Question about .405 Winchester Die or Bullet Mold|Page 2|Winchester Hunting, Shooting & Reloading|Forum|Winchester Collector

Chuck,  Rifles harmed?  No.  Shotguns, yes!  Clarence sent me a batch of reading on “The Shootinest Gent’man” or something close.  One of his acquaintances blew a barrel on a high grade, English fowling piece.  Blamed the new “white powder” for it.  Wildfowlers were really into reloading back then.  Hope I’ve listed enough for you to come up with his name–currently escapes me!  Tim

Chuck said
Maverick, have you seen any accounts that talk about people or rifles getting hurt when loading the new smokeless?  I’m not sure I have.  But maybe I just don’t remember it.  Makes a lot of sense though.  I’ll have to look through some of my earliest loading manuals.  

I would have to track down the period accounts that I’ve come across, but yes it was a major concern in the early days of smokeless powder.

And not just a concern had by Winchester. I would image that all fire manufacturers of the era had such concerns. Researching the topic of reloading I came across the 1905 Smith & Wesson Catalog that also heavily discourages reloading with smokeless and state that they do not warrant there pistols shooting reloaded smokeless cartridges. 

Here are pages 19 & 46 that have specific discussion on the matter. The reason I kept track of this information did not have to do with reloading with smokeless. 

What interested me about the catalog is where it specifically states recommending using Winchester’s Tool for Reloading Winchester caliber cartridges. Even though S&W had their own brand / make of reloading tools and molds for sale. This is one of the most unusual endorsements I’ve found where another firearm’s manufacturer has done such a thing. 

Sincerely,

Maverick 

Chuck said
I went through my non Winchester loading catalogs and couldn’t find a thing.  In Philip Sharpe’s book Complete Guide to Handloading the first chapter is titled Problems of the Handloader.  He devotes 4 pages to loading the smokeless powder and especially using max loads.  I know chronographs were available but maybe not economic for the average loader.  I have a big gap of loading manuals from 1900 to 1937.  None of the Winchester Catalogs give an amount of smokeless powder.  They tell you almost everything else.  Including how much black powder.  

To fill that 1900 to 1937 gap, look for Mattern’s Handloading Ammunition, published in 1926.

Chuck said
Thank you for the tip.  I found a hard cover reprint online for $25.

  

Buy it, I’ve really enjoyed my copy. The original copies are a bit fragile. Mattern had a very clear understanding of internal ballistics and offers an explanation I wish I had read decades ago.

Mike