General reloading info for 38/357

[johngalt]

You guys are making this too hard; this ain't rocket science if you use some common sense and open a reloading manual.

Here are two loads that have been very accurate in any .38 Special revolver I've owned.

The first is a 148 grain hollow base wadcutter and 2.8 grains of Bulleseye, seated flush with the case mouth and jsut enough crimp to remove any flare.

The second is a 158 grain lead semiwadcutter (cast or swaged, doesn't matter) and 3.6 grains of Bullseye, with a moderate crimp.

Try those.

+1

I also use these same loads in .357 brass, works great.

It easy to accumulate way too many powders, thinking that every firearm needs its own special load. I've found that Bullseye meets 99% of my needs (target shooting), and 2400 for the other 1% (full power .357). I have some Unique, but don't really have any use for it that can't be done better with Bullseye or 2400.

 

[venomballistics]

You guys are making this too hard; this ain't rocket science if you use some common sense and open a reloading manual.

We are using propellents for a duration of a few milliseconds to set an object upon a precise, repeatable ballistic trajectory ... so .. yeah .. it kinda is rocket science
just sayin'

 

[venomballistics]

The same analogy works

Accurate powders:

First gear: #2

2nd gear #5

3rd gear #7

4th gear #9

Overdrive 4100

Honestly, the single manufacturer thing here seems to better illustrate the concept. and I haven't met an accurate arms powder I didn't like. Its just that I haven't met many of em recently.

in the acquisition process .. its ok to web order the inert things .. brass, bullets, tools and the like.
But powder and primers ship under a hazmat fee and are best sourced locally unless your talking quantities to justify the cost.

 

[Bugkiller99]

Thanks again to all. I was very confused by the 10 pages of available powders on Midway's site. Now it makes more sense. I was hoping that once I found a reliable load I could leave well enough alone.

I WISH there were 10 pages of available powder. I've heard you could go to the LGS and pick up a lb of powder when you ran low too.

Back to reality. You are still limited by what you have or can get. That will narrow it considerably.

 

[venomballistics]

I WISH there were 10 pages of availablepowder. I've heard you could go to the LGS and pick up a lb of powder when you ran low too.

Back to reality. You are still limited by what you have or can get. That will narrow it considerably.

yeah .. theres always .... THAT
these things are kinda targets of opportunity lately.
make up a list of primary targets as well as backup secondaries as you make the rounds .. to well .. make the rounds
Its better to get what you need and can use to full effect and leave behind things that qualify as an "almost"
someone else with a different caliber can make better use of your "almost" than you. meanwhile you'll save some green on stuff you'd transition away from anyhow

 

[ChuckS1]

We are using propellents for a duration of a few milliseconds to set an object upon a precise, repeatable ballistic trajectory ... so .. yeah .. it kinda is rocket science
just sayin'

LOL, understand your point, but but this still is just finding what works best for a particular gun. More voodoo than science.

Besides, I wouldn't too much faith in the accuracy of rocket scientists. It was Werner Von Braun who said "I aim for the stars, but sometimes I hit London."

 

[Wireman02]

I honestly don't know what the difference is. Is there an advantage of one over the other? I'm ultimately looking for a readily available bullet. I have seen some bullets that say they are machined LSWC. I'm assuming you would have more control over the load with a more consistent bullet.

I don't like a swaged lead bullit. Too soft. cast are alot better.
With swaged bullits i was getting too much leading.