110 grain .38 special loads
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Learn something new every day, didn't even know there was a 110 grn for the 38. Looking in the Lee manual, it shows min of 10.5 and a max of 11.1 of IMR 4227. If that is close to what you load for the 125s, it should be good. I'm surprised it isn't listed anywhere since Lee doesn't compile their own data. Does IMR have an online data source?
I know what the loading manuals call for but IMR 4227 is not the best powder for the 38 special for good velocity.
In my 6" 686 .357 Magnum............
with a 38 case and a Hornady XTP placed on top of
14.0 compressed grains of 4227 powder and a cci primer
my chrony only read 945 fps.
11.0 grains grouped at just under 2" at 25 yards with the 6".
My J frame snub nose jammed from all the powder pieces so badly that the cylinder would not open
and I had to take it home to dismantle and clean it for it to work again. Please do not use this powder
for your SD loads.
Correction ;
that 110gr xtp was at only 15 yards... not 25.
In my 6" 686 .357 Magnum............
with a 38 case and a Hornady XTP placed on top of
14.0 compressed grains of 4227 powder and a cci primer
my chrony only read 945 fps.
11.0 grains grouped at just under 2" at 25 yards with the 6".
My J frame snub nose jammed from all the powder pieces so badly that the cylinder would not open
and I had to take it home to dismantle and clean it for it to work again. Please do not use this powder
for your SD loads.
Correction ;
that 110gr xtp was at only 15 yards... not 25.
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papajohn428
Member
4227 is even slower than H-110/WW296, and as such, is poorly suited to light bullet loads, it's hard to get shotstart pressure to build with so little bullet to push against. You could crimp it half to death to try and hold the bullet in place a little longer, but that's going to play heck with the accuracy. I'd save the 4227 for heavier bullets.
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Some favor light and fast while others prefer slower and heavy. Over the last 30 years I am in the slower but heavy camp and have come to realize that the .38 Special was really designed around the 158 grain bullet. The only exception (in my book for what that's worth) is the Speer 135 grain +P Short Barrel Gold Dot.
I've always found the the light 95's, 110's and 125's are less accurate, have larger muzzle blasts, and less stopping power for SD. I also find they shoot low compared to the 158's. While I suppose you could customize your hand loads, I never truly understood why one would want to, but everyone has their own ideas, theory's and beliefs.
I've always found the the light 95's, 110's and 125's are less accurate, have larger muzzle blasts, and less stopping power for SD. I also find they shoot low compared to the 158's. While I suppose you could customize your hand loads, I never truly understood why one would want to, but everyone has their own ideas, theory's and beliefs.
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4227 jammed my most reliable of all guns, a 357 revolver that had digested every factory load I could find. It needs high pressure to burn. Powder granules everywhere. I forget the load but it was a "starting load" from a respected manual. I was a new reloader but I followed the manual to the letter. After that I saved the 4227 for heavier loads.
You had jamming also............interesting.
It just shows that this powder is way too slow for 38 special loads.
In a very Looong case and a Bigggg heavy bullit it should work better but even in my 6" .357 it was very poor in the fps department with the use of all weights of bullets.
I did not shoot any thing larger than 158 grains.
I even tried it in my 12 Ga. on a few test loads but it was a waste of time and money.
1 1/8oz. 32.5c grs..........Dirty burn and low fps.
Hope you get some powder that burns faster for some better loads.
It just shows that this powder is way too slow for 38 special loads.
In a very Looong case and a Bigggg heavy bullit it should work better but even in my 6" .357 it was very poor in the fps department with the use of all weights of bullets.
I did not shoot any thing larger than 158 grains.
I even tried it in my 12 Ga. on a few test loads but it was a waste of time and money.
1 1/8oz. 32.5c grs..........Dirty burn and low fps.
Hope you get some powder that burns faster for some better loads.
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Just another 22 shooter
Member
IMR 4227 was the first powder I used in 38 sp and 357 mag loads. Main reason was that it was the only powder for pistol reloading in the small gun shop I frequented and I was impatient to get started. It was terribly dirty and like othes have said, left unburnt powder all over. I cannot figure out why it is still even listed as a compatible powder for the 38-357. The only use it does well for me is in small case rifle reloading such as the 221 FireBall
buck460XVR
Member
IMR4227 is a great powder for legitimate magnum velocities with standard or heavy for caliber bullets. It does not work well with light for caliber bullets and light charges. I've also found it works best when compressed.
scooter123
Member
As noted by others, it's a very slow powder and as I discovered with some H110 and 125 grain bullets slow powders and light bullets just don't work well. In fact that particular experiment produced a 357 Magnum load that was louder than a 500 Magnum and put about 8 feet of flame out the barrel with a B/C gap flash at least 3 feet in diameter.
If you want a powder that will work well with those light bullets I can recommend Accurate #5 highly. It's a much faster low flash powder that is perfectly suited for 110 and 125 grain bullets in either 38 special or 357 Magnum.
If you can live with a bit of flash fairly equal to a load using Unique I've found that Vitavouri 3N37 will also work quite well with the 38 special. Downside is it's a bit pricey at 28 dollars per pound and is a bit flashy when compared to Accurate #5. It's also not suitable for Magnum loads based of Vitavouri not providing any Magnum load data for this powder.
Both Accurate #5 and the VV 3N37 meter wonderfully in almost any powder measure made. Personally I use the 3N37 for my 38 special loads using 125 grain plated bullets and reserve my Accurate #5 for the Magnums.
If you want a powder that will work well with those light bullets I can recommend Accurate #5 highly. It's a much faster low flash powder that is perfectly suited for 110 and 125 grain bullets in either 38 special or 357 Magnum.
If you can live with a bit of flash fairly equal to a load using Unique I've found that Vitavouri 3N37 will also work quite well with the 38 special. Downside is it's a bit pricey at 28 dollars per pound and is a bit flashy when compared to Accurate #5. It's also not suitable for Magnum loads based of Vitavouri not providing any Magnum load data for this powder.
Both Accurate #5 and the VV 3N37 meter wonderfully in almost any powder measure made. Personally I use the 3N37 for my 38 special loads using 125 grain plated bullets and reserve my Accurate #5 for the Magnums.
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KLYDE
Member
Full house magnum loads only. Maybe even a magnum primer. I tried some reduced .44 magnum loads and it is a mess with unburned powder granuals. I'm surprised there is even loading data for this in a .38 Spl.
venomballistics
Member
I shot myself in the leg and foot with 110G XTP's out of an old 38 ... all in the same session.
Story goes thus .. I was working up a load with 231, firing at wet phonebook.
I didnt see any holes so I loaded up some more and got in closer ... still no holes.
so I was standing over the phonebook pounding 6 more into it and I felt something tap my foot and something else bounce off my shin.
I looked down at my feet and saw those 110 grain XTP's laying at my feet.
Upon closer inspection I discovered the phonebook cover was covered with small circular indentations ... I didn't miss it after all
I'd save the 110Gs for a hot stepping 357 load and use the 38 with a weight advantage of 140+
Story goes thus .. I was working up a load with 231, firing at wet phonebook.
I didnt see any holes so I loaded up some more and got in closer ... still no holes.
so I was standing over the phonebook pounding 6 more into it and I felt something tap my foot and something else bounce off my shin.
I looked down at my feet and saw those 110 grain XTP's laying at my feet.
Upon closer inspection I discovered the phonebook cover was covered with small circular indentations ... I didn't miss it after all
I'd save the 110Gs for a hot stepping 357 load and use the 38 with a weight advantage of 140+
Here is a picture of what that powder can do out of a J frame snub nose with a 125gr lead bullet.
Not an eye opener...........well, maybe but the wrong kind !!
Not an eye opener...........well, maybe but the wrong kind !!
