I have found that if you go down too low in charge you will have some ignition issues occasionally. Please enable javascript before you are allowed to see this page. And for 99% of the actual real world needs of a citizen for self defense it will work just fine. Ive tried full metal jacket and the Hornady Action Pistol (HAP) match hollow point in this load, and both ranged from good to great in my nines. 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. I could knock out a pretty substantial chunk of my shooting needs with only these three loads. They are true classics, and I hope you get as much use out of them! So if you find a "lead" load it is also a plated load. 4.2 gr. hard cast LSWC's as a target load. Left to right:148 gr. Rules say (e) Ammunition- Any safe .38 caliber ammunition using the 158 grain round nose or Semi-Wadcutter bullet only. Were all familiar with the old adage, Never bring a knife to a gunfight. And while we should, The active shooter is a relatively new phenomenon in the grand scheme of things. Load it like Trail Boss. Nothing, they dont need any. Similar to a 9mm 124 gr RN Cast Bullet. If there is a search function for these forums (didn't see one) I'd be happy to use that too Go to the Alliant website and find the data for Unique and Bullseye. https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t2221-distinguished-revolver-loads-that-don-t-suck?highlight=distinguished+++%2Bloads, Load question on Penn Bullets for Distinguished load. Designed in 1898, the .38 Smith & Wesson Special cartridge went on . Many of these men had no real experience with the handgun, and we had but a few weeks to get them up to very high standards that most shooters will never reach. Im not recommending that you carry the Bullseye load, but dont feel as if you are going to tactical purgatory for enjoying this load, either. Thanks to all for the info. I wish Id had a commercial version of this load in my ammo allocation when we were tasked with getting classes of students up to special operations standards with the issue custom 1911s. There seems to be a dearth of information using WST powder for the 38 Spl cartridge. Boolit Grand Master. Im a big fan of .32 revolvers, I do think they are a superior choice for carrying and shooting than .38 is, but that doesnt mean I think .38 or .357 sucks, I just dont think theyre the best choices for a small frame revolver. I bought a Ruger Alaskan in 454 Casull last year ahead of a hunt up in Wyoming. As for the load ya the 158gr will probably take a little more, but your gun will tell you how much more.. THAT TIME IS BETTER SPENT LEARNING HOW TO SHOOT THE REVOLVER IN THE RAPID FIRE PORTION. Accurates No. Currently using Titegroup, but started out with, and loaded many thousands of rounds, with Bullseye. Congratulations on spelling loath right. Hence the lack of load data from just about anybody. Thats not quite how that works. These are hand loads.. load data was published in Lyman 50th edition.. The plated bullets feed nicely through my bullet feeder. Load it using wadcutter specs, and seat the bullet flush, like a wadcutter. I found some data for 148 and 158 gr bullets but no published data on the 125s. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. 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. A chameleon depending on your loads and the barrel length or action its fired from. IIRC, the NRA Action Pistol power floor is a "factor" of 125, which requires a full 1,000 fps for 125-gr bullets. Ive probably picked up 300 cases of .38 the past few months and will continue to grab them as I see them, but whats nice is I can shoot more and put that money towards brass for .32 or .45 Colt, stuff that I never see at the range. . Two years into my second century a Colt MK IV Series 80 LTWT Commander 45 ACP still delivers the big medicine, but I have become enthralled with a new wheel gun- a Charter Arms Professional 32 H&R Magnum. 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). 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. These are put into a large hydraulic press and extruded into a continuous coil of wire. I carry my M642 extensively, but I only shoot it occasionally because it is a snappy little b!tch with standard loads. 38 spl.s. Although the .357 cylinders are the same length so they can be timed to a 642. Hornady Its worth mentioning that loaders do all kinds of obsessive rituals to squeeze the groups down. We've got some great loads for 158 coated and plated semi wadcutters, and we're trying something new. I've tried Berry's plated as well as Remington. I think you will find since the .38 special is headspaced on the rim your case length is very important to achieve your best accuracy. Im also impressed by the apparent durability of your Airweight J-frame. 300 Blackout Fine-Tuning: Finding the Right Barrel Length for Your Rifle. I cannot begin to fathom shooting 20,000 rounds out of that revolver! 10 for a full cylinder. The 4.0 grain load is relatively mild recoil and was accurate. Min Charge Max Charge Optimal Charge Bullet Make Bullet Type Primer Notes; Hodgdon - 700-X: 125 gr. .38 Special (Alliant Data) Warning! As you move up in loads, you at least need the gas check on the bottom of the bullet to prevent gas melting the lead and fouling the barrel. I have found that some powder coated bullets which are the same weight as lead, feel quite punchy out of the gun. Soft shooting. I have tried several different grips before finding the one that worked for me. 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.) Thanks for the start load Power Pistol will run lower pressures for the same velocity than W-W 231. Stylish But Serious: Kimber Super Carry Pro, Survival Savvy: Gearing Up for the Next Level, Force Multiplier: Knife and Gun Integration. This wire is then fed into a machine called a cold header. Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 9 customer ratings. A gun on you always works better than the gun left at home. A Forum dedicated to the sport of Bullseye shooting, Bullseye-L Forum::Ammunition Discussion, byPacFltShooter Wed Oct 28, 2020 9:00 am, byPacFltShooter Wed Oct 28, 2020 5:36 pm, byPacFltShooter Wed Oct 28, 2020 6:46 pm, byPacFltShooter Wed Oct 28, 2020 8:45 pm, byPacFltShooter Wed Nov 04, 2020 4:50 pm. I have the shrouded hammer version, the 638, and have been wary of training much with it because of its aluminum frame. I prefer the slower burning Unique, and I also use it for .357 magnum, just more of it. VV N320, N330 and N340 are products of VihtaVouri Oy Company The 158 gr cast plain base accuracy load was 4.0 gr 231 which gave 837 Fps and 15,900 psi. Biggest problem I had was the lubricating cases for sizing and then cleaning them afterwards, I guess grit was somehow scratching the cases after getting stuck in the lube. These were one each in .45 ACP, .38 Special, and 9mm. If all you practice with is the easy comfortable stuff, its not really practice. I can usually keep 1.5" groups with it at 25 yards if I do my part. Bullseye and NRA Distinguished Revolver The .38 ammo is more common to find than the .44 ammo, so that is a big reason to reload the .44. That one Ill keep. Ok, will the bullet easily pass thru the cylinder throat, if so, you need the next larger size bullet dia. No offense sir but those charges look low for Unique. Many people tend to poo-poo .38 Special (standard pressure) for self-defense as being somehow underpowered. Bullseye, Unique and 2400 are products of Alliant (formerly Hercules) Powders. As example, 5.8 6.0 grains UNIQUE with a 125 grain HP in a snub nose .357 revolver. June 13, 2016 in 9mm/38 Caliber. As I said I am not familiar with your frame and suspect it is one of the latest models out by Smith. A Tyler T grip would have helped here, but is incompatible w/ factory grips. 357 Magnum 35,000 And yes I appreciate them for a hunting gun because of their fine accuracy and find trigger pulls (older classic guns). Bonus is that dont need magnum Primers for these reloads. Reduce by 10% to establish a starting charge weight. Discussion: Bullseye is a faster burning powder and some people feel better suited for the .38 special. In a nutshell & I mean very short version. Just look for a lead remover tool with bronze screens. 9mm 125 grain RN Lead Hard Cast Bullet. Bullseye 3.2gr / 763fps --> 4.2gr / 892fps (max) Unique 4.3gr / 773fps --> 5.3gr / 944fps (max) 231 3.9gr / 733fps --> 4.8gr / 896pfs (max) These are out of a 5.5 inch barrel Edited June 25, 2016 by jschweg Dr. Phil Classifieds 712 The .38 with careful selection of components can be the cats as* for almost any shooter. I use Bullseye powder but it's about the same burn rate. 7.8 gr Blue Dot 1,170 fps 1.43" Fed 100 Alliant Suggested starting load: 7.0 gr Pressure: 15,700 4.5 gr Bullseye 1,085 fps 1.43" Fed 100 Alliant Suggested starting load: 4.1 gr Pressure: 14,900 I favor the appearance of the C/T load and find it slightly easier to grab and orient in the loading process. 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. Therefore, .38 Special +P ammo can be as much as 17.5 percent hotter than standard .38 Special. These are the bullets I bought: 158 gr from Roze dist. Recoil is subjective and I feel no difference between that and an 750-775 fps load. For those folks shooting a lot of lead bullets, invest in a Lewis lead remover. No more lead in the barrel or on my hands. Wife handled it with no problem, those 5 Super Vel had been in the gun probably over 5 years by then, she bought it to CARRY, not to shoot, if she needed to fire it to save her life it would be fine. I load a hard cast 125gn for my 38 special all the time. Any discussion of Bullseye is incomplete without mentioning a few of the downsides. There really is a recently developed technology that prevents leading, while eliminating messy lubricants. While I wish I could carry a 5 .45 WITNESS with several 10 round mags, as a senior citizen, the S&W J frame is my user friendly alternate. I once rented a Ruger LCR in .38 Special. The Model 19 is fine with .38s but mildly uncomfortable with .357s. There are many fun uses for buckshot. 110gr JHP! I keep it under my seat in case I get an unwanted intruder and I cant get to my IWB semi auto. http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/Powder.aspx?powderid=1, I also have the Berry's 125gr plated flat point bullet and I am trying to find a min and max load with unique powder. I did 400 rounds in one afternoon on my Hornady progressive. 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). I started reloading 38 special as my first cartridge 8 years ago when I was 22, soooo.I have an old mans soul? I had ammo for some friends as low as 600 fps. DISTINGUISHED LOADS SUCK - Distinguished Revolver loads that don't suck? Only if you see more than one load, is it less than maximum. The 38 Special Ball round was designed a long time ago to comply with specifications laid down for ammo that was : 1) Compliant with the Hague Accords of 1907 in regard to "unnecessarily" injurious ammunition. The quality of the loads equals a bargain. .38 special has got to be one of the best calibers there is . Read my very long thread about "DR loads that don't suck". Have you all found different seat depths to work better than what's in the manual? I started loading .38s with a Lyman nut cracker and a home made measure for Bullseye over 65 years ago. And.those Hornady 158 HPs are easy to reload but I have never had one open up in a varmint of any sort. It's given me good results in the 2, 3 and 4 inch barreled. I miss those days. You cannot paste images directly. The floor does not apply for PPC, or the equivalent match for Action Pistol. Hollow points are not. The .38 Special is the most popular of all centerfire revolver cartridges. There are so many new powders today, its hard to keep up. Click there and go to the load data lookup section . Good job on you! Alliant listed 3.6 gr Bullseye as maximum (15000 psi) in 38 Special and 3.8 as max in 38 Special PLUS P (17000 psi) with 158 LSWC bullets. I don't have a chronograph, but have considered picking one up. Your experience is definitely motivation for me to give my J-frame more range time! Would .44 Special be somewhat similar to .38, in terms of ease of reloading, case life, etc.? http://www.adi-powders.com.au/handloaders-guide/equivalents.asp. September 2015 S.W.A.T. All newly manufactured .38 Special revolvers must be proof tested to the same higher proof . 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. is limited to either the various Charter Arms models, or as a training/target load in a .44 magnum size handguns. Not in that order. 38 Special Loads for Bullseye by GerhardG Sun Jul 17, 2022 11:01 am Greetings, Looking for load suggestions for 38 special LSWC 158 grain SNS bullets, red coated based on the following powders; Bullseye, Unique, N310 and N320. ES 27 SD 12 Independence 130 grain FMJ round nose MV 892 fps ME 230 ft./lbs. Load shot well out of a variety of service handguns. Load with 38 S&W data. Your email address will not be published. Only need cast when driving up to 1200 fps or so. Allgoodhits Posts : 726 Join date : 2017-09-17 Location : Northern Virginia Like Loads for .38 S&W: This short, little cartridge has been around since the 1870's and was most common in the "break-top" models. (See note on Powders below or read all about various Powders.). IMR 3031 and IMR 4895 are products of IMR (formerly DuPont) Powder Company. IMHO .38 special is just fine for self defense, but just not enough to crack engine blocks. Josh Wayner is a Michigan native, active competitor, Grand Valley State University alumni, troublemaker, and fiction author. If you havent taken a look at what the .38 Special offers, youre selling yourself short. A little shopping around might do better, as would casting the lead bullets. Go figure. YMMV. 3.8 gr. 5 are good choices. I'm guessing they still go bang, and leave the gun to go downrange. A light target load, which tends to be very accurate, is about 3.1 grains, with a 158 grain bullet. more weight than the similar size CA .44 Bulldog, were available, a lot more people would also like the .44 spl. Does anyone have experience with loading WST for 125 gr plates bullets or a place to start the research/testing? I have two editions of it from different years that have that data. Modern .38 spl std HP load is more than enough, dont over think it. Great article & thread!!! Is it more bulky? I fired 3 Remington 125 SJHP 357s from a 340 and thought i had nerve damage in my hand. 38 special was also my first cartridge to reload, and one of my greatest loves for reloading to this day. 110gr JHP! It has been many years since I used a Lee Loader and a wooden mallet to reload 8mm Mauser. That sounds. My point being is I used the resources I have, looked elsewhere (The High Road, The Firing Line), and wanted to try here. I load these bullets to the edge of the shoulder and use anywhere from 3-4 grains of TB. Re: 38 special loads by GrumpyOldMan 11/10/2013, 4:23 pm IIRC, the NRA Action Pistol power floor is a "factor" of 125, which requires a full 1,000 fps for 125-gr bullets. Powered by Invision Community, 125 grain plated flat point in 38 Special. I use 3.2 gr Bullseye to push a 125 gr cast along at 750 - 775 fps in the 38 SPL from 5 and 6" barreled revolvers. Good thing I didn't go with the original powder charge I intended to use. The 9mm produces about 35,000 psi, COPYRIGHT 2021, THETRUTHABOUTGUNS.COM. for 38 special Brass collection is easy since it doesnt eject. Cartridge : .38 Special (SAAMI)Bullet : .357, 125, FP Rainier Useable Case Capaci: 20.320 grain H2O = 1.319 cm Cartridge O.A.L. in a belt holster at 4:00. Be careful !!!! For those who have issues using auto pistils, due ti arthritis or other medical issues with the hands an LCR or 642 is a great choice. Enough that the range Officer at my range recognized them because the muzzle blast made a distinctive cat whisker pattern at 8 and 10, and 2 and 4 o clock. I have several manuals and some say that this load is a low +p, some say it is not, but it is very accurate. I just bought a Lyman mold 160 round nose with a crimp groove. Now, you have to go to a range or have a membership and pay to fill the backstop with lead. This load chugs downrange at 750 feet each second and functions standard recoil springs with no issue. I am using this load in some .38 specials. Jacketed bullets are legal for DR, as long as they are 158 grain round nose or semi-wadcutter. * Great Cast Lead Bullet for IDPA. Youre describing Remington Multiball ammunition (R357MB)- I used to carry that stuff decades ago. I was just trying to get a general consensus of what other guys were using. And, oh yeah. I thought the DR program was NRA, not CMP. The mention of a Lee Loader somewhere above took me back to the good-old days. Like almost all pistol cartridges called ".38" the .38 Special actually takes .357" diameter bullets. 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. Ive saved all my .38 brass over the last couple of years for whenever I find time to get into reloading. Id pay at least a dollar to see it. .38 Special: What Ive Learned After 20,000 Rounds, Stacey Abrams Whopper: No one believes in eroding the Second Amendment, Scottsdale Home Owner Uses Shotgun to Stop Naked Home Invader Caught in His Childs Room [VIDEO], Liberty Ammunitions Innovative Personal Defense Rounds are Lighter, Go Faster, and Hit Harder. Oh, I practice with it. But one classic target load is not far behind the .38 wadcutter in its own reputation with target shooters: a 200-grain semiwadcutter bottling up 4.6 grains of Bullseye. 148-grain wadcutter brings accuracy that begs the shooter to test their limits. Loath and Loathe are different words that mean different things. 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. I've been using the same powders forever. The pistol or revolver of good quality is vital. The design of this modern revolver makes the SW guns seem archaic. These types of guns are not as strong as more modern solid frame revolvers. Replaced w/ Altamont laminated wood, and later w/ open- back Pachmayrs- the less-pronounced finger grooves fit me better. I have 125 grain jacketed bullets, Bullseye powder and CCI 500 primers. 5.) I'm looking for some recipes for 38 special for a 125 grain copper plated (like Berry's) flat point bullet using Unique, Bullseye, or W231. I recently picked up a 396 Nightguard and am a convert to the 44 Special! Thats what the Cavalry Board asked for over a century ago, and thats what weve got. The trigger has smoothed out over time. 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. Tim: The Lyman 49th edition lists the accuracy loads for their cast bullets. In my time with the cartridge, I have come to appreciate the mid to low end of the power spectrum and thus have made extensive use of Trail Boss powder and bullets such as Hornadys .358 158gr SWC. RN, 160 gr. I thought about trying 2.5 gr. Ive done the majority of shooting in .38 Special in my Smith & Wesson 642. We look at three classics: one each in .45 ACP, .38 Special, and 9mm. Thank you for the article. This pistol uses the .38 Special with a Remington wadcutter bullet seated flush with the case mouth. Display as a link instead, Generally, I'm looking for a load that produces accuracy from approx. I buy 158 SWCHP all the time.my main bullet. 4.0 gr. Case life is excellent, especially for mild loads. Bullets are .357 for jacketed and .358 for lead in diameter. Ammunition is available everywhere handguns are legal. I, like Spartacus, find the SAAMI recommendations an interesting spec for comparative purposes. Everyone here who has tried plated bullets including myself, have had disappointing results in accuracy. It seems to burn completely in the .38 and is not as critical as the faster powders like Bullseye. And this is a guy who normally trusted nothing but a 45 acp. Most modern revolvers chambered for .38 SPL are rated to +P, so there is room for error, but care must still be taken. Fast burning and consistent Economical and accurate Principal Purpose: Handgun loads Remarks: America's best known pistol powder. What sort of wildlife are you thinking would be a good application for this self-defense load? I meant to say NRA. Posted: 4/17/2014 10:53:09 AM EST. Lucky me. 9.) Its just two lubed balls on top of each other with the top ball roll crimped just past the hemisphere. Super cheap and easy to make and would likely be a very effective defense ammo against wildlife that might be a threat to me as the two balls will spread an inch or two from each other at close range. The other .38 Special is a 4 Colt Diamondback. 2.7 GR WST IS TOO LIGHT FOR THE 50 YD LINE. This represents a great start, and if thats all you do, youll still be far better off than the majority of the population. .38 Special is a lot more comfortable in a service size revolver like my Model 10. How Do I Choose Good Self-Defense Ammo For My Handgun? 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. A Forum dedicated to the sport of Bullseye shooting, Bullseye-L Forum::Ammunition Discussion. accuracy. The Speers do occasionally and the Magnus a little more. Winchester only published load for WST in 38 special using lead bullets if you look at the data for the 158 data the start load goes from 3.3 Gr and a max load of 3.7 Gr. Caveat: I have decided that I want to be prepared for threat scenarios that include stopping a terrorist or spree-killer (the odds of which I fully recognize is statistically zero). A bullet with a copper gas check or copper plating is best for INDOOR ranges to keep lead vapors out of the air. Minnesota. L6: 1.550 inch = 39.37 mm Barrel Length : 2.0 inch = 50.8 mm Powder : Hodgdon HP38 Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge, incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
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