Favourite 38 Reloads?

trky chsr · Feb 2, 2012

I'm new to the forum and I haven't noticed a reloading forum so I thought I would ask what everyones favorite load is for the 38 special. I'm still waiting for my new dies to come in so I can't contribute yet. TC

jsmith357 · Feb 2, 2012

158 gr lead swc over 3gr bullseye

deanodog · Feb 2, 2012

158 SWC over 3.5 gr bullseye does it for me and my guns.

Macinaw · Feb 2, 2012

128gn RNFP 3.5 gn Trail Boss

I use trail boss for Cowboy Action in my 45 Colt. That is why I use TB.

I use the 38's for Steel Challenge. Not much recoil with my 627 PC

AveragEd · Feb 2, 2012

If you want something clean-burning and accurate, try Hodgdon's Clays. I load 2.7 grains of it under a 148-grain HBWC and it works great in all my S&Ws. Bullseye and Unique are filthy by comparison - they leave a sticky black coating all over your gun and hands. I use Clays my .45ACP loads, too. In 158-grain LSWC .357 and 240-grain LSWC .44 loads, TiteGroup is the most accurate for me and still is fairly clean.

Ed

Shooting Padre · Feb 2, 2012

158 GR Berry's Flat Point over 3.5 GR Accura #2. for paper and plinking. Cheap bullets but work well for what I use them for.

Lanyard Stretcher · Feb 2, 2012

158gr.SWC and 4 gr. of Universal.

Mike

3Gunnah · Feb 2, 2012

AveragEd said:
If you want something clean-burning and accurate, try Hodgdon's Clays. I load 3.8 grains of it under a 148-grain HBWC and it works great in all my S&Ws. Bullseye and Unique are filthy by comparison - they leave a sticky black coating all over your gun and hands. I use Clays my .45ACP loads, too. In 158-grain LSWC .357 and 240-grain LSWC .44 loads, TiteGroup is the most accurate for me and still is fairly clean.

Ed

So your the one sneaking into my reloading log. LOL those are all mirror loads to what I Use.

Double-O-Dave · Feb 2, 2012

AveragEd said:
If you want something clean-burning and accurate, try Hodgdon's Clays. I load 3.8 grains of it under a 148-grain HBWC and it works great in all my S&Ws. Bullseye and Unique are filthy by comparison - they leave a sticky black coating all over your gun and hands. I use Clays my .45ACP loads, too. In 158-grain LSWC .357 and 240-grain LSWC .44 loads, TiteGroup is the most accurate for me and still is fairly clean.

Ed

Thanks, Ed. I'm loading the last of my Unique and Bullseye and was wondering what to try next. I've used nothing but Hercules powder since I started reloading almost 30 years ago - eh, what can I say? I find something that works and stick with it, but I could always use something cleaner burning. I'll give it a try and let you know what I find.

Again, Ed, thanks for the suggestion.

Regards,

Dave

27 Man · Feb 2, 2012

Bullseye, Unique, and 2400 do everything I want in handgun loading. Guess I am in a rut.

nicky4968 · Feb 2, 2012

I'm a boring man in a boring job, so I have a boring reload.

4.3 gr Unique under 158 gr RNL.

I cast 158 gr RNL, 158 gr SWC, 173 gr SWC, 148 gr WC, and 200 gr RNL. The 158 gr RNL outnumbers all the rest put together by 2 or 3 to 1.

They always go where I want 'um.

bill skebeck · Feb 2, 2012

158grn. 3.0 g BULLSEYE.

bloo · Feb 2, 2012

27 Man said:
Bullseye, Unique, and 2400 do everything I want in handgun loading. Guess I am in a rut.

stuck in the same rut for the last 40 years. Only 3 powders I use. Good nuf for Elmer and Skeeter, good nuff for me. My 38 load is 148gr wc over 3.0 of Bullseye. Prints one hole groups from the Ransom Rest and keeps them in the 8 ring or better off hand at 25yrds

Ted

Smith357 · Feb 2, 2012

148 grain WCs and 3 grains of Bullseye (don't quote me on that though, I have not changed the settings my press in years and don't have my book handy)

BobR1 · Feb 3, 2012

Light Load: 2.8g Clays under a 125 lead bullet.

Medium Load: 3.5 - 4.0 Unique under a 158 lead bullet

Heavy Load: 5.0 Unique under a 158 lead bullet.
Note: this is over the Maximum Load in current reloading manuals.
Per Quick Load, the pressure is below maximum for +P. This is an old favorite load that has been used for years. Start low and work up using heavy loads.

I would skip the heavy load unless you have a K or L frame gun.

Bob

bananaman · Feb 3, 2012

Mild and clean...... 158gr LSWC, 3.0 gr. Clays. Bob

Mule88 · Feb 3, 2012

158 gn cast or jacket and 5 gn. Universal Clays.

AveragEd · Feb 3, 2012

Lanyard Stretcher said:
158gr.SWC and 4 gr. of Universal.

Mike

Looking at Hodgdon's loading data, I thought Clays Universal would be a good powder for my target handgun loads in .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum and .45ACP. But it doesn't burn well in lighter, target-type loads - it leaves little tan discs of unburned powder all over the bench and your gun unless you load it heavy enough to get the pressure high enough to insure complete combustion. But by then, recoil is reaching a point higher than necessary for target loads. I also learned the hard way the it only takes one of those little tan discs under your revolver's extractor star to prevent the cylinder from closing.

I swapped emails with Hodgdon's about those concerns and they advised that Universal is not their best recommendation for target ammo.

I like a lot of Alliant (formerly Hercules) powders but as a breed, they are dirtier than most Hodgdon products.

Ed

Black_Sheep · Feb 3, 2012

158gr LSWC over 4.0 of W-231

snubbiefan · Feb 3, 2012

Haven't seen one posted close to this yet.....105-grain cast wheel-weight SWC Alox-lubed over 3.1-grains of Bullseye (exactly 1 empty 22LR case). Not much more kick than a 22LR from a steel gun....fun to shoot, cheap to build and as accurate as I am.

Of course....this is not my carry-load...it's my fun-load.

Favourite 38 Reloads?

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