To simplify things I have been mulling over going to one loading for my .38 Special chambered handguns. I have four handguns that will accept .38 Special. A S&W 52, a S&W 27, a S&W 60 and a S&W Behlert Custom PPC. Since the most accurate is the 52 and it shoots 2.8 grains of Bullseye with a 148 grain bullet the best, that is what I am thinking of loading for the others. The PPC also shoots it very well The 27 has adjustable sights so the loading should be able to be regulated to it. The 60 will only be shot at 7 yards and is more of a point shooting piece than a true aimed piece. Has anyone else tried this and if so how did it work out?

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I have a WW231 over 146 SWC/HP load (non +P) I developed in the late 70's for my 4" guns. It have been fantastic in 2" J's & K's as well as 4". I picked up a like new 6" before Covid shut everything down. When I got to try it with my load, it was the best centerfire revolver shooting I've ever done! One load can work well in all of them!

Ivan

I think Ivan's answer says it all.

I don't change .38 Special target loads for different guns.

I have 3 favorite .38 Special rounds:
1. 148gr HBWC over 3.2gr W231
2. 148gr DEWC over 3.4gr W231
3. 158gr LSWC over 4.0gr W231

All 3 loads shoot well in my .38 Special revolvers with barrels ranging from 1.875" to 6"...

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

I am a one load for all hand guns type of hand loader.

I see nothing wrong with your favorite Model 52 load for all your firearms.

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"Acta non verba"

Assuming target loads . Well arguably the HBWC or a FBWC . Swaged if pushed soft . Cast you usually need to push a tad faster . IMHO as an old 2700 shooter , there's only 2 powders for 38 special target loads . Both are Winchester powders W231 & WST . Over the years it has been my experience it was less work to come up with a 50yd 10-ring load with these two .
HBWC bullets are the issue now days . The wonderful old Remington 148 HBWC with the nasty Japan wax / graphite lube are alas no more . At .360 & a robust skirt they were the cats meow . The Zero's run .357 & shoot well if they fit , lead if they don't . IIRC Magnus swaged are Zero's rebranded . Precision Delta are loved by the PPC crowd .
Many shooters have been won over to the Brazos Hi-Tec coated BNWC & the 45 cal SWC's . First coated bullets I've seen shoot cleaned 50yd B-6 targets . Intial testing yesterday morning showed that between 4.0 - 4.2grs W231 & 3.3 - 3.7grs WST are looking preety dang good . Plan on shooting some BE & 700X loads next outing . Winners will be further sorted by actual 50yd groups . FWIW these were shot from a 1960 vintage Colt OMM with .359 throats , .356 bore . It also shoots the Zero bullet with 2.9 WST lights out .
With the 52 in the mix I'd be inclined to stick with a swaged HBWC . Back when I had a 52-2 it liked the Zero over 3.1 - 3.2grs W231 . Since I no longer have one of the finicky witches I'm checking the Brazos solid base out . Price point of 8 cents a piece vs 10.5 cents .

For 9mm and 45 ACP I bought a pair of Lee Pro 1000's that I have setup for my "standard" target loads that I run through everything. These are the two round I shoot the most, and it's nice to have everything setup and ready to go, where good enough is good enough.

Of course I do spend time with the turret press and auto charger for both calibers, loading stuff that is more tuned to a specific gun, EDC rounds, and in the last 2 years, working up something new for the progressive presses because of component availability forcing a change. I would guess these rounds would account for 10-20% of what I load and shoot.

Thank you, I too have several different loads that work well in all of the 38's. However, now I am thinking just one load.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

My little J frame snub nose with a 148 BBwc did not do well with 3.4g of w231 powder.

However it did shot to POA with just 2.9 grs of w231 powder, for a starting load.

This revolver or short barrel, is very picky on what it it is feed.

My longer 6" barrels do much better at getting near a POA.

Another vote for HBWC's over 231 here.

I reserve my HBWC's for my S&W 52. I use them with 2.8 grains of Bullseye.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

One reason most of my revolvers are feed BBwc 148's or the
standard lead 158 gr bullets for all my practice shooting.

Low cost and easy clean up if not pushed too hard.

In 38 special / 158 gr cast bullet I normally use 3.5 grs of Bullseye , Red Dot or WST . Using 700X I found 4.0 was the magic number . I have a LEE 6 cav mold , TL RN 158 gr . I tumble lube them . In the past I have powder ooated them . Tumble lubing is easier and works fine . Regards Paul

If paper targets are your "only" possible target, you should be fine. However, I would have on hand some full power loads for self defense. The 2.8 bullseye load has been known to bounce off some pretty flimsy target boards.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Have never seen a 148 grain WC with 2.8 grains of Bullseye bounce off a normal cardboard target backer. If that is all I have at the time, you can believe that I will use it in self defense & defense of others. My carry and night stand pieces have ammo that is a bit more potent. 24 years in the Corps and as a Weapons Instructor for a Anti-Terrorist Unit have given me a pretty fair idea what is needed for defensive/offensive situations.

Have seen low powered rounds bounce off of wood and fireproof steel doors. The best was a S&W Rep was giving demonstration of the S&W 37 MM Gas Gun to the local PD's. We had given permission for them to use a condemned building for the demo. The glass in the door had been replaced with 3/8's plywood. His gas rounds were just bouncing off. I called my Sgt.Of The Guard to bring me a M203. Loaded Gas Round into it and promptly put a hole in the plywood. All the Police wanted to know what it was and where to get one. The S&W Rep was not happy with us.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I guess I misunderstood the question. I thought you wanted one load for all the guns listed.

I wasn't suggesting you load all 3 loads I posted. I was only giving you the charges for the different bullets. I wasn't sure which wadcutter bullet you are loading for your M52 so I listed both. The other reason for listing all 3 was to show all my .38 Special favorite ammo is loaded with W231.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

I do want one load for the guns listed. I plan on 2.8 grains of Bullseye for the 148 grain WC bullet. The HBWC's are harder to come by at this time. These shoot extremely well in my S&W 52-1, so those will be reserved for it. The other guns will be getting 148 grain cast DEWC's to consume. If I caused confusion then I apologize.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Thank you for this post and the replies. Have positively adored the .38 Special since I loaded my first round with a RCBS Reloader Special. Have used lots of different loads in the last 42 years. These will join my recipe book ... along with Skeeter Skelton's 5.0 gr. Unique load using any decent 158-160 gr. bullet. Sincerely. bruce.

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<><

I have noticed this as well. I was going to get into casting specifically for this bullet style. One source I see that is usually in stock is Berry's. I have been meaning to give those a try.

One 38 special load for me as well, regardless of the gun or barrel length.
3.5 of Bullseye, and a cast bullet, from what ever lead I can get my hands on. Cast from a Lyman 358- 477 mold.

Seems to work pretty well, and I have shot thousands of them over the last 40 years.
Point of Impact on my model 64 seems just about right for the factory, non adjustable sights.

Dad was a Lyman 148 grain, full wad cutter fan, and he loaded his with 2.8 grs of Bullseye.
He shot and cast, and loaded them by the 100's and probably shot upwards of 15 thousand in a Ruger old model, and a S&W 15 over the years.
He was frugal, and did not like a lot of recoil or muzzle blast. It was a good fit, for him.

If you want one load for those guns you're limited to what will work in the model 52. This will work if you are OK limiting yourself to that one load. That load out of the model 27 will work but is kind of anemic. I don't find it hard to change out powders and adjust the seating stem for different bullets.

I am down to 15 38 caliber molds, so I am not the one to talk to.

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Front sight and squeeze

I just started loading for 52. I had loaded couple hundred DEWC for it with 4gr of P-5066 which I still have several pounds. I normally load the Lyman Button Nose WC for K38 with same 4gr of P-5066. Very accurate load for me. Was advised to load 3gr Bullseye / 148gr HBWC for 52. Seems to be good load. I don’t think I’ll bother to try one load fits all. Going to stick with BNWC in 14 & 27 and the store bought Hornberry HBWCs in 52. I cast my own bullets but HBWC is time consuming job.
Fixed sight gun would use the BNWC maybe tweak charge for point of aim?
DEWC I never liked, I don’t know why. Maybe because they look like they could be coming or going.

[QUOTE . Plan on shooting some BE & 700X loads next outing . Winners will be further sorted by actual 50yd groups .
.[/QUOTE]
boatbum101
Let us know how that works out. I have a couple of Clark heavy slides and have to go 3.1 with Bullseye and 700x to make the slides work correctly. I know that's a little much but the slides won't lock back on the last shot with 2.9. I have a '61 N.M. that likes 2.5 Be or 700x. All my wheel guns shoot these loads. I pick 3.1 Be or 700x for all around and loaded the same for auto-mag- and revolver 38 special. I do have 231 and hp38. --231 and Bullseye are like splitting hairs with 38 special.

I try to keep it simple and only use onw load for .38 special regardless of barrel length.

158 grain SWC over 4.7 grains of Unique. Been using that load many years and satisfies me just fine,

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C & L

BNWC is my favorite lead 38 bullet- you can turn it around and does good also.

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I have BNWC , 242gr that I shoot in 25-5s. Very accurate bullet. Also lowers oil pressure in a deer fast. Just got HBWC 214gr for 44sp/ mag.
Have loaded up with 5.0gr Unique but not shot yet.

Just punching paper is all I do nowadays with these guns. The snubs maybe used as carry pieces, especially the 60. If so, they will get something more potent to digest.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I think it was a rep for Federal Laboratories who had pictures of a singlewide trailer that had been picked by some robbers to stage a stand. They refused to surrender. Then someone started shooting gas rounds at the place and they either sailed through both sides of the trailer or stuck in the first side like arrows in a covered wagon in a B grade western. This caused a surrender. "The size of the bullets yunz was shootin" was given as the reason for surrender.

With your Mod 52, you’ll need two loads…2.7 grs BE 148 gr HBWC for the 52 and 3.5 grs BE with 158 gr cast SWC for the others. Have fun

Your M52 definitely has the most stringent requirements, but wadcutters are always fun to shoot, so your one load for all basically amounts to bullseye competition type loads for your revolvers. If you ever read articles from or about the Late Great Jim Cirillo, maybe the most prolific gunfighter of the 20th Century, he simply loaded his 148 hr. HBWCs in reverse to create a lead hollow-point. I am not necessarily advocating that, because a good 158 gr. SWC-HP loaded to +P to duplicate the old FBI load that was actually carried in their 3" S&W 13s, and not .357 Magnum loads, Bullseye the powder can be used. But as far as pressure stability, there is no single handgun powder that has the pressure stability of Ramshot True Blue. You won't see many, or any others that can be used from the lowest to highest pressure handgun cartridges. The Lyman P & R III singles it out for .38 S&W loads where no load is above a very modest 12,800 CUP while Western Powder Co always included it in .454 Casull loads at up to 53,000 PSI. True Blue was developed by Clermont in Belgium originally for FNH and the 5.7 x 28mm. Few cartridges are as finicky about pressure stability.