Hi all, this is my first post so sorry if this thread has been done before. I was just curious what kind of powder and what range of charges everybody else is useing. I'm currently using 3.7 grns of unique I'm my mod 10-10. Thank you in advance

I tend to shoot light 38 Special loads using Trail Boss powder. My powder puff load is 2.8 gr. Trail Boss, FSP and 158 gr. LRN bullet - accurate and very mild recoil.

3.2 gr bullseye was pretty nice out of my 19, 681 and pre-14.

Got some clays the other day, and i've got some loaded up and ready w/ 2.9 grains.

all using a 158 SWC

ETA: Welcome to the forums!

I get very good results with 4.5-5.0 gr Unique under a WW 358446 (Thompson SWC PB). M10, M64, M13, Colt OP.

Larry

Thanks for the replys and the welcome I'm currently very new to reloading and thought this would be a good place to learn from people more knowledgeable then myself and capt please let me know how the clays works out I bought some at our last gun show and haven't had time to load any up. And is bullseye any cleaner than unique I get good accuracy but would like to find something that won't turn my hands black after thanks again to all of u I see I made a very good choice joining this forum

I've found W231 powder works well for me, certainly cleaner than BE. With 158 gr swc cast I use 3.8 grains, with Hornady swaged bullets 3.5 to 3.7. You also may want to consider Hornadys 158 gr LRN with that same powder and loads. Got this (bullet recommendation) from Chief38 and it shoots well with virtually no leading. Powder Valley has good prices on Hornady, USPO shipping and fast service.

I like Bullseye better than Unique in light loads, and use a lot of it in 38 special. You will probably find Unique to burn more completely and cleaner in heavier loadings than what you cite -- at low pressures, it can be quite dirty and leave unburned flakes.

For light target loads I use 3.5 grains Bullseye and a 158 grain plated flat point bullet.

Nice clean load that has been accurate in any gun I've tried it in.

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For powderpuff loads I have been using 3.4 grains of W231. 4 grains is a nice light target load that is very accurate in my guns. I am using Hornady 158grn SWCHPs.

3.0 of 700x or 3.0 of Titegroup with 158 swc make nice powder puff loads in my 64-5!!


BW

I use 3.2 grains of Bullseye under a 158 SWC.

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

Derek.38
Unique is not at its best in light loads, it needs a certian amount of pressure to burn clean and get its best accuracy. I tried for years to work up a light load with Unique but its not going to happen. I got best accuracy with 5.0 grs. and 158 gr. cast bullet. I broke down and bought some Bullseye and this is just the ticket for target loads 2.7 grs to 3.0 grs can't be beat. The 5.0 grs of Unique is not a light load but a standard velocity load for 38 spcl. I have no idea how many I've shot out of my guns but it does not seem to have hurt them any. Bump up your charge to 4.5 to 4.8 grs of unique and see how that works......gary

I like Bullseye.It meters very uniformly. I only shoot 158gr bullets in all my revolvers, only have S&W.Have shot lead round nose and lswc. I load for revolvers and 45. I never trust memory!, always go back to my load data each time.

My default 158 LSWC .38 load is 4.0 grains of W-231. IMHO it provides reasonable accuracy with modest recoil...

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In my 10-6 3.5 gns of Bullseye under a 158gn bullet shoots very well and to point of aim.

158's with Lead SWC's?

4.2 grns Trailboss for D frame colts, 5.0 grns of Unique for most 38's 5.5 grns of unique for light 38/44's

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SWCA 1646

I use 4.2 grains of HP-38 with 158 grn. LSWC, ( 38 Match - Missouri Bullet Company). Great target load for my 10-5 pencil barrel, 15-4, and my Ruger Speed Six.

I'm with the HP 38/ 231 Guys,...4grs.

Rick

5.0grs of Unique and 4.0grs of HP38 work very well for me.

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Thanks to all of you looks like I need to increase the charge for unique or go try and find some bullseye its hard to find any powder around here unless you want to drive 30-45 minutes for it

My favorite .38 Special load is a 158gr LSWC over 4.0gr W231. That load shoots well in every revolver I've shot it from.

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SWCA #3437

Clays works as well as bullseye and seems cleaner. It doesn't meter as well in my LnL, but is good enough. I shoot a lot of bullseye, but have been using more clays lately. I like the smell of burnt clays better as well. 3.0-3.4 with the 158 gr lswc.

3.3 to 3.5gr Bullseye with 158 cast SWC for me.

Dennis.

Put my old reloading set back in service recently. Used "new" Unique at 4.5 with 158 gr home cast SWC for starting load that would be kind to an old M36 no dash This load shot really well in all 5 revolvers we had. My next batch was at 5.0 gr Unique-shot good -slightly more recoil-accurate. Didn't shoot these in old M36-need more info on pressures.

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My defense load is 4.7 gr Unique (I kinda like the smoke) with the speer or hornady LSWCHP. It generates 815 from a 2 inch barrel and is not too hard on my alloy Smiths or D frames, is very accurate in M15 and Trooper III, feeds nicely in my Marlin 94. I've loaded and shot a ton of these. I also came up with a light load to use getting my wife accustomed to the .38's--same 158 gr, and either 2.7 gr Trailboss or 3.5 gr Unique....both about 600 fs from a 2" and pleasant recoil....pretty close to POA of the other load. Enjoy.

My favorite powder for 158 gr lead bullets in 38 spl loads was and is
W452AA. 3.3-3.5 grs. I still have two pounds left and I wish it was
still made. It's replacement WST at 3.3 grs makes a nice plinking
load and Titegroup at 3.5 grs is good for a bit more velocity.

Skeeter Skelton recommended a cast lead 158-160 gr. SWC bullet over 5.0 gr. of Unique in a .38 Special case as a very useful full-power service level load. I've been using it for at least 25 years with complete success in all manner of .38 Special and .357 Mag. revolvers. HTH. Sincerely. brucev.

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As a new reloader I have no 158 gr SWC recipe to share with the OP, but I have really enjoyed reading these posts and just wanted to say "thanks" to all who have shared their information in this thread. I just picked up some of these bullets from my LGS this morning and was going to load some this evening, so this was great timing!

Me, too, but with HP-38 (same as W-231).

Wow, that is a lot of use using the same load! We all can't be wrong and I'm glad to see so many of us on the forum agree. That is a great load alright!

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SWCA #3437

Good info in this thread .

I have loaded many thousands of .38 Special with 150-grain cast semi-wadcutter, standard primer, and 3.0 grains Bullseye. Perfectly good load for routine practice in J-frame, K-frame, L-frame, and N-frame .38's and .357's. Also does a good job on cottontails, snowshoe hares, grouse, and ptarmigans.

I can't seem to make enough 158 LSWC with 3.3 grains of bullseye. I try to keep about 500 made up, but everytime I turn around there gone.

My standard 38 practice/general use load is 4.5grains Unique and 158grain LSWC. Shoots in my old Colts and all my Smiths like it. Been playing with a Model 10-5 4" pencil bbl and it loves this load. I've always been a snob when it came to Model 10s, but this load in the above mentioned 10-5 is a hoot. Unique is dirty but when the powder shortage went down a coupla years ago I bought an 8 lb keg. My 44 Spl and 45ACP like Unique also.

Order some commercial cast bullets they are cleaner and nicer to work with and shoot just as well as swaged bullets, usually cheaper.

I agree with BW64, 3.0 Titegroup with 158gr. Very popular in our PPC league. But you can't go wrong with 231 or Bulleye, I would use them if I did not have access to 8 LBS keg of TG at a good price :-) I use 158gr bullets from PD.

Regards,
Guy-

Derek, Welcome to the Forum! I mostly use 3-3.2 gr. Clays, w/158 gr.LSWC bullet. Clean load, low recoil. My loads do magic! (they disappear) For good info, on handloads etc. try handloads.com Bob

Hi,
I have two different loads with SWC bullets, both with VV powders. For an easy to shoot plinking load I use 4.0 grs N320 with a 158 SWC plated bullet, for a full service load I use 5.2 grs N340 with the same bullet. Both deliver match grade accuracy out of my 27-3 4".

regards
Ulrich

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My plinking load is 4.5 grains of unique behind a 158 grain SWC. My buisness load is 5.0 grains unique behaind a 158 grain LHPSWC. I believe I read somewhere that the old FBI load would be duplicated by 5.4 grains of unique behind a 158 grain LHPSWC. I would advise you to work up to these loads while looking for signs of high pressure. I don't mind powder residue all over the gun and my hands. It makes me feel like I've been shootin.

I cast my own 160gr wfn and shoot a standard load of 5.0gr Unique. Use it in my Blackhawk and my 637 and wifes LCR, stiff but comfortable. I trust it for anything where we hike.

Outside of the Unique and BE loads listed I shoot 4 gr of AA2 with 150-160 gr WC or SWC.

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I'm a little surprised. Usually in the "what loads are you folks using?" threads several people respond with "buy a good reloading manual". So far in 40 responses, no one has recommended that.

It still seems like a good idea.

Do any of the posters using 4g W231 have chrono data with the 158g lead bullet? I'll be shooting a 686 chambered in 38 spcl 6" barrel. I'd like to use N320 but its pricey and I already have 8 lbs of W231.

I've shot thousands of rounds loaded with a 158 cast SWC and 4.5 Gr. Unique. For a just under +P load 5.0 of Unique is great. I use Bullseye for the 148 grain wadcutters 3-3.2 grains. TightGroup burns very hot and has caused leading issue with any cast bullets, so I use it with plated or jacketed only.

I just loaded up a starter load for my father to try in his S&W 686:
4.0gr of Unique with 158gr cast LSWC, using Remington 38 +P nickle cases, and CCI#500 primers.

4.0 grs 231 under a 158 gr SWC chronographs an even 800 fps
in my S&W md 10-5 with 4" barrel.

welcome to the Forum. good page to ask a que here so many shoot .38s.
my favorite is Red Dot for target loads. a flake powder usually burns cleaner and less flash than a grain powder my loads are around medium power. RDot is a peaky powder so watch overloads. can't recollect grain charge I use.
if you have any RDot to try get an Alliant data book or go online for info.

My dad shot competitively in the 60's, 70's and 80's and loaded the 158 grain HBWC (hollow base wad cutter) using 2.7 grains of bullseye. I now have his Star reloader and it is set only for 2.7 grains. As I also recall, Star Reloading in Indianapolis also loaded their match ammo this exact way. I believe that the 2.7 grains of bullseye behind the 158 grain HBWC to be the standard for Bullseye shooting.

3.6 grains of w 231 under lswc copper plated 158 grains bullet.

4.2 grains of unique under lswc copper plated/epoxi 158 grains bullet.

the wheelguns are a 10-5 2" barrel, a 10-10 4" barrel and a 686-2 4" barrel.

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Great thread.....

A 158gr lead bullet with 5.4grs of Unique in a K frame is a
very nice +P load and usually very accurate but if by chance
you are shooting a ................


J frame, snub nose at 16 to 20 ounces, most of us are happy with 5.0 grs and a few can handle the 5.2 grs that is very close to Remingtons +P loadings ........and is all the recoil that I can handle for quick repeated shots,on target.

For practice loads you can't do much better than 4.0grs of
w231 or HP38 powder unless you happen to find a bottle of Trail Bosss that was made just for lead bullet loads in the
38 spl for nice light target loads.