LRNFP - your load, with a plated bullet should be Very Similar, or slightly slower and safer. I was just trying to get a general consensus of what other guys were using. The upside of the grainage is that the small charges mean more loaded rounds per pound of powderhelpful since Bullseye can take a while to reacquire once the container is empty. 38 Special 17,000 Send the cylinder out to get cut for moon clips and adapted to 9mm, so you can shoot both 38/357/9mm and use all on moon clips. They are reliable accurate and deadly. Stylish But Serious: Kimber Super Carry Pro, Survival Savvy: Gearing Up for the Next Level, Force Multiplier: Knife and Gun Integration. As example, 5.8 6.0 grains UNIQUE with a 125 grain HP in a snub nose .357 revolver. Main issue is that the .44 spl. I am way shy of 70 years old and I love me some .38 Special. Just an FYI. I am aware of the plated bullet limitations on BE accuracy and am more interested in them for their "plinkability". I use 2.8-3.0 grains of Bullseye or AA#2 with 158 gr. Minnesota. My Dad has advanced arthritis and could not longer easily work his auto loaders. Below, are three loaded rounds. The big medicine was delivered by a 1911, but S&W K frames (favorites were Models 12 & 64) took care of everything else. Yeah no. Battis, if you go to the very bottom of this page you will see Castpics. RN, 158 gr. In a 1909 vintage Smith & Wesson target .38, the 2.7-grain load cut a nearly one-inch cluster, showing that classics go well together. Through the heyday of bullseye shooting over the various match courses of fire, there was probably a Mount Rushmore-sized mountain of powder loaded and combusted 2.7 grains at a time. 357 LCR in 3 inch variant. What I have found most remarkable is how well some pistols that typically fling wide groups have clustered the semiwadcutters. Hmm. It will then fit in your 38 Special gun. : 1,266 1,472 Press. : 1.475" Powder: 6.0 gr 6.9 gr Vel. https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t2221-distinguished-revolver-loads-that-don-t-suck?highlight=distinguished+++%2Bloads, Load question on Penn Bullets for Distinguished load. 9 and others like 2400 that are generally used for magnums). Load with 38 S&W data. In my area, Bullseye is one of the first powders to disappear from shelves, lasting about a heartbeat longer than an econo bulk box of .22 Long Rifle ammunition. (Same issue found with a 12 oz. Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 9 customer ratings. 38 special was also my first cartridge to reload, and one of my greatest loves for reloading to this day. Reloading for it came next and it has since become my favorite pistol cartridge. A Forum dedicated to the sport of Bullseye shooting, Bullseye-L Forum::Ammunition Discussion, I'm looking for an accurate load using 125gr bullets. (bullseyeforum.net). 2) Ammo that would work in the Air Force's Air Crewman Colt's and Smith and Wesson revolvers that had weak alloy cylinders. .38 special has got to be one of the best calibers there is . IF YOU ARE USING SWAGED 158GR BULLETS 3.1 WILL WORK, IF USING HARD CAST 3.3 IS NEEDED. I have done it with 38 special and 44 Mag, only to have a lead coated bore that looked like a rusty old drain pipe. This is my plink load for the kids. A 158 SWCHP at 850-875 fps from a snub. Easy to reload and it started my reloading experience. But its also worth considering that its pushing the same size and weight projectile at the same velocity as the standard Army revolver load during the Civil War. These are put into a large hydraulic press and extruded into a continuous coil of wire. New to Reloading-Unique powder recipes for .38 special But this piece isnt about the gun, but rather the cartridge. I reload a 3 CA Bulldog in .44 with 200 gr wadcutters, to recreate the Man Stopper loads of long ago. Bought my small handed wife a 642. We look at three classics: one each in .45 ACP, .38 Special, and 9mm. A Tyler T grip would have helped here, but is incompatible w/ factory grips. Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue. Working up a 38 Special load - xtreme 125gr + titegroup My Lyman 49th has data for 125 gr JHP and 120 gr LRN. Powder Bul Weight C.O.L. I miss those days. The Model 19 is fine with .38s but mildly uncomfortable with .357s. Speer shows 3.9 to 4.5 grains for a double end lead wadcutter but I'm thinking that may be a little strong for a plated bullet. Great article & thread!!! The 9mm produces about 35,000 psi, The best part about this is that not only do you never really lose your fired cases, but you they are always in great condition. Im not a hoarder and I dont keep them, but I am detailed in my process. 148-grain wadcutter brings accuracy that begs the shooter to test their limits. Word to the wise: all handgun cartridges (with the likely exception of .44 Magnum and maybe even .357 Magnum) are underpowered for self-defense. Does anyone have experience with loading WST for 125 gr plates bullets or a place to start the research/testing? SWC, 160 gr. This load tends to clock about 670 feet-per-second (fps) give or take 20, depending on the exact brand of wadcutter and the revolver its fired in. i had the same issues you did when i was trying to load for my DR revolver 14-3. to light of power had a soft recoil but ungodly bad accuracy. I don't have a chronograph, but have considered picking one up. Recoil in that gun is less than most 45 ACP 1911s I have shot, and its still got around 500-600ft lbs of energy which is more than enough for feral hogs around the ranch back home. Alliant Pistol/Revolver Load Data: Be Alert: Publisher cannot be responsible for errors in published load data. And yes I appreciate them for a hunting gun because of their fine accuracy and find trigger pulls (older classic guns). Good point Len. 125: 125: 130: 135: 140: 140: 146: 148: 158: 158: 158: 170 _____ Quick Links Home Load Data Bullet Points: BE SURE TO CHECK OUT & FOLLOW MY INSTAGRAM FEED CONNECT WITH THE 1895GUNNER.COM COMMUNITY . Any hotter and we get into a recoil issue. I have used everything from simple lead to the most advanced machined copper bullets and found them all to be extraordinarily easy to load and shoot. 9mm 125 grain RN Lead Hard Cast Bullet. Your previous content has been restored. I started reloading 38 special as my first cartridge 8 years ago when I was 22, soooo.I have an old mans soul? Ideal load in a 2 J Frame .38. If you can follow simple instructions, you can safely load this cartridge. Maybe its just my age, but I may never shoot a 38 again after discovering the 32. With a charge of only 3.1 grains of Winchester 231 powder, velocities run around 750 to 800 fps with good accuracy and mild recoil. Therefore, the conventional wisdom is that they must be loaded to a lower velocity. I find the Pachmayr Compac grips on my 640 reduce the slap of full-boat .357 to less than that on my 3 M65 (w/ wood Altamont grips) or my 4 686 (Pachmayr Gripper Professional grips.) 32 S&W Long 15,000 Ask your Dealer, or call Hodgdon), has a Cowboy Load section, (near the center fold), that lists data for about all SASS calibers. Any pistol competitions yet? My sq. The only reason that my standard (everyday carry) self-defense handgun is not a .38 Special revolver is because I can conceal a semi-auto better (it isnt as fat as the cylinder on a revolver) and my semi-auto has 15 rounds of hard-hitting 180 grain bullets. I carried a lightly customized 4 inch heavy barrel model 10 for years, with a black cerakote job. Accurates No. It's given me good results in the 2, 3 and 4 inch barreled. This pistol uses the .38 Special with a Remington wadcutter bullet seated flush with the case mouth. I favor the appearance of the C/T load and find it slightly easier to grab and orient in the loading process. I load my 38 target ammo to 3.5 grainsand my self defense 38 to 3.8 grains, when using 158 grain bullets (and Bullseye). Just depends on what kinds of loads you plan to shoot. 38 Special 158gr. JHP Load? | Glock Talk When using a 158 gr. is limited to either the various Charter Arms models, or as a training/target load in a .44 magnum size handguns. These are light and easy to shoot. A 4 inch barrel would be my choice as well. are you loading .38 special brass, or .357 magnum brass? I prefer the slower burning Unique, and I also use it for .357 magnum, just more of it. The 919 case is tapered and therefore wider at the base than the .38 special is. For example, a Glock 17 shot the HAP into 1.35 inches and the FMJ into 2.2 inches at 25 yards. Dont take this the wrong way; Im guessing the average age of .38 spl fans is about my age (70). Thanks for the excellent article, Josh! Bullseye is the classic pistol powder and the backbone of many pet loads. (Or so I have heard.). Both have fed 100% in a variety of pistols and have shot very well. While I do have a GP100 in .357 magnum, I dont like shooting .38 special ammo out of it, because cleaning powder residue out of the longer chambers is a real bitch. My J frame S&Ws are all older models, and came with the small grips that are still on some models. There are many fun uses for buckshot. We've got some great loads for 158 coated and plated semi wadcutters, and we're trying something new. The Pistol a Smith and Wesson model 27-2 The goal is two fold. The .44 spl. The swaged bullets are soft enough that they expand even at mild velocities where a JHP or hard cast cant. Disclaimer, I own or owned all the super calibers out there except the casull, theyre all fun and quite useful in some scenarios, but dont discount the old timer. Posted March 2, 2013. Be careful about published sources (and doubly so about internet sources), regarding maximum loads for the 38 special. But for plinking, they'd be fine. Unsurpassed for .45 ACP target loads. 38 Special Loadings | Ruger Forum Others Have reported some success but few have more than one or two loads. Like Wobbly. 38 Special 125 gr XTP - Hornady Manufacturing, Inc *WAP is not best choice for .38 special, too slow and inconsistent. Thats a pretty clear explanation and comparison of the NEEDS of the strength of the chamber for each caliber. Use the lead bullet loads with the plated and you will be fine. 3.7gr WST with Zero 158 SWC did the job for me. The fast powders, W231, HP38, Bullseye would go over pressure very quickly with any slight changes, in seating depth or primer change. 3 1/2" average not included flyers which seem to happen on every group test. I haven't used any of those powders but I like faster powders in 38 Special like Titegroup and Clays. Using a new 105g bullet and no one has load data for itor do they The floor does not apply for PPC, or the equivalent match for Action Pistol. (Note: These are near maximum loads (in some cases ARE MAXIMUM), you should use 10%. Powder coating. I really enjoy Trail Boss and use it extensively for plain lead and plated bullets. Jacketed bullets are not legal for Distinguished Revolver. .38 Special +P (Alliant Reloaders Guide) - Load Data 3 gr of WST in a 38 spl case with 125 gr plated bullet is a very light load. Also some WSF. Although the .357 cylinders are the same length so they can be timed to a 642. Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue. My Ruger LCR .357 Magnum is pleasant to shoot even with full pressure loads. 2.9 of Clays is soft enough and dead accurate at 50yds. My use of the term adequate means that Hodgdon has produced a workable result for the .38 Special, .38 Special +P, and .357 Magnum that may be used for 125 grain weight bullets having velocity limitations. Plated bullets are to be loaded as lead bullets. What overal length of the cartridge? Congratulations on spelling loath right. If there is only ONE load, it is MAX. With all the loads available, you can surely find one within recoil tolerance. I would add that the firearm mentioned, a Model 27 S&W revolver is a very durable gun, intended for the hotter loading of .357 Magnum. I SEE THAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT USE THE AMMO FOR D/R. A little shopping around might do better, as would casting the lead bullets. She ran two cylinders of 100 grain wad cutters and gave it back to me. Case life is excellent, especially for mild loads. It is also one of the most pleasurable loads a shooter can touch off. IMR 3031 and IMR 4895 are products of IMR (formerly DuPont) Powder Company. I never really set my sights, in a manner of speaking, on the .38 cartridge like I did other rounds. Even better, is get some 38 S&W brass. Load cut these cards at five yards out of this Model 15. Load it using wadcutter specs, and seat the bullet flush, like a wadcutter. Wes, SASS Wire rules prohibit posting specific load data on the forum, but it can be passed along via private message or email. I dont miss lubing casescarbide is king! Now, you have to go to a range or have a membership and pay to fill the backstop with lead. I fired 3 Remington 125 SJHP 357s from a 340 and thought i had nerve damage in my hand. Love my 642 for concealed carry, but have an SP101 (also a snubby) in .38 special (only) for use on the range. Seems like everyone is all orgasmic about bigger, faster, more of, etc. People who prepare usually tend to focus on the survival basics: security/self-defense, water, food, first aid, sanitation/hygiene, knowing when to get out and when to stay put. .38 brass isnt as common as 9, .40, or .45 brass at the range, but of all the revolver brass you can find its the most plentiful. And it isnt my first rodeo with a J-frame. Hehe, back before Nick skimmed down. load is 4.4 grains for 38 special and 5.0 grains is a +P load. You have entered an incorrect email address! Bonus is the CT #305 grips are both large enough to be actually useful, and can use the laser, or turn it off if you dont need the laser. Anyone know where I can download a chart where all the powders burning rates (regardless of manufacturer) is listed. Components add up to far less than even generic grade factory ammo. YOU WOULD BE WASTING YOUR TIME TRIMMING THE BRASS. Its the only gun that has appreciated in value (as long as you ignore inflation). Cartridge : .38 Special (SAAMI)Bullet : .357, 125, FP Rainier Useable Case Capaci: 20.320 grain H2O = 1.319 cm Cartridge O.A.L. IIRC, I used 4.5 gr of Bullseye under a 125 gr lead bullet for a light plinker, and 5.6 gr of Bullseye under a 148 gr wadcutter (~815 fps, 4" bbl, probably around 750 fps out of a snub). Upload or insert images from URL. Posted: 4/17/2014 10:53:09 AM EST. Red Dot 38 Special - Gunloads.com If she had shot more, I would have probably bought another set of dies, to prevent the need for changing adjustments between the two. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Because we have no action to cycle, the novice reloader can afford to be off a bit if they have an entry-level scale or powder dispenser. Hence I carry a semi-auto pistol chambered in .40 S&W. For 3 that actually doesnt kick too badly. WST for .38 special 125 gr plated bullets - Bullseye Forum I completely understand the respect for the performance of the 327 Fed, but not being a big fan of the 357 Mag (or 38 SPL plus P for that matter) I havent been drawn to the 327. 110gr JHP! Jacketed bullets are legal for DR, as long as they are 158 grain round nose or semi-wadcutter. So if you find a "lead" load it is also a plated load. A gun on you always works better than the gun left at home. Go figure. A GI surplus 1911 that puts most loads into dinner-plate sized groups cut 3.8 inches with the classic recipewhich is probably the only time Ive gotten excited about an almost four-inch group! But I would only be caught dead with one in my hands if I had to use one for self defense (pun intended). The mention of a Lee Loader somewhere above took me back to the good-old days. I can get away with using it as cast w/ alox. My guess would be almost identical, straight wall, not high pressure, definitely. The Internet Pedant Its like a pellet gun with a little noise and smoke if using black powder. 5 are good choices. Most of these are at the upper end. Insufficient crimping ) ARCHIVED. 38 special reloaders | The Firearms Forum Lucky me. I'm guessing they still go bang, and leave the gun to go downrange. Winchester's website has data for W231 and a 125 gr LRNFP, but not plated. I've been reading about this. Tim: The Lyman 49th edition lists the accuracy loads for their cast bullets. The beauty of shooting a .38 is that you can easily practice at the ranges youd fight at using basically any cheap bullet at minimal expense. Now theres an old memory. There seems to be a dearth of information using WST powder for the 38 Spl cartridge. The cartridge offers a great deal of zest and has thousands of possible load combinations. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. A chameleon depending on your loads and the barrel length or action its fired from. This Cast Reloading Bullet feeds great in automatics and has excellent accuracy in both the 9mm and 38 Super. Using bullets from Hornady HP-XTP, Hornady HP-XTP or FP-XTP, Hornady FP-Cowboy, Hornady HBWC, Hornady SWC-HP, SWC or LRN. It'll look funky, but it will shoot. At belly button range, very nasty load. The 158 gr cast plain base accuracy load was 4.0 gr 231 which gave 837 Fps and 15,900 psi. If you have the means, I highly recommend you trying one out. Last time we took it to the range, I was trying to cycle the old +P ammo to load standard Lehigh ammo, I fired one shot, put the gun down and cursed while shaking my hand. WST seems like such a good powder in .45 ACP that I thought I might try it. Left to right:148 gr. But still nothing under 3.5". The majority of my shooting with .38 has taken place with soft lead bullets. A significant difference in speeds is usually noted. Notes: Bbl Length: 5.6; primer: Fed. I bought him as a gift a 642 with the black rubber grips, a few speedloaders w/big knob tops, and Hornady 125 grain FTX loads. He loves this gun and keeps it in reach 24/7. . You will be, essentially, making 38 Short Colt. I like the smell of Bullseye, dont mind wiping the handguns down after a range day, and the dark soot that accumulates on my support hand when shooting wheelguns in particular just reminds me to wash up. I have read some posts online from people who claim that it makes no difference whether the bullets are swaged or cast; and they can be loaded to the same velocity, but the swaged bullets will lead up a barrel faster because the lead is softer. These two can cover the entire performance spectrum up to .38+P. A revolver shooting .38 SPL only requires the power of your finger to make it fire and can thus be loaded with ammo that is extremely mild or hotter than hot. By That sounds. 1.455 in. Like both the .38 and the .44 spl. Berry says load plated bullets to mid-range jacketed bullets of same profile and weight or equal to hard cast. Thanks to all for the info. The .38 Special remains very popular for personal protection and Michelle Hamilton shares her thoughts on the top loads for concealed carry, like this 158-grain SWCHP FBI Load, based on her testing. Here's what the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook says for cast 125g flatpoint for 38 in the powders you mentioned. Would .44 Special be somewhat similar to .38, in terms of ease of reloading, case life, etc.? How can I tell if they are cast or swaged? Not in that order. As I said I am not familiar with your frame and suspect it is one of the latest models out by Smith. 4.2 gr. Handloading the .38 Special for Snubnose Revolvers Understanding Reloading Formulas .38 Spl | Shooters' Forum Many reloading manuals also list an estimated pressure with a given load. 1.) .38 Special (Using Hornady Bullets) reloading data with 353 loads. PDF Cast Bullets in the .38 Special - Castpics Start conservative if you wish. Fifty yards of course is the preferred distance. That blunt-ended bullet cut a clean hole all the way through whatever its modest velocity allowed it to penetrate. It is just a guide and the reason you should start under these charges and work up. In terms of thousands of rounds of range practice, though, that is a definite no-go in my book. I would say I completely disagree with you on ever even contemplating using a revolver for self defense unless you are a person that has never owned a gun and not likely ever to practice with it. want me to write up an article about 3d printed .38 special bullets that Ive been working? I had ammo for some friends as low as 600 fps. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. The load you use will be up to your gun. That being the case, I truly NEED as much ammunition as possible and the ability to defeat soft barriers such as auto windshields, sheet metal, drywall, doors, etc. Something like the Ruger GP100 or S&W 686 yup, theyre the best caliber for those size revolvers. I shoot a Glock 21, and had a great time shooting some poly coated 230 grain round noses today. I was looking through the Lyman 49th edition reloading manual and see the bullets you are talking about. Lord only knows how many cartridge cases I hammered with a plastic mallet into that Lee, it had to be thousands. 110gr JHP! Ive not had a handgun entirely reject either load, so the recipe seems to be a worthy third alongside the previous .38 and .45. 10,870. You can't rely on this because not all variables for YOUR cases and chamber and loading length, etc. When I finally nabbed my own canisters of Bullseye, the first load I spun up was 2.7 grains under Hornadys hollow-base wadcutters.