I might as well join the party, I think most of what everyone has written is correct in some way, after using QuickLoad for 9+years I have some thoughts about the expanded bases on the bullets in very short barrel/no barrel rifles and the handgun, especially revolvers with very short barrels. Compare the 357 magnum, bullet is 18.75 down the barrel for a almost max load of AA#9 to powder to al-burnt 95% in a 20 barrel with a muzzle pressure of about 1550psi and 1596fps, the same load same cartridge out of a 2 revolver barrel produces 21,500psi muzzle pressure at 830fps. Switching to Bullseye Powder and almost max load in the 20 barrel produces 890psi and 1385fps and the 95% powder al-burnt distance in the barrel is just less than 2 inches. Muzzle pressure being 17,890psi with the 2 inch barrel and 795fps these figures are all using a 168gr cast bullet if you change to a 4 barrel everything else the same muzzle pressure drops to 6900psi. So has anyone here shot max loads with soft cast bullets in a 2 barreled 357 Mag. I have not. But I have a S&W M36 with 3 barrel and adjustable J-fame sights I installed, tried to hot rod into a strong defense gun in the late 70s, it was not accurate with heavy loads of Unique and a soft bullet alloy I used of mostly free smelted down shot, the carbine actually shot pretty well and did not lead, cannot say the same for the 36, leaded bore and muzzle, sprayed bullets all over at 50ft. Lets look at that load from the QuickLoad side of pressures and muzzle velocities. Near max 16,500psi 38 special load of Unique in 18 carbine barrel (had a converted M92 for a while) muzzle velocity 1130fps, muzzle pressure 700psi, 95% powder all-burnt distance is 6.5 down the barrel, same load 3 inch barrel velocity 740fps, muzzle pressure 7426psi.
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