This page is for load data that I have used. These are all loads that I have tested with a chronograph. I have a lot more loads I use that were developed before I got that device, and I will fill those loads in as I test them.
As with all reloading data you use this information at your own risk; the author assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this data. It would be prudent to start 10% below the listed charge and work up. Always insure that new, used or antique guns are in proper working order and safe to fire prior to using them.
.25 ACP / 6.35mm
58gr. LRNFP- 1.1gr. Unique, CCI 300 primer
1-3/8″ Barrel 616 fps. 49 ft./lbs ES: 18fps
This load was fired through a revolver made by A.Francotte between 1912-1914. The gun is a copy of a Galand Velo-Dog revolver.
58gr. LRNFP- 1.1gr. Unique, CCI 300 primer
2″ Barrel 646 fps. 54 ft./lbs ES: 23fps
58gr. LRNFP- 1.1gr. Unique, CCI 300 primer
3″ Barrel 729 fps. 68 ft./lbs ES: 38fps
50gr FMC- 1.2gr. Red Dot, Winchester SPP
2-3/8″ Barrel 821 fps. 75 ft./lbs SD: 18.5 fps
.251 TCR
As far as I know, I’m the only person in the world with guns chambered for this cartridge, but what the hell. Thought I might as well archive them here at least. All test shots were fired from a 3-1/2″ barrel.
38gr LSWC- 1.5gr. Unique, Federal #100 primer
860 fps. 63 ft/lbs.
35gr GDHP- 1.5gr. Unique, Federal #100 primer
870 fps. 59 ft/lbs
38gr. LSWC- 2.0gr. Power Pistol, CCI500 primer
698 fps. 41 ft/lbs
38gr. LSWC- 2.7gr. Power Pistol, CCI500 primer
912 fps. 70 ft/lbs
50gr. FMC- 2.7gr.
831 fps. 77 ft/lbs
50gr. FMC 3.5gr Power Pistol, CCI500 primer
1065 fps. 126 ft/lbs
35gr. GDHP 2.7gr Power Pistol, CCI500 primer
769 fps. 41 ft/lbs
35gr. GDHP- 3.5gr. Power Pistol, CCI500 primer
1214 fps. 115 ft/lbs
35gr. GDHP– 4.0gr. Power Pistol, CCI500 primer
1464 fps. 167 ft.lbs*
55gr, LRNFP- 2.5gr. Red Dot, CCI 500 primer
868 fps. 92 ft./lbs
55gr. LRNFP- 4.0gr. Power Pistol, CCI 500 primer
1157 fps. 163 ft./lbs
6.8x19mm
This is a wildcat cartridge intended to yield .380 ACP power in a more compact, lower recoil form. test shots fired from a 4-1/4″ barrel. Development continuing.
72gr. HC-RNL- 2.5gr Unique, CCI 500 primer
1077 fps. 183 ft./lbs.
72gr HC-LRN- 2.5gr W-231
1001 fps. 160 ft./lbs ES: 74 fps.
72gr HC-LRN- 2.8gr W-231
1052 fps. 177 ft./lbs ES: 51 fps.
72gr. HC-LRN- 3.8gr Power Pistol
1003 fps. 161 ft./lbs ES: 25 fps.
7.8x19mm
This is a wildcat cartridge intended to offer a significant improvement over .32 ACP. In practice it duplicates the performance of 7.65mm French Long, but it intended for use in straight-blow-back pistols. All test shots fired from a 4-1/4″ barrel. This has been superseded by .30 Super Carry, and will not receive further development.
100gr LFP, 3.5gr. Unique, CCI500 primer
914 fps. 185 ft./lbs. ES: ID (Insufficient data)
100gr HJLRN (Speer Plinker,) 3.5gr. Unique, CCI500 primer
890 fps. 176 ft./lbs ES: ID
Not sure why this bullet was so much slower than the other two.
100gr XTP HP, 3.5gr. Unique, CCI500 Primer
941 fps. 197 ft./lbs ES: ID
These exhibited minor expansion when fired into bare gel, and no expansion when fired into gel through 4 layers of denim.
.32 S&W
88gr. LRN, 3.5gr. 777, CCI500 primer (balloon-head case)
3-1/4″ barrel 471 fps. 43 ft./lbs SD:40
I”m not convinced that this genuinely represents the ballistics of the original load, though from some of the descriptions of it’s ineffectiveness it might.
58gr HBWC, 1.0gr Red Dot, Federal #100 Primer
478 fps. 29 ft./lbs ES: 40
This is a Gallery Load intended for indoor shooting at short range. Accuracy at 5 yards is excellent.
65gr. LWC, 1.2 gr. Red Dot, Federal #100 Primer
412 fps. 24 ft./lbs ES: 38
This is another gallery load. Also very accurate at 5 yards.
73gr. TCL, 1.2gr Red Dot, Federal #100 Primer
3″ Barrel 557 fps. 50ft./lbs ES: 51
This load is pretty close to Remington factory power, and ought to be safe for revolvers in good condition
70gr. Hard-Cast HBWC, 1.2gr, Red Dot, Federal #100 Primer
3″ barrel 675fps. 74 ft./lbs ES: 5
70gr. Hard-Cast HBWC, 1.2gr, Red Dot, Federal #100 Primer
5-3/4″ barrel 758fps. 98ft./lbs ES: 3
73gr. TCL, 1.5gr. Red Dot, Federal #100 Primer
3″ Barrel 721fps. 84 ft./lbs ES: 19
This should be considered a maximum load for antique revolvers. Personally I would only use it in S&W or other high-quality guns.
77gr LHBWC, 1.2gr. Red Dot, Federal #100 Primer
5-3/4″ Barrel 841fps. 121ft./lbs ES: 44
This load was developed specifically for my 1848 ‘Baby Dragoon’ cartridge conversion, which has an over-sized bore (approx. .315)
100gr. HBWC, 1.2gr. Red Dot, Federal #100 Primer
5-3/4″ Barrel 731fps. 119ft./lbs ES: 14
Overall loaded length is .760. This dimension is critical to performance; the case is too short to seat the wadcutter flush, so it needs to protrude slightly from the case. This load was developed for my Baby Dragoon cartridge-conversion. I would not recommend using it extensively in top-break revolvers.
96gr. LFP, 1.2gr Red Dot, Federal #100 Primer
2″ Barrel 592 fps. 75 ft./lbs ES: 65 fps.
.32 Colt Long
87 gr. heel-base LRN, 6.8gr. 777, CCI500 primer (balloon-head case)
3-1/4″ barrel 739 fps. 105 ft./lbs SD: 20
.32 S&W Long/.32 Colt New Police
85gr. XTP, 4.0gr. of Unique, CCI 500 small pistol primer. (+P)
2″ barrel 1044 fps., 206 ft.lbs., SD: 40 with an extreme spread of 101 fps.
I consider this a +P load, This load should only be fired in the strongest of revolvers, or better yet guns chambered for .32 H&R Magnum or .327 Federal Magnum.
98gr. LRN, 9gr 777. CCI500 primer (Balloon-head case)
2″ Barrel 738 fps. 119 ft./lbs SD: 12
I only tested this from my 2″ Detective Special
96gr LRNFP, 3.0gr. Unique, Federal #100 primer
4″ Barrel 739 fps. 116 ft./lbs SD: 15
2″ Barrel 691 fps. 102 ft./lbs SD: 22
96gr, LRNFP, 4.3gr. Unique, Federal #100 primer
4″ barrel 1089 fps. 253 ft./lbs SD: 31
2″ Barrel 984 fps. 206 ft./lbs SD: 53
This is a maximum pressure load; start 10% lower and work up.
96gr. LRNFP, 4.0gr Power Pistol, Federal #100 primer (+P)
4″ barrel 1184 fps. 281 ft./lbs SD: 41
2″ barrel 1090 fps. 253 ft./lbs SD: 45
This load should only be fired in the strongest of revolvers, or better yet guns chambered for .32 H&R Magnum or .327 Federal Magnum.
100gr Lead Wadcutter, 2.2gr. Universal, CCI500 primer
2″ Barrel 682 fps. 103 ft./lbs.
Very nice target load. Very accurate with negligible recoil. Punches neat, clean holes as you would expect.
.32 ACP / 7.65mm Browning
60gr. JHP, 2.6gr. Universal, Federal #100 Primer
2″ Barrel, 727fps. 70 ft./lbs ES: 40
This load was developed for the Seecamp LWS32, which requires a short overall length. It is reported to make 1000fps. from a 3.8″ barrel
78gr. TCL, 1.7gr. Red Dot, Federal #100 Primer
2″ Barrel, 684 fps. 81 ft./lbs. ES: 11 fps.
78gr. TCL 1.8gr. Unique, CCI500 Primer
3.5″ Barrel, 709 fps. 87 ft/lbs. ES: 9 fps.
.32-20 / .32 Winchester Centerfire
96gr. LRNFP, 12.7gr. 777, CCI500 primer (balloon-head case)
4″ Barrel 837 fps. 149 ft./lbs SD: 12
96gr. LRNFP, 3.7gr. Unique, Federal #100 primer
4″ Barrel 744 fps. 118 ft./lbs SD: 35
96gr. LRNFP, 5.5gr. Unique, CCI500 Primer
4″ Barrel 942 fps. 189 ft./lbs SD: 18
Maximum-pressure load. Start 10% lower and work up.
100gr HBWC, 4.0gr. Universal, Fed #100 primer, 1.485″ OAL
4″ Barrel 809 fps. 145 ft./lbs
Loading the hollow-base wadcutters backwards could make this a very effective small game load. This load can reasonably be upped to 4.5gr, but I would work up to this carefully and watch for signs of excessive pressure.
.380 ACP (9mm Kurz, 9x17mm)
100gr TMCRN, 4.0gr. Power Pistol, Federal MSPP
4″ barrel 674 fps. 101 ft./lbs ES: 57
I used a Magnum Small Pistol Primer with this load because standard small pistol primers were unavailable (thanks 2020!)
9x19mm (9mm Parabellum, 9mm Luger)
115gr. JHP, 4.9gr. Universal, Federal #100 primer
5″ Barrel 1153fps. 369 ft./lbs ES: 16
115gr FMC, 5.5gr. W-231, Federal #100 primer
3.5″ Barrel 1186 fps. 359 ft/lbs ES: 31
.38 Colt Short
125gr. Dry-lubed heel-base RNL, 10gr. 777, CCI500 primer
2-1/2″ barrel 544 fps. 82 ft./lbs SD: 19
.38 S&W
145gr. RNL, 7.0gr 777, CCI500 Primer
3-1/4″ barrel 636 fps. 130 ft./lbs SD: 16
1-5/8″ barrel 566 fps. 103 ft./lbs SD: 7
125gr. TCL, 2.7gr. Unique, Federal #100 primer(.357 bullet diameter)
1-5/8″ barrel 621 fps. 107 ft./lbs SD: 21
This is specifically formulated as a low-pressure ‘antique-friendly’ round.
125Gr. LSWC, 3.2 Gr. of Unique, CCI 500 primer*
1-5/8″ barrel 800 fps. 178 ft./lbs ES: 20 fps.
*Not recommended for top-break revolvers except Webley or Enfield service revolvers
Rimrock 125 gr./.361 LSWC, Universal powder & Fed #100 primers. 1-5/8″ Barrel
2.8gr. powder, 564fps, 88ft./lbs, ES: 11
3.0gr. powder, 598fps, 99 ft./lbs, ES: 15
3.2gr. powder, 626fps., 109ft./lbs, ES: 18
3.5gr. powder, 698fps., 135ft./lbs, ES: 19
150gr. LSWC, 2.7gr. Unique, Federal #100 Primer
1-5/8″ barrel 672 fps. 150 ft./lbs SD: 14
160gr. LSWC, 2.7gr. Unique, CCI500 primer
3-1/4″ barrel 754 fps. 202 ft./lbs SD: 24
1-5/8″ barrel 722 fps. 185 ft./lbs SD: 31
.38 Special
158gr. LSWC 4.0gr. Unique, CCI 500 primer
3″ barrel 787 fps. 217 ft./lbs SD:28
.38 ACP
115Gr. FMC 4.5gr. Sport Pistol, Fed #100 primer
6″ Barrel 913 fps. 213 ft/lbs. ES: 18 fps
This is a very mild load designed to be gentle in antique pistols. It may cycle some .38 Super pistols, but on no account should ammunition labelled .38 Super be used in pistols marked .38 ACP.
.41 Special
210gr. Keith 6.0gr. Unique, CCI 300 Primer
2-1/2″ Barrel 875 fps. 357 ft./lbs SD:17
210gr. Keith 6.5gr. Unique, CCI 300 Primer
2-1/2″ barrel 919 fps. 394 ft./lbs SD: 19
.44 Colt
In it’s original form this cartridge used a .451 heel-base bullet in a .44 Cartridge, and the data presented here is for that configuration.
180gr. Heel Base RNL, 17.3gr. Triple-7, Federal #150 primer
3-3/4″ barrel 838 fps. 281 ft./lbs SD: 8
.45 ACP
200gr. Speer JHP, 7.0gr. Unique, CCI 300 primer
3-1/2″ barrel 892 fps. 353 ft./lbs SD: 26
200gr. JHP, 6.2gr. Sport Pistol
5″ ported barrel 896 fps. 356 ft/lbs. ES: 14 fps.
.450 Adams
138gr. .451 Lead Ball, 10.0gr. 777, Federal #150 primer
2-1/2″ barrel 628 fps. 121 ft./lbs SD: 16
210gr. copper-washed LSWC, 7.5gr 777, Federal #150 primer
2-1/2″ barrel 551 fps. 142 ft./lbs SD: 9
215gr. TCL, 4.0gr. Unique, CCI300 primer
2-1/2″ barrel 639 fps. 195 ft./lbs SD: 7
Approach this load with caution. Start at 3.5gr. and work up