38 spcl loads for snubbies

[Rockets]

What powder would you recommend for loading 38spcl for my snubbies ? I have 231 and Bullseye on the bench. 158swc and some 148grwc plain base...

Last time I loaded some 158swc over 3.7 w231 and ended up with lead rings on the cylinder...Perhaps I over crimped ?

 

[parabarbarian]

I like 3.1 or 3.3 gr of Bullseye with the 148 gr DEWC. 3.3 is in +P territory but dead nuts accurate in my 686's. I use 3.8 gr of Bullseye with the 158 gr FP or SWC.

 

[Warren Sear]

Load the same as for any other 38 Special barrel length. The powders that give the highest velocity in a long barrel will also give the highest velocity in short barrels.

If your concern is reducing muzzle flash resulting from the short barrel, 231 powder supposedly contains a flash suppressant as part of its composition.

 

[hotrod150]

I load 4.5 gr W231 behind both 148 gr hardcast DEWC's and 158 gr swaged SWC-HP's. Full power service loads but not quite into plus-P territory.

 

[Skip Sackett]

3.5gr of Bullseye behind any 158gr-160gr bullet is THE load for all of my 38spl firearms.

 

[Rule3]

What powder would you recommend for loading 38spcl for my snubbies ? I have 231 and Bullseye on the bench. 158swc and some 148grwc plain base...

Last time I loaded some 158swc over 3.7 w231 and ended up with lead rings on the cylinder...Perhaps I over crimped ?

Both those powders are great for the 38 Special.

W 231 is the same as HP 38 so they even named the powder for what was made for. So either or. I use both

 

[mikld]

My "house gun" gets loads of a 148 DEWC, wheel weight alloy, over a stiff load of W231. Big flat meplat/nose for shock/tissue distruction and low over-penetration...

 

[Skip Sackett]

160gr, flat meplat!

 

[pete950]

Skip,
I love that bullet. I finally won a single cav mold on E-Bay about 3 months ago when I go on vacation in November I will fianlly get to make some.

 

[Rockets]

160gr, flat meplat!

Sweet... What mold are you using?

 

[Skip Sackett]

It is from a Modern Bond mould. The numbers escape me right now. 160gr though with a limited amount of it in the case. I wish it had one big grease groove instead of two, but, it is an ancient mould so........

 

[pete950]

It is from a Modern Bond mould. The numbers escape me right now. 160gr though with a limited amount of it in the case. I wish it had one big grease groove instead of two, but, it is an ancient mould so........

I think the mold # is 358344

 

[photoman]

160gr, flat meplat!

Wow! That's a real slugger there! What die are you using to crimp?

For the original poster... Both 231 and Bullseye are what I use for my Airweight loads.

 

[hotrod150]

My do-it-all 38 spl load used to be a hardcast 148 gr full wadcutter over 4.5 gr W231 for probably around 850 fps. Similar full frontal diameter as the beer-can loads shown-- here's a pic.
I switched to a swaged Speer 158 gr SWC-HP over the same charge for a bit less velocity. Figured I'd get close to the same striking power with the full-diameter shoulder on the SWC and the heavy weight would ensure ample penetration, plus the soft lead HP design might provide a bit of expansion to boot.
I did have an interim 5.6 W231 / 110 gr JHP interim load, but decided that I preferred for-sure penetration with maybe expansion to maybe penetration with maybe expansion. Plus the JHP load had a helluva muzzle flash, even in broad daylight-- it would've been blinding in dark conditions.

 

[hotrod150]

And speaking of crimping-- when I first started loading 38 spl, I crimped in the same operation as seating the bullet but found that I was getting bulgy cartridges. Now I seat the bullet in one pass & then crimp in a second pass. Takes a little more time in my single-stage press but makes for a better finished product.
I have always used RCBS dies for both handgun & rifle, but this time around I bought a cheapie Lee 3-die carbide set. I prefer the RCBS adjustment nuts but otherwise the Lee's seem to work well enough.

 

[tacotime]

The 2nd post said 3.3 Bullseye was in the +P territory but the Speer manual #14 I believe starts +P loads only above 3.5.

 

[parabarbarian]

The 2nd post said 3.3 Bullseye was in the +P territory but the Speer manual #14 I believe starts +P loads only above 3.5.

You might want to double check that. Make sure you are looking at 148 gr WC bullets.

 

[smithnframe]

I shoot alot of 4.4 grs of bullseye with a 121 gr cast roundnose from an ancient Ideal mould.

 

[Skip Sackett]

Wow! That's a real slugger there! What die are you using to crimp?

For the original poster... Both 231 and Bullseye are what I use for my Airweight loads.

Standard Lee seating die only in two steps. I have two dies and I load on a progressive. One seating die just seats the bullet and brings the case back to straight, then the other just puts the crimp on.

p.s. Thanks for all of the compliments. They are some real thumpers!

 

[novalty]

I just loaded up some 158gr. Hornady SJHP's last night for starter loads for my new Ruger SP101 (2.25"). Loaded 10 with 3.7gr's of W-231, and 10 with 4.0gr. of W-231 (both with CCI SP primers), with a COAL of 1.455" and light crimp on the cannelure. Luckily, I have several manuals and was very shocked to see a significant difference in powder recommendations between Hornady's 3rd Edition for this boolit, and my Sierra binder. Hornady listed starting load with Winchester 231 as the 3.7gr's that I loaded, up to a max of 5.4grs (designated +P), and the Sierra binder listed a starting load in almost the +P rating. Decided to go on the side of caution and start with the lower Hornady numbers (since I was using Hornady boolits.) It doesn't look like a whole lot of powder in the case that is for sure. I used a RCBS 3 Carbide die set and seated and crimped in one step--no case bulging. Would upload pictures of completed bullets, but have horrible luck taking close up pics with my camera. Here is a stock photo of boolit used.