Good load for .38/.38+P in a 686+ 2.5"

[Nitrous SSC]

So I picked up a new 686+ with a 2.5" barrel and apparently this gun HATES my current loads. I'm using 125gr xtreme with 5.7/5.8 gr of Unique. I'm getting quite a bit of what looks like un-burnt powder and pretty ****** groupings. This load shot from my 686+ 6" is fantastic though.

What are some of your fav .38/.38+P loads for short barrel guns. Short barrel .357 mag recipe's welcome too.

The .357 load I'm using now shoots decently from the 2.5. 158gr with 8gr of Longshot.

[Nevada Ed]

Some medium slow and slow powders do a lot better and may
burn a little cleaner in 2.5" or shorter barrels if the bullet is.......
crimped in a cannelure .

Xtreme plated do not have a "Real" can on them and the friction
does not let the pressure build up in the case long enough to do
any good in better powder burns.

Try a faster flake powder like Red Dot or go to a fast ball powder and
you should see very few unburned powder flakes, if any.

[alwslate]

For +P loads with 125 gr JHPs in 38 spl brass try 6.0 grs of W231/HP38
In 357 mag brass use 8.2 grs of same. SPMP used with both. Far
better consistancy than with Unique.

[STORMINORMAN]

PLEASE ADVISE: What are your estimated fps on those two 125 GR JHP's in WIN 231 loads, 6 GR in .38 S&W Special cases and 8.2GR in the .357 Magnum brass?

Thanks! Just what info I was looking for...

[Nevada Ed]

That Unique load that you tried was a 98% factory +P loading in my steel J frame with
the old style win/rem SJHP bullet that hit around 880 fps with a 2" barrel.

Red Dot and Green Dot both hit 903, Universal 925 fps, w231 hit 840 fps and Bullseye at 890 fps.
My low was 777, the high 952 fps with 800x.

I did not push the envelope but you can with that 686 if you choose to do so.

A jhp with a real cannelure really helps get maximum speed out of a loading. Plated works better in pistols in all my test but they can be used for revolver target loads. Just that you might have a bullet pull if you don't have enough friction with higher loadings but it is a slim chance, with my medium light loads......
only one so far.

Good luck.

[chief38]

Buffalo Bore .38 Special HEAVY 158 grain +P LSWCHP-GC. Out of your 2.5" you should get about 1075 fps and almost 400 ft. lbs. of energy. MUCH more manageable than .357 Magnums and won't beat up on your gun at all. Very accurate and reliable load for SD, HD. Not ammo you would want to shoot for plinking as they are very pricy, but they are EXCELLENT for the purposes I have described above.

Speer .38 Special 135 grain +P Short Barrel Gold Dots are also an excellent SD, HD round with EXCELLENT expansion, reliability and accuracy. Again, too expensive for every day plinking.

For every day plinking and practice I would use personal reloaded ammo off of my own equipment.

The shortest barrel I shoot Magnums out of is a 3" bbl. Anything less than that is mostly blowing flames, recoil and loud loud noise down range with little to no advantage over the loads given above. .357 Magnums were really designed for 6" or longer barrels and perform OK in 4" and 5" tubes, but they were just not designed and offer little advantage in 2 and 2.5" tubes - IMHO at least.

[alwslate]

Originally Posted by STORMINORMAN

PLEASE ADVISE: What are your estimated fps on those two 125 GR JHP's in WIN 231 loads, 6 GR in .38 S&W Special cases and 8.2GR in the .357 Magnum brass?

Thanks! Just what info I was looking for...

Well I don't have a 2.5" barreled revolver like the OP but I
have chronographed them in the guns I do own. The 38 spl
load yields right at 900 fps out of my 1 7/8" S&W 60-7 and
the 357 load yields 1285 fps out of my 4" 28-2. The 357 load
could be increased to 8.5 grs according to manuals but I
haven't tried that load. Just a pure guess on my part would
be 1200 fps for the 8.2 load from a 2.5" barrel.

[Pointblank2U]

The hottest .38 Special +P, (from a major manufacturer), is the old Remington 125 grain +P Golden Saber. It also has a bullet shape that makes it easier to use in speedloaders.

[ankona]

For a target load I played with the Zero bullet 158 gn jacketed hollow point. Worked up a bunch of loads and found 4.3 gns WIN 231 provided the best groups.

[Nitrous SSC]

I do crimp pretty tight. The data I found for unique showed 5.7 max for .38 special and 6gr max for +P.

I've thought about trying Tite Group since it burns quickly and shoots well from my compact semi-auto's.

[fredj338]

My 38sp +p snub load is with a 158gr lswchp using the same 5.8gr of Unique. Runs fine in my 66, no appreciable unburnt powder.

[MarkDozier]

check your crimping. If it is to tight you will get just what you discribed.

[shovelwrench]

Power Pistol and a 158..... DONE

[Vortec MAX]

I second Power Pistol for full power (+P) loads. It worked best for me from a 2" snubbie, and I tried A LOT of different powders. Bullseye was actually my favorite powder for plinkers. WIN 231 was not too bad, but not as good as Bullseye for plinkers, or Power Pistol for full power loads.

Unique was off the charts bad, even with magnum primers.

Mike

[Hook686]

I shoot a M&P 340 lite weight .357 magnum, 1-7/8" barrel. I have tried many loads in it.

3.7 grains Bullseye with 96 grain LRN 660 fps very soft recoil
PMC Starfire 125 grain .38+P HP 815 fps light recoil
Speer .38+P 135 grain GDHP 850 fps heavy recoil
6.2 grains Unique 158 grain SJSP 880 fps heavy recoil
9.0 grains Unique 125 grain JSP 1150 fps severe recoil
7.4 grains Unique 158 grain SJSP 930 fps heavy recoil
7.5 grains Unique 125 grain SJSP 980 fps heavy recoil
7.1 grains Unique 158 grain XTP/HP 990 fps heavy recoil
6.5 grains Unique 158 grain XTP/HP 960 fps heavy recoil
7.0 grains Unique 158 grain XTP/HP 990 fps heavy recoil
4.8 grains Unique 158 grain XTP/HP 750 fps light recoil
American Eagle 158 grain LRN 680 fps light recoil
4.0 grains Unique 158 grain LSWC 635 fps soft recoil


I carry the Speer 135 grain .38 +P loads and practice with the 6.2 grains of Unique with the 158 grain SJSP, or XTP/HP.

[Nitrous SSC]

Just a small update on this. I originally purchased the gun for my mom and she primarily has it so I didn't have much time with it. After shooting it some more with some other ammo something just felt wrong. Didn't want my mom relying on something that wasn't 100%. I noticed the barrel actually wasn't centered with the main frame. Knowing absolutely nothing about revolver assembly I called S&W and off it went to home base.

When you get them back they have very minimal noting but on the invoice it just said "replaced barrel/front sight". Got it to the range and with the same exact load it now does 2" groups at 7 yards with ease. It also brought in the groups from my Longshot loaded .357's too.

So the 5.7-5.8gr of unique topped with an xtreme 125 is still my fav pet load for accuracy and minimal recoil. Also does well with bowling pins.

[Mikeinkaty]

I've been shooting coated lead 125 grain bullets in my 3" using 5.5 grains of Titegroup. Start at 4.0 and work up. Titegroup is relatively fast. I video'd shooting 7 rounds and only one round showed a muzzle flash. That indicated to me that all the powder was burning within 3".

6 grains was to much for me so I backed up to 5.5. I think 4 was the most accurate. But anything in the red is good for me. ��

[TAROMAN]

Originally Posted by shovelwrench

Power Pistol and a 158..... DONE

^^^^THIS^^^^

[cowboy4evr]

For many years I favored IMR 4756 for the " hot " loads in 38spl and 357 magnum . But since it has been discontinued I had to make a few changes . I am currently using HS-6 , though not current load data . My std " everyday powders " though are still WSF in 357 magnum , WST in 38spl . For those 38+P and +P+ loads , hard to beat Alliant 2400 .
I have a gas checked 180 gr WFN cast bullet that is a real " thumper " loaded for a 38spl+P load .

[Jupiter01]

5.5 gr. Unique, 4" 860 fps 150-158 swc. Very nice to shoot.

[franzas]

(in .38)

my SD practice load (+P) is a 158 hardcast over 6.3 grains of PP. It's a load I found on here that was published in handloader magazine with the intent to mimic the FBI load. Mine gets 980 fps out of my 2" 10 and 1100 out of my 4" 64.

For something heavier for in the woods, I came up with a heavy-for-caliber load. It's a Hunter's Supply 190 flatnose hardcast over 5 grains of PP. It clocks 925 out of my 4" 64. Very comfortable to shoot, even with a heavy bullet. I'm not seeing any pressure signs, but I didn't want to venture too far since there's no data for 190 gr .38 loads. I'm happy with 925.

I'm in the process of deciding on a "standard" .38 load (158 at 850 from a 4"). I've got 4 loads that are too close to call. On to the 4th round of accuracy testing...

Next would be to develop a 148 WC load.

[iPac]

Originally Posted by Nitrous SSC

Just a small update on this. I originally purchased the gun for my mom and she primarily has it so I didn't have much time with it. After shooting it some more with some other ammo something just felt wrong. Didn't want my mom relying on something that wasn't 100%. I noticed the barrel actually wasn't centered with the main frame. Knowing absolutely nothing about revolver assembly I called S&W and off it went to home base.

When you get them back they have very minimal noting but on the invoice it just said "replaced barrel/front sight". Got it to the range and with the same exact load it now does 2" groups at 7 yards with ease. It also brought in the groups from my Longshot loaded .357's too.

So the 5.7-5.8gr of unique topped with an xtreme 125 is still my fav pet load for accuracy and minimal recoil. Also does well with bowling pins.

You just happened to get the factory canted barrel upgrade. No extra cost required. They really like to pass that feature on to their customers it seems.

My 629 made in '89 also had the canted barrel upgrade. However, I sent it to Frank Glenn to fix. Didn't trust the factory to touch a now collectible revolver.

I am just blown by how many instances of canted barrels I read about.