Since the weather in Ohio is still too ****** to shoot outside much, it is brass processing and load work-up time.

I now use 135 Gold Dots in my 38 Spl. defense loads for a variety of reasons.

That said, I have used the FBI load a lot, including Cor-Bon and Buffalo Bore. C-B and BB both have very stout recoil when fired out of a light weight J-frame. More than I like, and more than my wife can handle. This is part of the reason for changing to 135 GD's.

I am doing more load development for .38 Special and am using BE-86 and CFE pistol, among others. Thought I would try those powders with 158 LSWCHP's just for old times sake.

While researching these loads, I reread this thread very closely. After rereading, and since I am going to be testing CFE Pistol, I did a linear regression analysis for CFE and 158 XTP's from Hodgdon's current manual. Here is what I found:

CFE Pistol, 158 XTP, 7.7" barrel:

4.6 gr., 816 FPS, 13,600 PSI Tabulated
5.0 gr., 914 FPS, 16,200 PSI Tabulated
5.4 gr., 986 FPS, 18,500 PSI Tabulated (+P)

5.6 gr., 1034 FPS, 20,000 PSI Extrapolated (+P)

7.5 gr., 1440 FPS, 31,400 PSI Extrapolated (.357 Mag. level)

Please note that these results are with a 7.7" test barrel and jacketed bullets. YMMV.

I am a P.E., mechanical engineer, and have been reloading since 1978.

As an aside, Dr. Fackler's research on the FBI load in the late 1980's seems to indicate that the optimum combination of penetration (12" - 18") and expansion (0.5" - 0.6") for both bare and clothed gelatin occurs with a muzzle velocity of about 875 - 900 FPS. I am shooting for (bad pun intended) about 875 FPS from my 2" J-frames and will take what I get in everything else.

S/F,

RAS, P.E. (aka Walter)

__________________
A man's got to know his limita