Ready to work up 30Gr with True Blue for Ruger 57

[Chemman7]

Been lurking for quite some time and thought I would post. I have not found much data on the bullet I plan on using.

I have been reloading rifle, shotgun, and pistol for 30+ years. Just got this Ruger 57 a couple months ago and want to work up a couple loads. I plan on starting with the Barns 30 GR HP FB. I have a set of 20 shells prepped and primed with CCI small rifle primers. I am thinking 5.3 grains of True Blue to start. See if the Magspeed V3 will clock them and go from there.

Any suggestions?

[Chemman7]

I have a huge problem with electrostatics, True Blue and the plastic parts of the Hornady powder trickler and Lyman plastic powder pan. The powder can hardly escape the trickler tube and is attracted to every single thing on the loading bench. Measured out about 5 grains and "poured" it back in the top of the trickler. There was 1.7 grains statically stuck in the pan. Humidity was just under 20%, typical for where I live in Colorado.

I have a Herters Model #1 powder scale with an aluminum pan down in the basement. I will retrieve it soon.

Went to the range and took a couple shots with the Ruger 57 fitted with the Magspeed. 5 shots with Federal American Eagle FMJs all chrono'd fine. Shot 2 FN SS197SR and got an error sensor 2. Shot 1 SS195LF and got a slightly different error about non-detect. Did not try any settings besides Standard.

Day before Shot 8 40 grain 197SRs and 2 27 grain 195LFs from 50 feet on a 3mm thick steel target I usually put out 100 yards. Interesting results. All center of mass shots, not real careful just checking initial tuning of the chrono. All are 5.7 shots, big dents are the SR rounds two center penetrations are LFs.

Chuck

[Grantness]

Anti-static electronics spray is your friend

[Chemman7]

Thank You very much Grantness. Being an electronics wizard for 30 years never thought to use it for powder.

[Chemman7]

I would ask you about starting with 5.3 grains with the 30 grain Barns but have to get grains in pan first!

[Chemman7]

American Eagle 40 grain FMJ
MagnetoSpeed V3 Picatinny rail mounted on Ruger 57

Series 1 Shots: 3
Min 1570 Max 1612
Avg 1594 S-D 21.6
ES 42

Series Shot Speed
1 1 1612 ft/s
1 2 1570 ft/s
1 3 1600 ft/s

Chuck

[panzermk2]

Anti static spray and graphite power. The fine black dust that comes off on your hands when handling powder is not actually gun powder. It's graphite. I used to use spray on graphite on my polymer components back in the day.

[Chemman7]

I picked up some Static Guard at Target. I don't think that will work, SDS says "Quaternary ammonium compounds, bis(hydrogenated tallow alkyl)dimethyl, chlorides" Propane/Butane for propellent and 60-100% Alcohol. 100 miles to denver but Amazon is 2-4 days away. I will try coating all the polymers with a light coating of graphite powder, I have that in a little tube squeezy thingy.

Modified the MagSpeed V3 mount and got the trajectory over the bayonet sensors right at 1/4" from the bottom of the barrel. Every single shot from 195LF 27gn, AE FMJs 40gn, 197SR 40gn, respectively were registered perfectly on the V3 Chrono. Next time I will split them up individually:


Series 2 Shots: 17
Min 1627 Max 2161
Avg 1902 S-D 208
ES 534

Series Shot Speed
2 1 2127 ft/s
2 2 2125 ft/s
2 3 2157 ft/s
2 4 2136 ft/s
2 5 2150 ft/s
2 6 2112 ft/s
2 7 2161 ft/s
2 8 1627 ft/s
2 9 1657 ft/s
2 10 1671 ft/s
2 11 1758 ft/s
2 12 1763 ft/s
2 13 1775 ft/s
2 14 1786 ft/s
2 15 1773 ft/s
2 16 1783 ft/s
2 17 1780 ft/s
---- ---- ---- ----

Chuck

[Chemman7]

Now that I can chrono the lead free 27gn I am sure I will be able to chrono the 30gn lead free Barnes Varmint Grenade.

Hoping to hit 2150fps and accurate.

[Chemman7]

So I made some graphite powder with sandpaper and electric motor brushes. Sprinkled it on the polymer bits and shook it about. Tapped the excess out and works great now.

Measured the weight of each bullet I used and kept them under 30.2 grains. Put them in once fired resized and trimmed to 28.9mm brass with CCI 400 small rifle primer and 5.3 grains of True Blue powder seating to 40.5mm OAL. Fired FN SS197SR in 1, 6, and 7 as control. All rounds cycled fine with no jams, all had very similar recoil as the SRs.

Series 3 Shots: 7
Min 1755 Max 1987
Avg 1876 S-D 107
ES 232

Series Shot Speed
3 1 1755 ft/s
3 2 1949 ft/s
3 3 1987 ft/s
3 4 1916 ft/s
3 5 1986 ft/s
3 6 1776 ft/s
3 7 1763 ft/s
---- ---- ---- ----

Here is a curiosity, There seem to be dimples around the primer firing pin dent. Humm.?.?



Chuck

[panzermk2]

Normal for 5.7x28mm due to the hi pressure and it's pressure curve.

[Chemman7]

I am thinking of using the CCI 450 small rifle magnum primers with the 5.3 grain load from before. My goal is to get over 2000ft/s and be accurate with no over pressure.

I did find a bit of buildup in the firing pin recess pocket around where the extractor clips on the rim of the shell case.

[Grantness]

I would suggest increasing the charge in .1gr increments (checking for pressure signs along the way) instead of changing the primer. +.1-.2gr ought to get you to 2000fps.

[Chemman7]

Thanks Grantness I will do that instead. I was thinking that the primer cup would be more substantial in the magnum than the standard small rifle primer.

[Chemman7]

So I loaded up a few 30 grain Barnes VGs with 5.3, 5.4, and 5.5 grains of True Blue. I want chrono them this evening. OAL I had read should be 40.5mm. Two came out of my Lee dies at 40.3 and 40.35. I measured an American Eagle FMJ at 40.0 and a SS195LF at 40.21mm. What is the determining factor for OAL when there may not be any load data available? I have not found any load data for the Barnes leadfree 30 grain hollow point varmint grenade.

[Chemman7]

Went to the range today, SS197SR-1, 2-5.4gn-30gn-Barnes, 3,4,5-5.5gn-30gn-Barnes, 6-5.3gn-Barnes.
All Primers showed no overpressure at all. All cycled fine, no jams at all. All rounds felt comparable to the first SS197SR. Target was a steel plate (above and below) at 30 yards. Hits looked deep and small for the Barnes-30gn, none penetrated from that distance. One may have been tumbling- not sure.



Series 5 Shots: 6
Min 1717 Max 2031
Avg 1965 S-D 122
ES 314

Series Shot Speed
5 1 1717 ft/s
5 2 2013 ft/s
5 3 2027 ft/s
5 4 2020 ft/s
5 5 2031 ft/s
5 6 1982 ft/s
---- ---- ---- ----

[Chemman7]

How on earth do people shoot rounds at 3000fps? Where do they work that up?

Chuck

[panzermk2]

The do it through PS90/P90's. CMMG Banshee rifle can easily hit that with the right rounds.

[Chemman7]

The do it through PS90/P90's. CMMG Banshee rifle can easily hit that with the right rounds.

I do like the P90 a lot but think I will have to get the new Ruger LC, given it's 16" barrel and similar design to the Ruger 57 I already use. I have another handful of Barnes 30gn VGs at 5.5 and 5.6gn True Blue, chrono tomorrow. I have only been reloading once shot 197SRs but think I will try to design a CO² case/primer pocket blaster to clean the inside without messing with the original coatings. I would like to obtain some of the coating you have in that 55 gallon barrel of yours Jay.

[panzermk2]

I would like to sell some of it to you also.

[Chemman7]

Shot a few 30gn with 5.5 and 5.6gn of True Blue chrono'd below. Temps were 20 degrees cooler and humidity 70% instead of Colorado's typical 15%. Adding 0.1 gn seemed to slow the bullet.

Series 6 Shots: 6
Min 1689 Max 2000
Avg 1926 S-D 117
ES 311

Series Shot Speed
6 1 1689 ft/s FN197SR
6 2 2000 ft/s 5.5gn True Blue
6 3 1959 ft/s 5.5gn True Blue
6 4 1991 ft/s 5.6gn True Blue
6 5 1968 ft/s 5.6gn True Blue
6 6 1953 ft/s 5.6gn True Blue
---- ---- ---- ----

[Chemman7]

Loaded up a few Barnes 30gn with 5.6gn True Blue. Primer flattening indicated to me I have reached the limit. Think I will run 5.4 or so for my standard load with the Barnes 30gn and Ramshot True Blue . I will dissect the cases and look at case stretch. Next I will look at some ballistics. Photo and Chrona data follows.


Series 7 Shots: 7
Min 1783 Max 2137
Avg 2040 S-D 121
ES 354

Series Shot Speed Energy Foot Pounds
7 1 1783 ft/s FN-SS197SR 282
7 2 2137 ft/s 30gn-5.6gn True Blue 306
7 3 2095 ft/s 30gn-5.6gn True Blue 292
7 4 2123 ft/s 30gn-5.6gn True Blue 300
7 5 2025 ft/s 30gn-5.6gn True Blue 276
7 6 2093 ft/s 30gn-5.6gn True Blue 295
7 7 2028 ft/s 30gn-5.6gn True Blue 277


Left FN 197SR other two on the right are 5.6gn True Blue Barnes 30gn

[Chemman7]

Cut the center cartridge in half and sandblasted lightly to check for neck separation. Really don't think I am seeing any problem.

[panzermk2]

Did you see the read and pics I created?

[panzermk2]

Image is to tiny to really see anything.

[Chemman7]

https://imgur.com/gallery/E88bIsu

Cannot seem to get a direct link to the image I am posting from imgur

[Chemman7]

I thought I had read through what you had up about the ring around the neck.
https://imgur.com/gallery/ekr3bp8
I am using my computer at work and it is not cooperating.

Maybe this one:

[Grantness]

Looks good from here

[Chemman7]

Thanks Grantness. Kind of new to reloading 5.7 but I really could not see a separation indication to me. It was the center shell in post 19. Primer was pretty flat and the recoil was greater than the FN197SR 4ogn. I think I will do some more testing at 5.4gn and maybe check out some ballistics.

[Chemman7]

Loaded up 10 30gn Barnes with 5.4gn True Blue last night. Just Chronoed them up in the beautiful mountains of Colorado, Spring Creek area. Very nice shooting round. Two went into my poorman's Ballistics water (2-1 Gallon ziplock bags in a cardboard box). Will figure out how to photograph the ziplock bag/ballistics with a high speed camera next. Looked like the bullet spent most of it's energy in the first 3-4 inches. Shot the remainder at a steel plate, none penetrated through.

Series 8 Shots: 10
Min 1987 Max 2063
Avg 2013 S-D 25.4
ES 76

Series Shot Speed
8 1 2063 ft/s
8 2 2011 ft/s
8 3 1994 ft/s
8 4 1996 ft/s
8 5 2010 ft/s
8 6 2031 ft/s
8 7 2001 ft/s
8 8 1996 ft/s
8 9 2048 ft/s
8 10 1987 ft/s

[panzermk2]

Here are the pics re uploaded. the one I had posted before where hosted at a defunct site.