I picked up a 642 and want to work up a plinking load for it. Don't really want to go the wimpy route, I'd like something with a bit of bite in case I'd ever need to use it for SD but still, it's mostly for practice.
My loading books are all over the place with the 158gr SWC(home cast) bullet in 38spl. Now of these loads are listed at +P specs so they'll all be fine in this gun and truth be told I could probably go hotter if I really wanted to but I don't see any need to.
Lee is the weakest at 3.8grs to 4.3grs max.
Lyman is next at 4.3grs to 4.7grs max.
Speer has the hottest at 3.4grs to 5.1grs max.
If I add the max Lee load and the Max Speer load and divide by two I get the Lyman load of 4.7grs which is basically in the middle of the other two loads.
Still, I'm loading my 40S&W Ctgs with 180gr SWC home cast bullets over 5.0grs of Unique so if I went with 5.0grs I could use the same setting on my Lee Perfect Powder Measure for both ctgs and not have to mess with things.
Do you guys think that 5.0grs of Unique under a 158gr SWC would be ok to run or should I back it off to 4.7grs? I'm just kind of stuck between going middle of the road(which is normally how I load) and close to full out with the 5.0gr load that would allow me to keep the same settings on my power measure.
Seems to me we always ran 5.0grs with a 158gr SWC back in the day but it's been so long I really can't remember.

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S&W M642-2,
ATI 1911a1, 4.25"

Well I have certainly have run 5 grains of Unique under a 158LSWC without any issues. I have even used that charge under the Rainier and other plated bullets as well.
Ran a bunch of them through a Rossi 88 .38 special and the gun is still working just fine.
I prefer to shoot 125JHP's with 4.5 grains of Bullseye.
Now that's a nice snappy load in a .38.

Bruce

Check out the Alliant site. They have a +P load listed for Unique. Within published loads or nit, don't forget to work up and pay attention to what YOUR gun is telling you.

Chubbs

That's why I wanted to stay away from +P loads for handloads in this gun, besides, with a non-hp, lead swc +P really isn't needed. I guess 5.0grs it is then, that should be good enough for messing around with and still be stout enough for "real world" practice and in case I ever needed to use them for SD. Yes, I know, NO handloads for SD, that's why I have Federal Premium 129grs HP's in my gun for SD. Still, if the S ever HTF it's nice to know that your practice ammo would still have a bit of umph to it for SD.

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S&W M642-2,
ATI 1911a1, 4.25"

The new Lyman cast #4 list for the 158 gr Cast 4.0 to 4.5 of Unique. So out of a 642 the 5.0 grs would be more than sufficient IMO.

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Still Running Against the Wind

5 grains of Unique is a standard load for .38 spl 158s. It has been a standard pressure(16,000CUP) since 1935. With my current lot of powder by measure is dropping 4.8 grains. The same setting gave 4.95 with my previous lot. 4.7- 5 gr Unique depending on lot has been my standard .38 spl loading for thousands of rounds. It doesn't strain anything but slightly outperforms most factory loads.

I shoot 158 gr. swc with 5 grs. unique in my model 642 as my range practice load and it does very well. I like to pratice with a load which is close to my carry load but a little easier on my gun and hand. I have not noticed any problems with this load in my gun, but can not comment on how it may work in yours, that you will have to judge.

This is some good info right there. Yep, IIRC we use to load up 5.0grs with a 158gr SWC back in the day and it worked great. This will keep things real simple in the powder dept. between my 38spl and my 40S&W, 5.0grs for both.

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S&W M642-2,
ATI 1911a1, 4.25"

I was getting mv's in the mid 900's with 5.0g Unique in a 4" Ruger Service Six. I was seating to the crimp groove which gave a seating depth of 0.380". That calculated to a peak pressure of 18.8 ksi which was above SAAMI spec but below 357 pressures where the gun was rated. I don't do that any more. I save the 357 pressures to the 357 cases. Probably not required, but certainly more reassuring.

I've been using 5.0 gr. of Unique w/ a 158-160 gr. cast lead SWC in .38 Special ever since I read it suggested by Skeeter Skelton in a magazine article about handloading the .38 Special. I've no idea how many round of that load I've fired... probably wheelbarrow loads. It is one of my favorite loads for use in the .38 Special. It has given routinely excellent results in my revolvers. Try it. You might like it. HTH. Sincerely. brucev.

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<><

Just checked my Alliant Reloaders Guide and they're saying 4.3grs with a 158 for standard and 4.5grs with a 158 for +P. These are the folks making the power, guess they'd know how to load it so I'm probably going to go with 4.5grs and see how it works out.
It still seems like 5.0grs was kind of our standard load back in the day but maybe with the "New" Unique it burns a bit faster or something, that may be why it's cleaner burning.

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S&W M642-2,
ATI 1911a1, 4.25"

I carry a 642 loaded with Speer 158gr LSWCHP/4.7 gr. Unique. I get 815 fps. As you pointed out, Unique data is all over the map....not surprising as it's been around over 100 years. This load is as hot as I can practice with, and not much. When it becomes too painful I go to a light load using the same bullet or the Hornady version over 2.7 gr of Trailboss. It's around 600 fs but hits close to the same POA.

5.0 grains of Unique with a 158 grain lead bullet strikes me as getting into +P territory. The Alliant web page seems to show 4.7 grains of Unique as the max. load for that bullet. So I'm thinking you would be getting into +P territory bumping up to 5.0 grains of Unique.

I also note that the starting load for .357 magnum with a 158 grain lead bullet is 5.4 grains of Unique (6.0 - 10%).

You might be OK with 5.0 grains, but I'd be concerned with the impack on the revolver over time.

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Hook686

See Post #5

You can probably go with 5 grs, but to what benefit??

Physics is physics.

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Still Running Against the Wind

Where's my Speer #8...?

My Speer #11 is 4.3-4.7grs and the top load isn't +P. I think I'll just split the difference and go 4.5grs and call it a day. Heck, for a practice/plinking load I could probably just go with the starting load of 4.3grs and be ok. Guess I'll have to load up a few 4.3gr loads and see how they work, if they're good then I'll stick with it if not I'll bump up to 4.5grs and give it a go.
That's the cool thing about handloading, you can taylor your load to the gun you're shooting. You don't have to be a slave to the Ammo Manufactures,LOL.

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S&W M642-2,
ATI 1911a1, 4.25"

I have another idea!

Ditch the flaming dirt (kinda like Blue Dot) and try HP 38/W 231 or heaven forbid Bullseye.

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Still Running Against the Wind

I've loaded and shot lead 158gr. LSWC over 4.2gr. of Unique for many, many years without any problems and great results.

Best of luck,

Dave

Think I may go min. load of 4.3grs of Unique under a 158gr SWC home cast to keep recoil down. Not that this little gun has a lot of recoil but it does smack your thumb real good with these hip grips on it. I'll probably end up getting a couple different types and styles of grips to try to see which cut recoil the most. I'd like it as easy to shoot as possible for my wife's sake.

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S&W M642-2,
ATI 1911a1, 4.25"

Frank, I've tried 4.3 gr and got 735 fps out of my 642. Noticeably more comfortable than 4.7 but they still buck pretty good out of the little gun. Also got 710 fps with 4.2 gr and 750 with 4.5 gr. I got back into handloading 3 years ago so I could come up with some light-recoiling loads for my wife to shoot in her Chief's special for practice. (I've branched out quite a bit since then.) Those 158's are gonna kick a bit in a 15 oz gun no matter what if you move them fast enough to qualify as a possible defense load. The wife can handle the 2.7 Trailboss loads...good for practice....and has shot my 4.7 Unique loads but didn't enjoy it. Those are what she keeps in the gun--if she needs to defend herself with it I don't think she'll be worrying about recoil. I also loaded up some 105 and 125 gr cast bullets before settling on the 158's. The lighter bullets shot too low to be of much use, but they didn't kick much. Good luck. Let me know if you ever get over to Gallatin. I'd be happy to give you some of my practice loads to try.

I don't do much traveling Ralph but thanks for the invite just the same. I think I'm just going to split the difference and go with 4.5grs and call it a day. After all, this IS just a practice load, no need to get real picky about it, just a good middle of the road load should be good enough. I might see if Lee makes a lighter bullet mold in the tumble lube style that I can give a try. Maybe something around 130grs. That should cut recoil velocities down a bit. Recoil isn't the problem, it's not like the gun is trying to buck out of my hand or anything, it's the velociety of the recoil that smacks your thumb real good that causes the trouble. I think a lighter bullet might help in that dept. Anyway, I need to cast some bullets today so I might not be on for a while.

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S&W M642-2,
ATI 1911a1, 4.25"

Using a hotter load than factory standard in a "J" Frame: what are we gaining other than addition wear and tear on the weapon?
An old maximin: If you desire more power-go to a larger caliber/weapon.

4.5 should be a good all-around load. Enjoy.

You know, I tried to tell a guy on the Beretta Forum that very thing. He's wanting to use +P+ in his PX4 Storm 9x19mm, I told him if he needed that level of power why not just step up to the 40S&W Ctg., he told me he liked having the extra rounds in the mag. Oh well, it's his gun, if he wants to ware it out shooting +P+ who am I to argue with him.
Yep, I think a good middle of the road 4.5gr load of Unique should work well with the home cast 158gr SWC Tumble Lube bullets.

As a rule I'll normally get a gun that has a bit more power then I need then load it down a bit so it's easier on the gun and on me. Had a Taurus 454 Casull, loaded it to about 44Mag specs., made it nice to shoot and fairly accurate too.

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S&W M642-2,
ATI 1911a1, 4.25"

It's pushing a +P load depending on the gun, but in a newer model or 357mag, shoot away.

According to my Alliant book 4.5grs IS +P but other manuals go to 4.7grs without it being +P. Unique loading data is all over the place and it gets kind of confusing sometimes. This little gun IS rated for +P but for a practice load I'd like to stay a bit mild so I may even drop back to 4.3grs and give that a try first.

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S&W M642-2,
ATI 1911a1, 4.25"