38 info needed

[jhde69]

I have got to get back into reloading. I last reloaded in the mid 70's. Let work get in the way. I have some speer 160 grain jacketed soft point bullets but no powder or primers. What would you suggest.

[Skip Sackett]

What do you want to do with them? Punch paper, knock down elephants, what?

That will help us help you!

[125JHP]

There are a lot of good powders around nowadays to try. I like AA-5 & AA-7, N320 & N-340, Zip is anew one I have heard good things about, Old stand-bys like W-231, Unique and Bullseye are still available. There are a lot of people who swear by Tightgroup and others I havent tried.

Pretty much, its like a a candy shop.

[PH-2]

jh,

I just loaded 400 158 gr sjhp 38's. A very "+p like" load of 6.4 grn of vN-350, WSP. I shoot 'em in 357 revolvers. Very nice results in a 3" model 65. Light crimp, 38 brass.

Mike

[MMA10mm]

Originally Posted by jhde69

I have got to get back into reloading. I last reloaded in the mid 70's. Let work get in the way. I have some speer 160 grain jacketed soft point bullets but no powder or primers. What would you suggest.

If those are the SWC shaped half-jackets, Speer quit making them, so consider selling them here (there are some people looking for them), and using the cash to fund purchasing components. If your paper-punching or plinking, try plated bullets, as these type loads don't stress the bullet much and they're cheap.

[jhde69]

I guess I didn't tell you all I will do is punch paper. I think I used bullseye back then. The bullets I have are Speer, 38 cal, jacketed soft point. There are no numbers on plastic box. Thay are half jackets.

[ArchAngelCD]

My favorite .38 Special powder is W231/HP-38. It works very well for me. I have also used HS-6 and AA#5 for +P pressure loads.

[chief38]

The two classic 38 Spl. (old time) powders are W231 and Bullseye. I have recently been using Titegroup which is a more modern powder and supposedly less case position sensitive for cartridges that have a lot of empty space in them. It seems to work very well and IS consistent, although I will admit for all the years I used W231 & Bullseye, I had no problems either.

As far as primers are concerned, if you are just plinking paper and targets, I would buy any of the major manufacturer's small pistol primers that are on sale. Federal is usually the least expensive, and I have used Fed, Win, Rem and CCI - ALL with good results. The only thing I do not like about Winchester's is that they are no longer Nickel plated (strictly cosmetic) but I do like the color of the Nickel primers.

Chief38

[Skip Sackett]

J,

I guess with the "rest of the story", I would not load those bullets. Personal defense, hunting, yeah, then I would.

Because of their "uniqueness" I would put them up, will them to my prodigy and let them know that they may be a source of income in the future, or sell them and get into casting.

As for loading target loads for the 38spl, the choices nowadays for powders are fourfold what they were when you last loaded, although, there are NONE BETTER than Bullseye or Unique for what you are trying to do.

Here are two loads that have stood the test of time as well, both with a 158gr LRN or SWC. 3.5gr of Bullseye or 4.5gr of Unique. Either one will give you some nice target loads, more towards the top of 38spl data but good loads just the same. The 3.5gr Bullseye load has been loaded and shot a ton by this guy and his family. Even my 19 year old daughter that weighs short of 100lbs likes to shoot them in her M18 with a 6" barrel. Of course, she has bee shooting it since just after she got done teething on it!

What will you be shooting them out of? If you are going to be shooting them out of an alloy frame snubby, you might want to drop that load back to 3.0gr with that weight of bullet.

At any rate, hop back in there and get that press rolling!

[jhde69]

Will be running them thru my 10-5 2in bbl,13-1,66,14, ect. j

[jhde69]

Also I have some cci primers from the 70's. Can thay still be used?

[Skip Sackett]

Yes. Just make sure you keep an eye on a squib. Fast shooting drills especially.

[125JHP]

Originally Posted by Skip Sackett

J,
Either one will give you some nice target loads, more towards the top of 38spl data but good loads just the same. The 3.5gr Bullseye load has been loaded and shot a ton by this guy and his family. Even my 19 year old daughter that weighs short of 100lbs likes to shoot them in her M18 with a 6" barrel.

Now THAT I would like to see !!!

[125JHP]

I also recommend you keep those 160 soft points for SD or Hunting and not burn them up on targets. I would buy some 158gr copper plated lead (CPL) such as Berry's, Rainier or others. Then get a few different powders to try and work up 2 basic loads.... 1 easy target load for every day plinking and the other much hotter for those SD and Hunting loads. Once you have the right load worked up I would then load SOME of those 160's and test a couple then put them back for that special occasion. Of course you would need to be a little considerate of the powder charge going from 158 to 160gr depending on where you are along the pressure curve and which powder you are using and also since you would be going from lead plated to jacketed bullets. As a general rule, and there is much debate over this, when using CPL bullets you use upper range lead data to lower range jacketed data. Said another way, Don't use any load over lower-mid range jacketed data as Max for CPL.

[jhde69]

Thank all of you for the information. I had better get to the city and pick up some powder and a reloading book.

[Skip Sackett]

Originally Posted by 125JHP

Now THAT I would like to see !!!

Sorry, M14!

Typing faster than I was thinking! DUH!

[dirty gary]

A few data books is where I'd start. I like to compare data from a bullet company (Speer,Hornady...) with a powder company (Hodgdon,Win...). Loads are usually milder from a powder company (safety) than a bullet company (performance). Then you can make an intelligent decision on starting loads. Welcome back and have fun.

[jhde69]

Thank you for your input. I would not have thought about both types of books.