Hodgdon HP-38 powder

[Green Frog]

HP-38/231 is the powder I use for 45 auto 38 Sp and have loaded 44 Sp too. I just ordered 500 pieces of 32 H&R brass and that is what I will load with lead bullets. I may even load the couple hundred 32 Longs I have left unloaded. I just picked up a box of cast lead bullets cheep...10 bucks

I predict you'll really like HP38/231 in those 32 H&R rounds. They do especially well in the upper range of their power, but milder loads can be accurate as well. They may have to rename it HP32!
Froggie

 

[Green Frog]

I've used W231 for some time now and has been stated it's nice ! I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it for mild plinking loads.

It works great for target loads, but can be successfully "souped up" as well. At least in the 32 H&R...
See note above.
Froggie

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I load 32 ACP, Short & Long, 32-20, 380, 9mm, 38 S&W, 38 Special, 44 Special & 44-40, 45 ACP, Schofield, and 45 Colt with HP38/WW231. I stocked up during the Clinton administration and still have around 28 pounds! (An 8 lb. and a 15 lb. comprise most of that.) That has been my go to handgun powder since 1980 when I got my first 9mm (39-2)

Ivan

 

[Green Frog]

I've been using 4.0 gr of W231/HP38 under a 158gr SWC for over forty years. With cast lead bullets don't go too light, stay towards the upper end. Accuracy is much better. Trying to use swaged HBWC loads for cast wadcutters was a dismal failure for me.

That's indeed very strange. I've used a bunch of it for PPC loads behind standard swaged HBWCs. Like anything else with those bullets, we always stuck to mild target level charges. Later I too went to 158 gr SWCs with equal success. For me, it really lived up to its name fro Hodgdon.
Froggie

 

[rwsmith]

I've used it from mild to.....

...medium in pistol calibers, mostly 9mm. It's a versatile powder that works well across a range of loads.

 

[RobertJ.]

I was glad to see this thread. I recently bought three pounds of HP-38, because it was a price I was happy with. I just loaded a box of mid-range .44 Magnum, using a Hornady 180 gr. XTP, and a box of .45 Colt using a 255 gr. SWC. I haven't had the opportunity to try them out just yet, but I had high hopes to begin with, and now I really can't wait to shoot them!

 

[glenwolde]

That's indeed very strange. I've used a bunch of it for PPC loads behind standard swaged HBWCs. Like anything else with those bullets, we always stuck to mild target level charges. Later I too went to 158 gr SWCs with equal success. For me, it really lived up to its name fro Hodgdon.
Froggie

I think I was not clear. W231/HP38 works very well with light loads and a HBWC. In fact, it's every bit the equal of Bullseye.

It also works well with cast wadcutters, but requires a heavier charge than the HBWC to get equal accuracy. I my experience at least.

 

[Jeff423]

I've only got three pistol powders: Bullseye, 231/HP38 and Titegroup, and realistically I can't see any difference in them. I load for 9mm, 38/357, .44 mag and .45acp. I've used all these powders in all these calibers and never noticed any differences. But I do tend to load lighter/target loads. About the only dedicated load I have is 2.9 gr BE with my wadcutters in .38 spec.
If I ever run out of one I won't replace it until I've exhausted them all.

 

[scooter123]

I would suggest that you look for Vihtavouri 3N37. I've found it to be an ideal powder for 9mm loads and the 38 special is a 9mm load. Pluses are it meters wonderfully, very nearly as well as H110. In addition it has absolutely ZERO position sensitivity, so that lonely little bit of powder in that giant 38 special cartridge will burn extremely consistently no matter the barrel position before you fire. Note, I switched to this after finding that IMR SR7625 was very position sensitive in large cases to the tune of a 300 fps swing depending on whether the barrel was pointed up or down before firing. Further testing has shown that if you want to build higher velocity 9mm para loads 3N37 is your ticket to ride.

Note other "ideal" powders for optimum velocity are Longshot for the 40 S&W (1165 fps with a 165 grain bullet) and for the 45 ACP it's Accurate #5 which was specifically designed for the 45 ACP. Bad news with the Longshot is it meters poorly and needs to be trickled to weight and as for Accurate #5 it meters as well as 3N37.

BTW, I also load for 4 gun Skeet and my go to's for 12 gauge is Clays which I have enough of for perhaps 3 years because I only shoot the 12 at matches. For 20 and 28 it's Longshot which is currently available and for 410 it's H110 which is also available. My primary practice is with the 410 so I do use a lot of H110 in a year but the last 8 lbs. jug I got was only 217.00 at my club.

 

[John Patrick]

I use HP-38 for wadcutter loads. Every charge I've double checked was right on, so it meters well. Burns pretty clean too.

 

[colt_saa]

Jeff,
I switched to W231/HP38 20 or so years ago. For me it replaced Unique in all of my midrange loads.

It has been working great for me in the 38 Special, 357 Magnum, 41 Magnum, 45ACP and 45 Long Colt

I found it to be much less smokey than Unique as it interacted with my bullet lube

I have no idea how many 8 pound kegs of W231 I have burned through

Like you, it is H110 for full power Magnum ammunition. H110 runs real good in the Desert Eagles. Here I know that I have burned well in excess of 100 pounds of H110 over the last 4+ decades

 

[muzzlestuffer2012]

I know this is an older thread but I'm looking thru some 45 Win mag load data and noticed HP-38 Iv'e never used it before I have all the other powders but since it uses such a small amount per shot compared to the other powders I'm interested in trying it any thoughts ?
Thanks !!

 

[glenwolde]

I've been using 4.0gr of W231/HP38 under a 158gr SWC for 40 years. For a cast full wadcutter I take it down a little....3.5gr.

I never got good accuracy at lower charge weights with harder cast bullets.

 

[muzzlestuffer2012]

I have 231 I didn't realize they are both the same powders until I read up a bit. I think I may go heavier for silhouettes probably 240 or 250,255 cast wad cutter. I ordered a custom t/c 45/ win mag 14" barrel I have my FA model 83 with a 45 win mag cylinder but that barrel is a 1-24 and it's a 6" barrel if it were a 10" barrel I'd try it but I'm not sure I want to swap barrels since this one was just replaced and only has about 200 rounds thru it.

 

[The Norseman]

HP-38

So far I like Hodgdon HP-38. It's burn rate is
around Bullseye, Titegroup, Trail Boss, and
Clays.

In June 2024 I started reloading HP-38 in
my new 1997 S&W Mdl 657-4 41Rem Mag.

With Acme 215gr .411 dia SWC Hi-Tek
Red coated Lead bullets, the reload is
is nice shooting, manageable, and
appears accurate at 12yrds.

I did reload some 38 Spl for a friend
with a S&W snub nose revolver. They
worked just fine.

The Best to you and your Endeavors.

 

[smoothshooter]

I use it and am totally satisfied with it. A local pawn shop has a few pounds left of it. I intend to go by there tomorrow and get most of what they have since I believe it is no longer in production.

 

[muzzlestuffer2012]

I use it and am totally satisfied with it. A local pawn shop has a few pounds left of it. I intend to go by there tomorrow and get most of what they have since I believe it is no longer in production.

HP-38 not in production ? If the same as 231 does it matter ? I think I saw it listed on Hodgon for sale I'll look again.

 

[daverich4]

I use it and am totally satisfied with it. A local pawn shop has a few pounds left of it. I intend to go by there tomorrow and get most of what they have since I believe it is no longer in production.

Hodgon is selling it on their web site so it doesn't seem to be discontinued.
Buy Hodgdon HP-38(R) Pistol Powder - Hodgdon Powder

 

[Huskerguy]

I am a big fan of Hp-38/231 and have lots of it.

When I am working up loads for a new bullet I cast or the rare plated/jacketed bullet I test two powders - 231 and Titegroup. Most of the time the differences between them are negligible. There are just some combinations that I cannot explain that work better, not that either is bad, than the other by a thin margin.

For my Prodigy/Ruger 9 PCC I use TG for 127 grain case. For a 627 I am working to get ready to compete with I use W231 @ 3.8 grains and boy howdy is that baby accurate.

 

[muzzlestuffer2012]

231 is great powder and what I really like is the small amount you use compared to other powders especially with the cost now a days.