whats your favorite 38 sp load? im fixing to load 1000 or so with my home cast 158 swc, bullseye and unique are my favorite 38spec powders, might have to cast a few more bullets but hey thats fun too.

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WILL WORK FOR AMMO!

!58gr. SWC & 5.0gr. Unique, very accurate in my #36-1 & my #10-8, I also use 5.5grs. Unique in my #10-8, one hole groups at 18yds.

those are pretty hot 38 loads! ill most likley use bullseye, bought 16# might as well use it, and it goes a long ways.

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WILL WORK FOR AMMO!

5 grns of Unique, a 158 SWC. I shot about 40,000 of those so far in my little diamondback and other 38's. I went through a short period of "book max" loads of 4.2 grns and went back to 5.0 grns. Works great, accurate, reliable and fun to shoot.

When I started loading it was not even considered a max load back then.

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SWCA 1646

Since you are already set on using either Bullseye or Unique I guess my loads using W231 are useless to you.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

i was just asking for everyones favorte load, shoot i might have to try some of that 231! i have had good luck with bullseye and 148 hbwc

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WILL WORK FOR AMMO!

I've been using 3.5gr. of BE behind a 158gr. bullet. Like the combo.

Chuck

With a 158gr LSWC I really like a 4.0gr charge of W231/HP-38. It's my favorite .38 Special load. It's extremely clean and accurate in my revolvers.

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

I like 5.0 of Unique with 158 gr SWC. I used to load creampuff loads with 231 and 148 gr HBWC. I think it was 3.0 grains

3.3 of Bullseye work really well with the 158 gr. LSWC. One of my favorite loads.

W231 can be used for more than cream puff loads. It's even good for building .38 Special +P loads. It's not as slow a powder as Unique but it's much slower than Bullseye...

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Freedom is never free!!
SWCA #3437

125 gr Hornady XTP hp, 5.7 gr Unique.

125 gr. Winchester JHP with 7.6 gr. HS-6. I also load 158 gr. Berrys plated with HP-38, forget the charge right now. Found these 125 gr Win JHP's at a garage sale - 12,000 bullets for $40, couldn't resist.

12,000 man i need to start going to yard sales!

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WILL WORK FOR AMMO!

I just recently started using Bullseye again and found that 3.8 gr under a 158 gr plated SWC is still a pretty good +P load in my 38's.

All with a 158swc, 5.0 of Unique, 4.0 of HP38, 6.0 of HS6 and 9.0 of 2400...

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Life is good!

well i loaded these with 3.4 gr of bullseye, shot a few in my airweight j frame and they seem to shoot great!

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WILL WORK FOR AMMO!

With a 158 gr. cast swc I like 5.0 to 5.2 grs Unique for standard velocity 38 special. For plinking and just fun shooting 3.0 to 3.5 grs Bullseye ( these are lighter loads than the one with Unique ) same 158gr cast swc bullet.

3.5 grains of Bullseye with a Speer HBWC.This was my go to round (loaded in .357 case) to win many matches in my old Model 19. For general use with .38 brass same 3.5 grains of Bullseye but with a Lyman hard cast 155 grain bullet.

I shoot 5.0 Unique behind a Lyman 358156 and 2.7 BE behind a 148 gn wadcutter. Nice easy loads for an old guy. BE is a great powder.

Same for me.

I shoot a lot of .38s with the 158gr swc. My two favorite loads are 4.7 gr Unique--815 fps out of a 2" barrel...hot enough, and cool enough not to rattle my Cobra or Agent. My practice load is 2.7 gr of Trailboss--600fps and great for extended practice with LW snubbies.

Good for you!

ME TOO! What a deal.
Steve

I used to use your 2.7 load in my S&W 52, what a tack driver. If I did my part it would clover leaf every time. Also, I use your 5.0 load in my 27s. Guess we learned from the same place?
Steve

I have been loading 3.0 Bullseye behind 158 lead SWC for years. Mild load, accurate as I can be. 2300 rounds per pound of powder = economical too.

I load a 158gr Speer swaged or cast bullet with 4.5gr WSF. I have shot thousands upon thousands of these at CAS/SASS and casual practice/plinking since about 1999. It's economical and measures well. The best part? I haven't had anything that can even remotely be described as leading since then.

I'd load Bullseye if I wanted real target loads for it though.

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" I said, good DAY! "

For plinking and streel challenge loads I use 2.8 gr. Trail Boss behind a 158 gr. LRN bullet - soft shooting and accurate.

3.5 to 3.8 grains of Bullseye, under a 158 grain LSWC. I've tried 3.5, 3.6, 3.7 and 3.8 grains in my K-frames. All shoot very well. 3.6 and 3.7 grains seem to be the best of the lot......so I usually load 3.6 grains.

You might try some WST. Burns a little cleaner than 231. I like 4.0 grains of 231 and the 158 but its dirty..

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The American dream is alive

For plinking loads in the 38 spl I prefer cast 158 gr RN bullets over
SWCs, better accuracy in my guns. A favorite load would have to be
3.3-3.5 grs W 452AA. Wish it was still made. 3.4 grs Titegroup is good.
4.0 W 231 for a bit more velocity.

i like 5 to 5.5 gr. unique with 155 gr. lyman hp. very accurate load.

A few weeks ago I picked up a 64-2 snub and have been using Berry plated 158 grain FP's over 4.8 grains of Unique. It is a very nice load.

Thanks,

Rick

Mine is 4.5 grains Unique behind a 158 gr. Missouri Bullet SWC. Easy on the gun and really fun to shoot.

3.3 to 3.5 Bullseye for paper pinching. 5.0-5.2 Unique for full power use.

When I started shooting and handloading in the early 70's I used Lee's Lee loaders that came in a little red box and you used a mallet and dippers to load with and I use to use 4.6 grs. of Unquie under a 158 gr. LSWC or LRN swaged or cast bullet. It is still the only 38spl load I use but only now on more sopisticated equipment for loading. Seems to shoot very well in any gun I put it in.

Used 2.8 gr. Bullseye on a 158 LSWC out of a 6" S&W 14. Shoots tight, minimal recoil - used the load for ISPC shooting and PPC.

My general plinking cartridge for 38 special is a 148g HBWC with 3.2g of Unique, its a real accurate load for my K-38 as well as my Outdoorsman.
I like to shoot a take on old Elmers classic 158g SWC and 12g of 2400, I only shoot that in the Outdoorsman and its a great round. Not as accurate as the HBWC "plinkers" but an excellent round to shoot with the guys busting bowling pins and knocking stuff over. I've been told its a bit stout for the K-frame revolvers, probably should stick to around 7.5g of 2400 in a lighter frame.

+1 on this load. I like a very light crimp.

Me, too - 358446 0r 358311 over 5.0 Unique.

Larry

This works for me as well.

Does this load even make miner power factor in IPSC? I doubt it.
Steve

Lately, I've been using a Rim Rock 148 grain hardcast SWC over 5.1 grains on Unique. Previously I was using 4.0 grains of Bullseye. Both are very accurate in my 80's vintage Model 15.

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I believe in the wadcutter.

I load 158grn 358d 3g bullseye in 6 different s.w. pistols shoots great.

Started with 3-3.5 gr. Bullseye for my .38's & .357's in the 60's, it's the all around load. However, I also use Unique but prefer 231 because it's cleaner and now I load for .38, .357, .40 S&W, .45 acp plus a few others. They all go boom! When I grab a box of .38's or .357's it's probably rounds I loaded years ago and mostly Bullseye, for the .40 it's most likely 231. You can't go wrong with any of them.

Got this from another member awhile back: 3.5 gr. of Bullseye with the 158 gr. SWC cast bullet seated even with the last band and no crimp. It works well.

12.5 grains of 2400 behind a 152 grain 358156 HP, of course this load should only be used in the .38-44 guns or a .357 Magnum, but its still .38 Special!

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Vaya con Dios

Hensley & Gibbs Plain Base #50 Wadcutter. Straight wheelweights, air cooled. 6 Cavity mould. Tumble lubed, Lee Liquid Alox.

WW Wadcutter Brass
Winchester Small Pistol Primer
3.5 Grains Bullseye
Lee Factory crimp on last station of Dillon 550. No rollover crimp, just straighten the mouth from flared.

75,000+ rounds in a Smith & Wesson Model 27-2 5".

Accurate all day long.

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Texasflyboy

Some widow's husband is spinning in his grave!

I think the wad cutters I used, Star, were pure lead with a black powder lube(maybe graphite?).
Steve