SmithSwede
Member
I have an old Regulation Police in .38 S&W with a 4" barrel, in excellent condition, perfect bore, zero rust, zero end-shake. Here are the results of some load testing at the range today with this little gun.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS DATA APPEARED TO WORK IN MY GUN, AS DEMONSTRATED TO THE RISK OF MY GUN, MY HANDS AND MY EYES. I DON'T WARRANT THESE LOADS AS SAFE IN YOUR GUN--HECK, THEY MAY NOT BE SAFE IN MY GUN!!!!!!!
New Starline .38 S&W brass was used. Soft bees' wax and moly grease lube was used for all bullets except the Star HBWC. All bullets were seated very long--the grease groove was just beneath the edge of the case mouth, with most of the bullet sticking waaaaay out of the case.
1) Star 148 gr. .38 Special match grade HBWC, 2.50 WW 231, average velocity 580 fps. (very accurate, less than 1" groups at 16 yards).
2) Lyman 358311 RNL, cast with wheel weights, actual weight 162 grains, sized .359"---2.50gr 231, av. vel. 695 fps. (very accurate)
3) Lee SWC, cast with wheel weights, actual weight 143 grains, sized .359"--- 2.60 gr 231---av. vel 715 fps. (accurate, but not to the same degree as the HBWC)
4) Lyman 358156 Ray Thompson SWC, without the gas check, actual weight 160 grains, 3.4 grains Unique, 755 fps. (average accuracy, about 2" at 16 yards; seemed to lead the bore, perhaps because of no gas check)
5) Missouri Bullet Company, Cowboy #11, 158 gr RNL, advertised Brinell hardness 12----3.4 grains Unique, average velocity 805 fps. (very good accuracy)
Interesting fact: some of these loads equal or exceed a +P .38 Special in a 2" snubbie.
For example, I have previously tested a Remington +P .38 Special 158 LSWCHP "FBI Load" in a 2" Colt Detective Special, and the average velocity was 764 fps.
I am tempted to pull some of the Remington LSWCHP bullets, seat them in the S&W brass over 3.4 grain of Unique and see how they do.
PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS DATA APPEARED TO WORK IN MY GUN, AS DEMONSTRATED TO THE RISK OF MY GUN, MY HANDS AND MY EYES. I DON'T WARRANT THESE LOADS AS SAFE IN YOUR GUN--HECK, THEY MAY NOT BE SAFE IN MY GUN!!!!!!!
New Starline .38 S&W brass was used. Soft bees' wax and moly grease lube was used for all bullets except the Star HBWC. All bullets were seated very long--the grease groove was just beneath the edge of the case mouth, with most of the bullet sticking waaaaay out of the case.
1) Star 148 gr. .38 Special match grade HBWC, 2.50 WW 231, average velocity 580 fps. (very accurate, less than 1" groups at 16 yards).
2) Lyman 358311 RNL, cast with wheel weights, actual weight 162 grains, sized .359"---2.50gr 231, av. vel. 695 fps. (very accurate)
3) Lee SWC, cast with wheel weights, actual weight 143 grains, sized .359"--- 2.60 gr 231---av. vel 715 fps. (accurate, but not to the same degree as the HBWC)
4) Lyman 358156 Ray Thompson SWC, without the gas check, actual weight 160 grains, 3.4 grains Unique, 755 fps. (average accuracy, about 2" at 16 yards; seemed to lead the bore, perhaps because of no gas check)
5) Missouri Bullet Company, Cowboy #11, 158 gr RNL, advertised Brinell hardness 12----3.4 grains Unique, average velocity 805 fps. (very good accuracy)
Interesting fact: some of these loads equal or exceed a +P .38 Special in a 2" snubbie.
For example, I have previously tested a Remington +P .38 Special 158 LSWCHP "FBI Load" in a 2" Colt Detective Special, and the average velocity was 764 fps.
I am tempted to pull some of the Remington LSWCHP bullets, seat them in the S&W brass over 3.4 grain of Unique and see how they do.
