Powder for .38 special light loads

[fltbed]

For light target loads, Bullseye is hard to beat. The only drawback I've found with it is that, it's a bit dirty.

I've tried TiteGroup and found it burns a bit hot and when using cast bullets, will give you leading in some applications. It's also a very dense powder and easy to double charge.

For almost 20 years now, WST has been my go to powder for light target loads. It almost matches the performance of Bullseye grain for grain in 38 & 45 acp target loads except it burns a whole lot cleaner. In almost every handgun caliber and bullet weight combo I've tried it in, WST seems to show the best performance. The only challenge is finding load data.

Jeff

 

[Infidel_319]

I use 2.3gr B.E. with 148gr HBWC's for PPC. This was the best for me, quite a bit better than 2.3gr Titegroup and only very slightly better than 3.1gr unique.
For 158gr SWC, 2.6gr-2.8gr B.E. is really good too. I have not run either of these over a chrono, but they might be a little lighter than (slower than 800 fps) what you are looking for.

+1 on this load, it was my PPC load a well, great load.

 

[zeke]

yet another hp-38/231 fan. It may pay to try slightly varing charges with your brand of primer/brass/bullet. Hp-38 can be picky about specific charge for best accuracy

 

[Pequod]

lots of thoughts

Thanks for all the responses. Really just trying to see if anyone thought Unique had limitations on light loads versus TiteGroup or BE. I liked TiteGroup when I was loading before, used it on .38, .45ACP, 9mm with good results.

Picked up one pound of TiteGroup today, reloading supplies at the show were very lean. I have enough stuff for several months at least, no panic.

Duck32man: Yea, if you mean the PTPC show at Forest Hills Lodge. I was looking for primers too, Federal Small Pistol. No luck.

 

[rjn5777]

i have found thru the years that 700x is a great light target load..3.0 grains in my mod 15...thats with 148 gr wadcutters...winchester primers..

 

[WDF]

ultra light 38 loads

Right about now I would use just about anything I could find!Back in 60's I was shooting rats in town dump. The 22's just punched right through a big dump rat. Did not stop them. So started loading "light" for my 4 inch Colt 357, using 38 cases. Found that 0.8 grains of Bullseye would tear up a rat fast and became my "rat" load.
Haven't found any Bullseye for a couple of years so recently tried some 231 for light loads.
My wife is 81 and loves my 38 but wanted a mild load. Started at 3.3 grains with 148 lead WC. Went down in 0.3 grain steps from there. 1.8 grain stuck in the barrel (just beyond 4") of my 6 inch S&W!
So much for lower limits. For myself I would never go below 2.5 grain of those in the future.
Find what is most accurate above that I would suggest. I am using 2.9 gr 231 for my wife and 3.2 grains of Titegroup for myself. Both are accurate in my "pre 14" targetmaster.
Keep having fun!

 

[Nevada Ed]

+1;

My lightest loads with my J frame snub nose were.......
2.4gr Trail Boss ..........560fps
2.5gr Bullseye ............ 594fps
2.9gr W231................. 590fps
3.5gr CFE pistol
with a 148gr HBWC bullet from Speer.

I do NOT fire these loads in my 6" barrels !!

 

[Moe Mentum]

I would like to try out BE 86 if I can find it. I use W231 for .38 special.

 

[il Padrino]

In a pinch, when I can't find pistol powders I've also used shotgun pwders such as 700X or RedDot powders for light target loads. Very inexpensive and a lb. container goes a long way, I can load nearly 2000 rounds of light .38 special target loiads with a lb. of Red Dot or 700X shotgun powder.

 

[BC38]

...So started loading "light" for my 4 inch Colt 357, using 38 cases. Found that 0.8 grains of Bullseye would tear up a rat fast and became my "rat" load.

This must be a typo. 8/10th of a grain? How that could NOT stick in the barrel of any 357/38? I'm pretty new to reloading, but that sounds like a recipe for a squib to me...

 

[Master Gunsmith]

Going to a gun show tomorrow, hoping to find some powder. I have used Unique, Bullseye, and TiteGroup on .38 special loads in the past and all seemed to work well. It seems from reading the S&W and other forums, a lot of reloaders feel that Unique is better suited to medium or full power loads, and is not as good at lower power or slower target loads.

So, for SWC or WC (158 gr and 148 gr) to be used at around 800 fps, is TiteGroup a better choice than Unique or Bullseye?

Thanks.

Been using 2.8 Bullseye with 148 Gr WC for over 40 years even killed a bear with same load.

 

[austinjeane]

Trail Boss is best by far

 

[Kframerbluvr]

For light target loads, Bullseye is hard to beat. The only drawback I've found with it is that, it's a bit dirty.

I've tried TiteGroup and found it burns a bit hot and when using cast bullets, will give you leading in some applications. It's also a very dense powder and easy to double charge.

For almost 20 years now, WST has been my go to powder for light target loads. It almost matches the performance of Bullseye grain for grain in 38 & 45 acp target loads except it burns a whole lot cleaner. In almost every handgun caliber and bullet weight combo I've tried it in, WST seems to show the best performance. The only challenge is finding load data.

Jeff

Yep. WST is all I could find locally last year. I use it for .38 Special (3.5 grains with a 158 grain SWC), 9mm, .40, and .45 ACP.

 

[tim c]

Green Dot works real well for me 3.5 gr with 158gr. lswc

 

[rsrocket1]

You realize that the OP was going to a gun show two+ years ago

 

[Mad_Charlie]

I noticed that. I wonder how he made out...

 

[BC38]

You realize that the OP was going to a gun show two+ years ago

I didn't notice that, but apparently the topic was of enough interest to have a number of people to add to it over the last couple of days.

Good topics are sometimes worth resurrecting!

 

[Nevada Ed]

Only reason I posted a second time after two years...........
is because some people have a lot of JUNK loaded in their PC
and it takes a LONG time to up load, some times..................

Geeeeeze.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I got to look at the dates more often.........

It's all DWF's fault !!

 

[Bocephus]

Clays

Old or not a good update never hurt anyone.
I have used Clays for many years in all my 38, 357, 9mm, and 45 loads. For my 38 loads 3 grains of Clays behind a 125 TC lead bullet is a standard cowboy load and fun to shoot

 

[Krell1]

I had to resort to what I could find and ended up with shotgun powder. I bought Promo and it works well for both my .38 loads and .45 ACP. A little dirty but I like cleaning guns as much as shooting so I don't care.

Oh, and it was cheap.