I have some coated bullets I got from Bayou Bullets. They are 138 gr. BNWC coated bullets. Trying to find a workable load using either 231 or BE. Anyone have experience with this bullet? What kind of OAL should I use?

I like Bayou's bullets in my 1911 45 acp. For the 38 special BNWC's I have had good success with 3.00 grains of bullseye. with the flat base or bevel base (not hollow base) you have a pretty flexible range of powder amount so you could try as much as 3.5 grains of bulleye but I would try 3.00 grains.

I use those bullets. I'm getting very nice groups at 50 yards with them. The best groups (in my guns) are around 920 fps.

Loaded 10 for test; 5 for my 19-3 snubby and 5 for my 36 snubby. shot very well both guns at 7yds. Load: 2.7 gr. BE using an OAL of 1.257. Mild recoil , which is nice for my "old" hands.

Thanks,
Mick

FWIW; I loaded up some ammo for my house gun, a 3" 38 Special, using coated 148 gr DEWC from Acme bullets, over a pretty darn close to max. load of W231. They crony at just under 900 fps and the flat nose should inflict some real damage on any flesh I would have to use them on. Haven't tried them at much more than 8-10 yards, and they aren't too hard on the shooter.....

I would go with 2.7 to 3.0 grains of Bullseye. Load so the leading edge of the bullet body is flush with the case mouth, or very slightly below it. That will leave the button nose protruding slightly.

Not much data on that light of a wc. i would use data for a 148 button nose wc. You won't over charge a 138 gr bullet with data for a 148.

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For target work,try to push it at around 750fps which means that you can use the 148 gr cast bullet data with a 0.2 to 0.3gr increase.The bullet being lighter,it will create less resistance behind it so as to give more time for the pressure buildup behind it.This explains the light powder increase over the 148gr data.

You have a Button Nose WC bullet that is coated and ten grains lighter
than the standard 148gr BNWC bullet from many bullet makers.

Any 148gr lead data will work with your bullet from your loading manuals.
The Hodgdon net forum will also have free data if you look it up.
Add it to your "Favorites".

Like said, you can safely use load data for a 148hrs WC bullet and that type of bullet is usually seated flush with the case mouth.

Look here, there is actually a load using a 138gr WC bullet with AP50 powder which is the same as W231/HP-38 and ZIP.
38 Special Load Data - Handloads.Com

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SWCA #3437

3.0gr of bullseye or 3.2gr of ww231 for a starting load. Work loads up if needed until accuracy is there.

lighter/shorter wc's tend to need to be driven faster than their longer/heavier counterparts to have any real accuracy.