So the wifey got me a lee classic turret and some .38 dies. I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for a good starter load/powder/bullet combo. They are gonna be fired in a 4" model 19 and a model 681. Not looking for full power magnum loads, just solid plinking/target shooting. cheers.

Would recommend a good reloading book, such as Lyman's 49th Edition. After you have read it, I would start with minimum load and work up. A powder like Bullseye or Unique will be pretty universal.

Suggest you buy at least one, preferably a few, reloading manuals. My favorites are Speer and Lyman. That's the best place to find answers to your questions.

the only issue i have with speer is they only list speer bullets. at least lyman tests a variety. ive heard hornandy is good also

Are going to be loading 38 spl or 357? You going to use lead or jacketed bullets? Something like Universal Clays or Unique would work for both. Bullseye excells with light plinking loads for the 38 spl. not so great for 357 loads.

You'll need a good balance beam set of scales and calipers. There's a lot of options out here tell us more.

As others have said, need just a fuzz more information, Cap'n'!

Also, reloading manuals are your friends, get as many as you can afford!

I have several loads but they are all book loads and I would like to see you ask about a specific load/combination that you dug up rather than the one you have posed. You could end up with the "blow your gun up special" if you aren't checking data on your own!

A word to the wise!

The instructions that come with the dies has reloading data on them for starters. I'd recommend the Lee manual. Don't depend on the internet forums for load data. Proceed with cation.

yeah, blowing a gun up would not be my idea of fun...

I'd like to make target loads, .38 spec, just looking for some advice on an easy-to-learn basics of OAL, powder to use...

was thinking of bullseye or titegroup behind LSWC or HBWC. Not looking specifically for load data, as I have that in manuals as well as the data sheet that came w/ the dies.

Not looking on the interwebs for the load data for sure, it's mostly taught me that guns are more expensive and don't click on the flashy blinky banner ad.

I've been using Unique with 158 gr lswc or lrn. Nice load in a M10 and 637. The load came straight out of the Lee manual. I'm using the classic turret also.

You could get a .38 Special "Loadbook" from Midway.
Lots of bullets and loads from various makers listed in those small books.

I started out with Bullseye and now mostly use Unique for my .38 Special loads. The majority of them are made with cast 158 grain semiwadcutters. I use them for plinking, some steel plate shooting, and for small game hunting.

Well, Cap'n', I'll tell you what I use and have from day 1. 3.5gr Bullseye and any LSWC in the 158gr range. Seated in the crimp groove or with about 1/16" of the last driving band showing.

Here are a couple of pictures:








Here is a RN bullet that I cast. 160gr and I use the same load of Bullseye:


Hope this helps.

p.s. You need to stop what you are doing right now, walk into the room where your wife is, give her a big hug and kiss. She gave you quite a gift and deserves something special for herself! Give her $200 and tell her to show you what she got when she gets back. (Just make sure you tell her you like how it looks on her when she gets home. When a woman asks: "Do I look fat in this?" You have to learn to fire back: "Do I look stupid in this?" )

What Skip said. Personally I like to have at least 2 data books to work from, 1 from a bullet company and 1 from a powder company. Knowledge is power, or so I've been told. Enjoy.

I have used bullseye and titegroup for 38 loads both will work. I like bullseye better but you'll just have to try some different powders for yourself and decide what you like. Win 231 is also very popular. But do some reading before anything else. Probably the single most dangerous aspect of reloading is the double charge.

The 38 spl is a great load to start with, very forgiving. I too like a 158 gr LSWC bullet with Bullseye powder. 3.3 gr of Bullseye over a 158 gr bullet is my sweet spot.

Give DARDAScastbullets.com and Pennbullets.com a call and tell them your new to reloading and are looking for a bullet supplier. They were both kind enough to send me a samples of their bullets for shipping cost only. Both are good people.

I've had very good results with 158gr LFP bullets, with 4.2nd of Win231. You should check the manuals for starting load for this combination, and work your way up from there, checking for signs of pressure (as described in these manuals) as you go... Every gun handles loads a little differently. However, I seem to have good results with this load in all of my revolvers.

Bullseye is also a good .38 special powder. Its often used with 148gr wad cutter loads. I just dialed in the .38 special load that I like with the W-231, and have stuck with it. I do use Bullseye in my 200gr LSWC .45ACP loads.

Definitely spend some quality time with the reloading manuals. There is also a lot of good information on the web, just make sure they are reputable sources (component manufacturer web sites, etc.). Forums are good too, but it's important that you are 'educated' enough to know good advice, from some yahoo's advice. Seems some people really like to max out loads, and/or wing it; not for me!

Welcome to the reloading world, it's lots of fun, and gives your brain a new outlet/challenge. Be safe!

__________________
NRA Life Member

Congrats on the new equipment! The advise some of the guys have given you is solid ......... and I would also agree that you should buy at least 2 if not 3 loading manuals. The Hodgdon, Lyman and Speer are the ones I have.

The reason you need all three is because you will soon realize that they are all a bit different, even within the same caliber, same bullet, powder, primer, etc. Re-loading is not a science, it's trial and error and there are many variables. Not all manuals will list your specific load that you want to work on, so you will have to jump back and forth, average them and maybe do a bit of "extrapolating" to come up with what you want. Some manuals will list their starting load as other manuals near maximum load.

What I have done over the years is come up with MY OWN reloading manual based on the actual testing and chrnographing of the loads I have made over that time period . After you have tested them by shooting, chronographing, and inspecting the fired cases, you too should start making notes and comments in the manuals to tweak your favorite loads.

Hopefully you know someone that has a chronograph, or maybe pick one up yourself (they are not that expensive) so you can accurately determine which loads are for you.

The MOST IMPORTANT advise I can give you especially in the beginning is this:

When you reload be in a room by yourself with NO TV, No friends or family members and NO outside distractions. Pay careful attention to exactly what you are doing, and if in the middle of reloading you forgot how much powder you put in, or if the weight is correct, spill the powder out and do it again. You can't be too careful while re-loading. Another thing I would recommend is that you do NOT share your reloads with your friends, especially in the beginning. You don't want to put a friendship on the line if something bad happens, and in the beginning, we have all made mistakes! Check and recheck your work until it becomes routine, then STILL check it!

You will quickly get into the groove and quickly enjoy the savings and warm fuzzy feeling that you have made your own quality ammunition. Most people seem to like reloading and some even make it a "sub-hobby": of shooting. Me personally, I ONLY reload to be able to shoot affordably and to shoot the bullet styles that I like. Other than that I have no love-loss for reloading, but I am probably the exception here.

Enjoy your new equipment!

Chief38

This is the most important advice you will ever receive. I caught myself double charging a load of BE powder when I double checked a load. It was because of a distraction. The old saying "familiarity breeds contempt" is true in reloading. Whatever system you use make sure you double and triple check your loads. There's no room for error.

Double and even triple checking charges is definitely something I've gleaned from reading up on reloading, so that's on my mind once I sit down to start the press up.

Chief, that is great advice, I had planned on loading when I have the house to myself the one day a week, or when the wife is doing her sewing thing.

Skip, I'm in the process of getting a bunch of stuff for her own projects, sewing or whatever it is she does, got some surprise items for her yesterday in fact. She's pretty amazing, why I moved nearly across the country!

Thanks for all the awesome advice, why I love these forums so much!

Very true! It works the other way, too; no powder in the case...! Need to develop good habits in this hobby.

__________________
NRA Life Member