Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > Ammunition-Gunsmithing > Reloading
o

Notices

Reloading All Reloading Topics Go Here


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 01-30-2010, 09:14 AM
alphabrace alphabrace is offline
Member
38 spl and w231 38 spl and w231  
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: NE Indiana
Posts: 462
Likes: 7
Liked 17 Times in 13 Posts
Default 38 spl and w231

Hello,
I have some 125 hard cast lead bullets that I want to load with w231. This is my first time hand loading and I was going to start with 4.8 grains. I'm shooting a model 19, 4" barrel. Any thoughts? I also was wondering if a bullet is hard cast vs soft does the number of grains change? Thanks for your input!
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 01-30-2010, 09:30 AM
danski danski is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Default

I hope you have a good scale to check your loads and that you are religious about checking them.

WW 231 is an excellent powder for the .38 Special.

I suggest you lower your load from 4.8 to start with and see how things work out. With a 125 grain bullet, less powder is needed to achieve
a decent velocity, than with a heavier bullet.

Hard cast bullets do offer a bit more resistance, hence a need for more powder, than a swaged soft formed bullet. But still, I'd recommend you start at 4.0 grains.

I'm sure you have good loading manual, such as Speers, but if not run don't walk to getting one.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 01-30-2010, 09:48 AM
alphabrace alphabrace is offline
Member
38 spl and w231 38 spl and w231  
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: NE Indiana
Posts: 462
Likes: 7
Liked 17 Times in 13 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by danski View Post
I hope you have a good scale to check your loads and that you are religious about checking them.

WW 231 is an excellent powder for the .38 Special.

I suggest you lower your load from 4.8 to start with and see how things work out. With a 125 grain bullet, less powder is needed to achieve
a decent velocity, than with a heavier bullet.

Hard cast bullets do offer a bit more resistance, hence a need for more powder, than a swaged soft formed bullet. But still, I'd recommend you start at 4.0 grains.

I'm sure you have good loading manual, such as Speers, but if not run don't walk to getting one.
I do have a speers manual but they did not list w231 for 125 gram bullets. I have a $35 electronic scale to weight the powder etc. I was thinking also about getting the lee reloading manual since my equipment is lee stuff. Thanks for your input! BTW I will be loading 9 and hopefully 40 also.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 01-30-2010, 10:25 AM
FrankD45's Avatar
FrankD45 FrankD45 is offline
Absent Comrade
38 spl and w231 38 spl and w231 38 spl and w231 38 spl and w231 38 spl and w231  
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 541
Likes: 0
Liked 12 Times in 8 Posts
Default

I would take the advice offered by danski quite seriously. The loads listed in the Lyman 49th for a 125 grain jacket or lead bullet, top out at 5.1 grains of W-231 and they recommend a starting load of 3.9 grains. It is wise to start at 4.0 and slowly work up the load.

As far as loading manuals are concerned, if you are loading primarily cast lead the Lyman manual is about the most complete. Also, the Hodgdon online manual is an excellent source that includes IMR and Winchester powders in addition to the original Hodgdon brand. Here is a link. http://www.hodgdon.com/

I hope that helps,

Frank
__________________
sona si latine loqueris .

Last edited by FrankD45; 01-30-2010 at 10:28 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 01-30-2010, 11:47 AM
alphabrace alphabrace is offline
Member
38 spl and w231 38 spl and w231  
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: NE Indiana
Posts: 462
Likes: 7
Liked 17 Times in 13 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by FrankD45 View Post
I would take the advice offered by danski quite seriously. The loads listed in the Lyman 49th for a 125 grain jacket or lead bullet, top out at 5.1 grains of W-231 and they recommend a starting load of 3.9 grains. It is wise to start at 4.0 and slowly work up the load.

As far as loading manuals are concerned, if you are loading primarily cast lead the Lyman manual is about the most complete. Also, the Hodgdon online manual is an excellent source that includes IMR and Winchester powders in addition to the original Hodgdon brand. Here is a link. Hodgdon - The Gun Powder People

I hope that helps,

Frank
No problem starting at 4 grains, I prefer erroring on the side of caution! Thanks for your help!
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 01-31-2010, 12:01 AM
Wee Hooker Wee Hooker is offline
Member
38 spl and w231 38 spl and w231 38 spl and w231 38 spl and w231 38 spl and w231  
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: New England, USA
Posts: 4,468
Likes: 3,068
Liked 4,294 Times in 1,610 Posts
Default

I'd forget the Lee Load manual too. I've got one and it's pretty limited in it's listings for 38 spl IMHO. ( 45acp and 9mm too!) I'd go for a more comprehensive manual and /or the online manuals right from Winchester.

Since this is your first time loading I would suggest you load 12 ea with 4.0, 4.3 and 4.6 gr. ( Steer clear of anything near max load for now.)Then go the the range and shoot them groups of 6 on clean targets. Shoot one load at a time, off the bench so you can better gauge accuracy, recoil etc. One of those offerings should stand clear above the rest once you compare them.
__________________
Dave
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 01-31-2010, 08:53 AM
alphabrace alphabrace is offline
Member
38 spl and w231 38 spl and w231  
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: NE Indiana
Posts: 462
Likes: 7
Liked 17 Times in 13 Posts
Default

Thanks Wee and company...
Hopefully I can get to it today, its already 12 degrees outside!
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 01-31-2010, 11:56 AM
danski danski is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 316
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Default

12 degrees, huh!

I've found a lot of powders to be temperature sensitive, WW231 included.
The colder the ammo gets, the lower the pressure; conversely the hotter the weather, the higher the pressure. Most reloading manuals take this into consideration and woe to the poor chap who goes beyond a manual's upper limit (THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE OF RIFLE ROUNDS) in the winter and then takes the same ammo out into the sun during August.

What I'm trying to warn you about is that if you take your handloads out into the cold and they sit out for awhile, you might think that the loads are way under.

I love to watch shotgunners in zero weather or below freezing weather; even their factory loads sound more like POOF than BANG.

Just a quick story from years ago: Our Olympic team was wondering why their .22s were erratic until some kindly Europeans issued them the .22 stuff that is especially made for use in the winter Alpine mountains.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
45acp, model 19, olympic, winchester

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
W231 Nevada Ed Reloading 24 01-03-2017 09:11 AM
W231 and BE-86 joe44va Reloading 9 01-03-2016 11:17 AM
VV 320 /W231 jculloden Reloading 9 01-11-2015 09:37 AM
WST vs W231 iouri Reloading 9 05-17-2014 06:57 AM
W231 and HP38 tgwillard Reloading 15 01-14-2010 01:15 PM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:43 PM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)