airfoil
Member
I'm making the move to start loading 38 special. I'm just plinking with a Ruger Blackhawk for fun. I'll be using the HP-38 powder that I'm using for 9mm Luger. 158 Grain seems pretty popular. What do you guys think?
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Best 38 Special Bullet
- Thread starter airfoil
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I like a 158 gr. lead SWC for general use. Works well on paper and can also be used on small game. Not a terrible SD round, either.
Leslie Sapp
Member
I use the Lyman 358156 158gr for about everything .35 caliber, but I've been playing with the Lyman 358477 150 gr bullet lately in the .38 special and .38 S&W.
the 148gr wc or the 158gr swc both make nice round holes in paper targets that are easy to see and score.
158 LRN may be cheaper for plinking but are a little harder to see at 25 yards on paper.
In these days, go with what you can get, even if it has to be a lead 158 HP !!
I have done well with the 125gr lead with Bullseye, w231 and Green Dot for low pressure target loads in snub nose and 6" barrels.
Lead is easier to work with at lower fps................and usually eats LESS powder.
Have fun.
158 LRN may be cheaper for plinking but are a little harder to see at 25 yards on paper.
In these days, go with what you can get, even if it has to be a lead 158 HP !!
I have done well with the 125gr lead with Bullseye, w231 and Green Dot for low pressure target loads in snub nose and 6" barrels.
Lead is easier to work with at lower fps................and usually eats LESS powder.
Have fun.
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
My 2 favorite .38 Special loads are made with W231/HP-38. One is made with a 158gr LSWC and the other is with a 148gr DEWC. Both are very accurate in every .38 I shoot them in. That is an extremely good powder for use in the .38 Special...
Steve C
Member
W231 with 158gr lead bullets make a good combination for loading the .38 spl. Use a soft lead bullet for the .38 spl like swagged lead from Speer or Hornady or softer cast like the 12 BNH target bullets from Missouri Bullets as at low pressure loads the hard cast bullets will usually lead up the bore at the forcing cone end. The softer bullet will seal in the bore at the low pressure and leave no leading.
The Speer 158gr LSWCHP bullet on top of 4.5 to 4.7grs of W231 makes a good replication of the +P Winchester FBI/Chicago police load.
For full power loads in the .357 mag use hard cast for loads pushing 1,200 fps or more.
The Speer 158gr LSWCHP bullet on top of 4.5 to 4.7grs of W231 makes a good replication of the +P Winchester FBI/Chicago police load.
For full power loads in the .357 mag use hard cast for loads pushing 1,200 fps or more.
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indie_rocker
US Veteran
I had a horrible leading experience with my .38. Ever since, it's been nothing but jacketed. For plinking I like Rainer 125gr flat-point or HP. For carry I use 158gr XTP if it's unavailable then 125XTP is just ok. Using Red Dot for .38 and 9mm at this time. It was the only thing available.
For plinking loads in 38 spl I like the 158 gr RN cast bullets. They give
better accuracy in my guns at mild velocity levels than SWCs.
better accuracy in my guns at mild velocity levels than SWCs.
noylj
Member
Best bullet for accuracy/paper punching? Remington 148gn L-HBWC at 700-800fps.
Probably most popular? 158gn L-SWC of many different brands.
Probably most popular? 158gn L-SWC of many different brands.
OP
airfoil
Member
38 special bullets
What is the basic difference between a jacketed bullet and a plated bullet. The plated bullets seem easier to get but I've been told it should always be done wih a taper crimp.
What is the basic difference between a jacketed bullet and a plated bullet. The plated bullets seem easier to get but I've been told it should always be done wih a taper crimp.
scooter123
Member
I've pulled plated bullets to check for damage to the plating from a roll crimp and all I have ever found was a groove formed by the crimp, even under 20X magnification. I've also shot many thousands of roll crimped plated bullets and have had ZERO issues with either leading or accuracy.
As for my favorite bullets for plinking, being a bit cheap I prefer to load with 125 grain bullets simply because they cost less. As for accuracy, I'm loading my 125 grain Rainier and Extreme bullets using Vihtavouri 3N37 and have no complaints at all about accuracy. If I cheat with reading glasses so I can see the sights and rest my forearms on the bench I can pretty routinely shoot cloverleafs at 50 feet. For my typical offhand self defense drills it's more than accurate enough to do the job.
As for my favorite bullets for plinking, being a bit cheap I prefer to load with 125 grain bullets simply because they cost less. As for accuracy, I'm loading my 125 grain Rainier and Extreme bullets using Vihtavouri 3N37 and have no complaints at all about accuracy. If I cheat with reading glasses so I can see the sights and rest my forearms on the bench I can pretty routinely shoot cloverleafs at 50 feet. For my typical offhand self defense drills it's more than accurate enough to do the job.
elpac3
Member
.38 special bullet
Have you considered the 148 grain lead SWC?
Lighter than the 158, can use the old standby load of 2.8 grains BE or 2.7 Red Dot, good form factor, good 50 yard load.
I have been shooting the 148 SWC for PPC for a while now, fast loading, easy shooting. Got mine from Rim Rock.
Have you considered the 148 grain lead SWC?
Lighter than the 158, can use the old standby load of 2.8 grains BE or 2.7 Red Dot, good form factor, good 50 yard load.
I have been shooting the 148 SWC for PPC for a while now, fast loading, easy shooting. Got mine from Rim Rock.
My favorite 38 Special used to be bullets cast from the old Lyman 358156 mold. However a few years ago I found a home made bullet mold at a yard sale that casts a .360, 126gn SWC bullet. That has become my standard plinking bullet for both 38 Special and 38 S&W. But like others have said, if you're not casting you'll be working up a load with whatever you can find.
kpoesq369
US Veteran
I usually put 231/HP38 under a 148 WC or 158 SWC for general purpose plinking. Have for years! Started when I shot PPC and was going through more WC than I could afford. Came across a box of 147 truncated for 9mm, and guess what? They work just as well in 38s and are great in speedloaders, so don't limit your self to traditional 38 loads.
ArchAngelCD
Moderator, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
I like those Speer bullets and the hornady 158gr LSWC/HP bullet too. While you can use W231 which is a powder I really like but in the FBI Load application I like HS-6 better. It will deliver more velocity but with less pressures than W231 without sacrificing accuracy.
RobertJ.
Member
My favorite all-around bullet for the .38 Special is the 158 gr. SWC. Try Rim Rock Bullets out of Ronan, Montana. They have a nice selection and decent prices. They're hard cast, and they list the hardness for each of their bullets.
Granddad
Member
Airfoil, you should be able to run a search on this forum and find detailed info on your question. In a nutshell, the difference is that plated have a thin, relative soft copper wash over the lead bullet. Jacketed are are much thicker/harder layer of copper over the lead bullet. Velocities on plated should be kept to about 1100 fps or lower to prevent the plating and lead from separating, and the crimps should be fairly light to keep from cutting the plating. Most of the mfgs that sell plated offer good advice on their web sites regarding the loading of plated bullets.
I may have missed a point or two since I'm not a fan of plated, so others might chime in to correct or add to my comments.
If this is your first go at handgun loading, I'd suggest a jacketed bullet with a cannalure. To eliminate any OAL worries, just seat to the cannalure and roll crimp. This is a bit more expensive than plated or lead, but easier for a beginner. If you wanna start with lead, you'll need to measure the cylinder throats and groove diameter of the barrel so you'll know what diameter to purchase or size the bullets (lead bullets sized/purchased the same diameter as the cylinder throats and larger than the groove diameter is a very good starting point to avoid leading). If you choose plated it's best to have a taper crimp die because most plated bullets don't have a crimp groove or cannalure. OAL with a plated bullet is determined by comparing the size and shape of your bullets with a similar size and shape cast or jacketed, and using that bullet's OAL.
