

I have also found that my J frame heats up more than it seems like it should, especially considering how light of a charge I'm using. I'm wondering if that's one of the reasons I'm getting so much leading.

I think the stuff just burns hotter than "normal". But if your bullets are soft, the bases could indeed be melting. And brother, that will cause leading faster than cat can lick… well, you know.

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[LSP552]

I bought 4 pounds of Titegroup during the ammo panic because it was about the only handgun powder I could find. I really don't like it very much.

Yep. I have a couple pounds of Titegroup and keep hoping to find someone who wants it bad enough to trade me some Win 231 or HP38......

[Lester Polfus]

I think the stuff just burns hotter than "normal". But if your bullets are soft, the bases could indeed be melting. And brother, that will cause leading faster than cat can lick… well, you know.

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I'm using Hornady 148 Grain HBWCs. I don't have a Brinell tester, but I can mark them pretty easy, so I'm guessing they are pretty soft. I just loaded up the last of them last night. I should have experimented with some of the CFE pistol I have to see if I get less leading.

[LSP972]

I'm using Hornady 148 Grain HBWCs. I don't have a Brinell tester, but I can mark them pretty easy, so I'm guessing they are pretty soft. I just loaded up the last of them last night. I should have experimented with some of the CFE pistol I have to see if I get less leading.

Yup, those bullets are swaged… IOW, just a notch above pure lead. Do they still have the full-length knurling on the bearing surface, instead of driving bands and grease grooves?

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