Quote:
Originally Posted by cjw3
The Lyman Handbook 45th Edition lists 5.4 grains of Unique as a max load with a 158 grain cast bullet in .38 Special. I loaded a lot of them back in the late 70's and it is a good load. Recently, I went back to it using a SWC bullet that actually casts out at around 154 grains. I have chronographed it from my Model 60-7 at 880 fps. (The data was tested for the Manual in a 6" K-.38; reported velocity was 1000 fps.) I will eventually check it out in my 8 3/8" 14-3, and would also like to try a reasonable load of 2400 in that long tube as well. Good luck.
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Using the Lyman 358156 HP, I got back to the range last week and checked out the above load of Unique from my 8 3/8" 14-3. A 10-shot average was 1019 fps, so a gain of only 140 fps in 6"+ more barrel. That didn't surprise me since Unique is faster burning and more suited to shorter barrels. I also tried out 2400 using an 11.0 grain load (max) also recommended in the Lyman 45th Edition. A 10-shot average with that was 1109 fps. There was a little unburned powder, but not enough to worry about. The cases ejected easily and the primers appeared normal. I fired a few of them at small objects on the berm at 60 yards and based on the dirt they threw up they must have still been moving right along; accurate, too. I think I will keep some of those on hand from now on. .
I have a 42nd Edition of the Lyman Manual (copyright 1960). With the above bullet, they recommend 13.5 grains of 2400 but in "Heavy Frame Guns Only". My favorite load of 2400 with a 158 grain SWC in .357 Magnum is 14.0 grains (1216 fps from 4" 686), so I think they are right about that.
I love reading that old 42nd edition. There is a section where they have published customers' favorite loads and comments about same.
That was a different time
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