The books don't much agree???

[opos]

I'm finding one heck of a difference between one book and another and also the powder company loading charts for the same powder and the same or similar bullet...example...Speer manual shows 38 special (not +P) with their 125 gr. JHP bullet and W231 or HP38 at 5.6 grains as maximum and no "miminum" load shown and a notation DNR which is explained as do not reduce from the maximum load...ok and that is just the break point to the +P load for the same components in the Speer Book. Now I go to the Hogden load data and the same situation ....125 JPH ( happens to be an XTP Hornady) shows 231 or HP38 at 4.3-4.9 grains...I've looked a several other published load data and they all seem to fall in the 4.5-5.0 range with a 125 JHP.

What is the reason that Speer lists a much warmer load than all the other sources and indicates not to back it off. If I go to the Hogden specs I'm no where close to the load spec for Speer when I'm at the max for the Hogden data.

I'm not concerned about my gun being capable of handling any of this as it's a GP100 357 so I'm not sweating the pressure...I'm just trying to understand the big differences. I'm guessing that the powder folks are trying to limit liability somehow but if they suggest a starting load of 4.3 grains (fully 1.3 grains below the Speer suggested load) and Speer says "don't reduce the 5.6 grain load"....it sure leaves room for confusion...

Just interested in what you have found and what you understand the issues to be...not looking for pet loads or load info that isn't published..just why the differences in published loads.

Thanks

[zfields]

Ive knoticed speer manuals always list high, Lee manuals list low, everything else sorta falls in the middle. Speer factory ammo seems to always be loaded hot also.

Normaly I load as low as I can get to cycle reliably, starting from the minimum and adjusting down/up

[Cowboy T]

If I see a reloading book that says "do not reduce" with no minimum load--especially with a powder like HP38/W231 that does well with minimum loads--I consult another book. When I find more than one book that agrees with a certain range, I start from the common minimum load and work up.

I've found Lyman's 49th Edition to be a very good reference for starting load development. This is because the Lyman folks actually develop loads themselves, with their own pressure barrel.

[XDRoX]

Certain loads are marked "Do Not Reduce" because jacketed loads could become lodged in the barrel without an adequate charge. Cartridges like the 38spl and 357 thrive on lead bullets. Jacketed ones can be tricky.

[Boots]

I've noticed the same (for .223 & .308's I load)
I follow the same path as Cowboy_T and refer to my Lyman's 49th book.... or go for the median of the low and high of the lowest charges of all the books and work up from there (within reason) If it seems ridiculously low compared to the others.. I default to the Lyman's