38 Low Recoil

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New to this board and looking for suggestions on low recoil 38 load.

I have been lurking on here and other sites for some time. Always see the standard 2.7 BE and 148 gr wc.
I have been reloading for some time mostly with unique and
158 gr 4.5 to 5.0 gr. Seems to be ok for me but was looking for something with less recoil for j frame.

I tried the bullseye load along with red dot, 231 but these seem to be more snappy than unique loads. Tried these other powders with 148 and 158. None of them recoil that much the faster powders just seem to have more of a snap than push.

Any help with low recoil loads ?
 
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The best low recoil pistol power I have used is IMR 4227.

Even in 357magnum and 44magnum the recoil impulse is more a firm push than a sharp snap. Accuracy is excellent as well. It doesn't produce maximum velocities, but it doesn't give the lowest either. You'll probably see a little unburned powder residues, but that is the only drawback I've ever seen anyone mention, and that doesn't bother me much. Guns need regular periodic cleaning if they are being shot anyway, right?

If you can find some and give it a try, I'll bet you'll like it - a lot.
 
5.0 grains of bullseye behind a 158 grain bullet is definitely on the hot side for 38 special. What's a starting load? Probably around 3.0 or 3.5? I don't have my reloading manual in front of my but I'd start with Bullseye and whatever the minimum load is. The biggest concern with light loads is getting a bullet stuck in the barrel. Jacketed bullets have much more fiction than lead so I'd stick with lead bullets if you're searching for the lightest load.

Regarding IMR 4227 - it's a good powder for light .357 magnum loads but I don't recall ever seeing much data in 38 special.
 
If you want minimum recoil..........

load the 110gr jacket or a 125gr lead Cowboy bullet at
the starting loads in your manual.

I can get the 110gr down to 750fps and the 125gr LRN down to
600fps in my snub nose J frame.

Both have LESS recoil than the standard target 148gr lead bullet.

2021 note;
slow 4227 powder might not burn 100%, getting under the extractor
and might lock your 2" J fram up.
 
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Agree with Nevada Ed's cowboy loads.
But if you want a standard sized bullet to shoot to POA,


3gr HP38 with 148gr WC lead
3.2gr HP38 with 158gr lead

These tried and true loads are about as low recoil as anything you can do with a standard sized lead bullet that will not stick in a barrel.


I caution against trying light loads of slow powder, since they are very dirty and erratic at very low pressures.
 
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I would also caution anyone looking to put together powder-puff loads that you should stay away from jacketed bullets. The margin between the bullet exiting the barrel and getting stuck in the barrel is very, very slim with jacketed bullets. You should stick to at least minimum listed loads, for sure, with jacketed , whatever powder you are using. Cast lead bullets have a much lower coefficient of friction and are not quite as picky.
 
reddog81 said:
....Regarding IMR 4227 - it's a good powder for light .357 magnum loads but I don't recall ever seeing much data in 38 special.
Click to expand...

The latest reloading data from IMR shows 11 of the 12 different bullets in their published loads include data for 4227. The loads range from 11.9gr under a 95gr SJHP to 9.2gr under a 200gr LRN. The only one of the 12 bullets listed that they don't list a 4227 load for is a Remington 148gr LWC.

I've been saving my 4227 for magnums, but IMR only published 10 loads for the 357magnum and only 9 of them include data for 4227. Interestingly enough the one they don't publish 357magnum data for is that same Remington 148gr LWC bullet.

Based on the quantity of their published data, it seems like IMR thinks 4227 is just as good for the 38 as it is for the 357 :D
 
Don't know if this will help, as I understand that Hogdgon has stopped making PB. I picked some up during the height of the great powder shortage. It produced very accurate, very low recoil loads with mid range powder loads under 158 LSWCs. The cases didn't seal well, and were smoky after firing, but I was quite happy with the results. I was amazed at how soft the recoil was.
 
I just started reloading and I started using Hodgdon Clays 2.5 gr with Rainier 125 gr full plated round nose. Rainier says don't crimp their plated bullets and I didn't.
I couldn't hit squat and I had a squib. I also found a bullet laying on the ground under the target.
Next time out I still wasn't hitting squat and then had a squib. I found a bullet laying on the ground 10' from me.

I was told by GS that Clays was to slow and caused the squib. He said quit using Clays and take apart all the rounds I had left.

I called Hodgdon and the guy was very helpful and patient with my novice experience. He told me the GS didn't know what he was talking about and that Clays is one of the faster powders on the market. he asked was I crimping the rounds and I said no because Ranier said not to.
He said he believed the problem was my not crimping the rounds was my problem. He said instead of dumping all the remaining rounds try crimping the rounds and try again.

I have the Lee crimping die set up so I crimped about 150 of the rounds. The accuracy really improved and was shooting like factory reloads now. I shot over 100 and all shot good and no squibs. Sometimes it is best to call the powder company help line.
He said the 2.5 grain was very minimal and suggested raising the charge to maybe 3.5. I am going to load maybe 10 of these and see how that does.
As far as recoil it is really practically nothing and I could shoot for hours with no discomfort. This is with shooting an LCR 357 revolver. I am interested if at 3.5 gr if the recoil will increase much.

The Clays is not as dirty as many factory reloads I have shot.
 
To lessen the recoil, you can lessen the bullet weight.
The softest shooting 38 special load I have come up with uses the Lee .358 , 105 grain , SWC bullet over 2.5 grains of Bullseye or Red Dot.
If you don't cast your own , try loading the lightest lead bullet you can buy, also lead bullets shoot with less felt recoil than plated or jacketed. Lead being softer , is easier to get started down the barrel, therefore, in theory at least , less felt recoil.
I tried for years to get a light load with Unique but 4.5 grains is about as light as I could get acceptable results. Unique must have a certain amount of pressure to burn correctly. 4.5 to 5.0 grains is a standard velocity 38 special load. 5.0 with a 158 grain cast SWC is my standard 38 special load.
Red Dot and Bullseye do much better for light loads.
Gary
 
Try this.....

Someone suggested a 9mm load with a 147 grain lead bullet and Acc #7. I was pretty amazed. So a 158 gr. SWC with an extra light load of Acc #7. Just be sure that the load isn't so light as to stick a bullet in the barrel. Try minimum published loads first. Of course in my 9mm the slide had to function.

Another advantage I got was that this combo was REALLY accurate.
 
My standard .38 Special target load for years has been 3.2 gr of Red Dot under a 158 gr LSWC.

It produces only about 650 fps in a 2" barrel and about 700 fps in a 2 1/2" barrel.

---

Now, you can go with a light load and a 110 gr or 125 gr bullet, but most .38's with fixed sights are regulated for a standard pressure load with a 158 gr bullet, and those lighter loads will shoot substantially low.
 
Thanks for all the help. I'm not new to reloading but have been chasing this low recoil ideal for a while. I was about ready to give up on the ideal.


I will try the lighter bullets maybe the 105 gr swc with fast powder like red dot or bullseye.
 
Thanks for your help. That's what Ive discovered about unique as well its just not good for very light charges.
 
BB57 said:
My standard .38 Special target load for years has been 3.2 gr of Red Dot under a 158 gr LSWC.

It produces only about 650 fps in a 2" barrel and about 700 fps in a 2 1/2" barrel.

---

Now, you can go with a light load and a 110 gr or 125 gr bullet, but most .38's with fixed sights are regulated for a standard pressure load with a 158 gr bullet, and those lighter loads will shoot substantially low.
Click to expand...

Exactly why I recommended the IMR4227. It produces very mild recoil with "standard" weight (148gr-158gr) cast or swagged lead bullets - with great accuracy. Loads so mild and soft that they barely make it to the target or that hit a foot low of POA aren't much use for most purposes.
 
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BC38 said:
Exactly why I recommended the IMR4227. It produces very mild recoil with "standard" weight (148gr-158gr) cast or swagged lead bullets - with great accuracy. Loads so mild and soft that they barely make it to the target or that hit a foot low of POA aren't much use for most purposes.
Click to expand...

I agree with you on the bullet selection.

I'm not a real fan of IMR 4227 in a light load however as it's a good way down the burn rate chart - even slower than Win 296.

Consequently, the mass of the charge is significantly greater than a light load of Red Dot or Bullseye. That matters as the gas produced by the powder charge still has the same mass it did as a solid, but exits the muzzle at about 3 times the muzzle velocity. Consequently, it produces additional recoil compared to a lighter charge of a faster powder.

Hornady has published data down to 2.6 gr of Red Dot with a 158 gr lead bullet, and at that level you'll get around 650 fps in a 4" barrel and well under 600 in a 2" barrel.

I use 3.2 grains as I get excellent accuracy and a very low standard deviation in velocity of around 10 fps in a 4" to 6" barrel, 13-15 fps in a 3" barrel, and 16-18 fps in a 2" barrel.
 
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