Looking to work up some new 38 special loads

flyfishinjunkee

flyfishinjunkee

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Here's what I have to work with:
Missouri bullet Cowboy #2 (125 grain TCFP)
Missouri bullet PPC #2 (148 DEWC)
Missouri bullet 357 action (158 SWC)

Powders: Unique/Titegroup/Clays/Bullseye/2400

So, what is your favorite .38 special load? I have loaded the above bullets in the past with Unique/titegroup/bullseye. Since I'm bored I want to work up some new loads and I have a large variety of powder on hand.
 
I've been running the heck out of those PPC #2 Hi-Tek rounds. Loading them over 3.1'ish of Tight Group has produced a very accurate shooting load. Seated to the last crimp groove and very lightly crimped (if any at all), I'm getting an average of 803 fps from my 4" 627. They also shoot well from my 67-1 revolver.
 
I have shot all those in my little J frame snub nose, mostly for light target loads but have gone to near max to see what fps that I can get.
If you have a heavy K frame or larger frame revolver, recoil will be a lot less and fps fast if a 4-6" barrel is used.

J frame
125 TC OAL 1.44........ Bullseye 627~786fps
148 BB ...... 1.25......... " ....... 594~799
158 swc...... 1.48 ........ " ........ 630~752
158 c/o K frame 6" .... Unique ... 1014fps with .38 case

Good luck and have fun.
 
I'm tempted to try Clays in 38 Spl. In the past I've only used W231 in my smaller cartridge reloads, but I have used Clays in 45ACP with good results. It's a very clean burning powder. If and when my range ever opens up I've got a bunch of trial loads to shoot; perhaps I'll throw in a few 38Spl 158 SWC (coated Bayou) w/ Clays. Hodgdon site lists 2.8 to 3.1 grs for 812 to 871 FPS. I am soooo bored! -S2
 
I'll be shooting these loads out of a variety of pistols. Mostly the old 6" K38 and 1905 target but also my Colt Cobra/DS and maybe even a Reg Mag among other model 27's. I really prefer the hot magnum loads in the 357's but the 38's are great for friends...

I looked through my loading logs and I've loaded the following over the past 10 years. Most of these loads should be on the lower side of "hot". All worked well for semi-accurate plinker loads. I havent chrono'd any of these. I'll need to get the chrono out when testing the next batch of loads.

158 SWC over 3-3.2 grains Titegroup
158 Grain SWC over 3gr bullseye
125 Grain TCFP over 4g unique
125 Grain TCFP over 3.2gr bullseye

Since I'm bored and have a large variety of reloading supplies I'm inclined to try some new stuff! Well, that plus my inventory of loaded 38 ammo is dangerously low and I've got the lee Breechlock dialed in and ready to crank out some loads. I usually refer to the Lyman 49th but love the suggestions! Keep em coming guys!
 
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Speedo2 said:
I'm tempted to try Clays in 38 Spl. In the past I've only used W231 in my smaller cartridge reloads, but I have used Clays in 45ACP with good results. It's a very clean burning powder. If and when my range ever opens up I've got a bunch of trial loads to shoot; perhaps I'll throw in a few 38Spl 158 SWC (coated Bayou) w/ Clays. Hodgdon site lists 2.8 to 3.1 grs for 812 to 871 FPS. I am soooo bored! -S2
Click to expand...

My favorite 45ACP load is 200swc (coated lead from Acme/missouri bullet) over 4.5 grains TG. That was my "starting load" when I purchased my Gold Cup and it put one ragged hole in the paper. I havent changed it since. It's an incredible load and I've loaded thousands of em!
 
Speedo2 said:
I'm tempted to try Clays in 38 Spl. In the past I've only used W231 in my smaller cartridge reloads, but I have used Clays in 45ACP with good results. It's a very clean burning powder. If and when my range ever opens up I've got a bunch of trial loads to shoot; perhaps I'll throw in a few 38Spl 158 SWC (coated Bayou) w/ Clays. Hodgdon site lists 2.8 to 3.1 grs for 812 to 871 FPS. I am soooo bored! -S2
Click to expand...
I'm a big fan of Clays in both 38Spl and 45ACP. Almost as accurate as BE and 231, but so much cleaner! My allergies are much happier since I made the switch. I have found that starting(low) charge weights tend to leave unburnt powder flakes which can bind up my revolvers, so I tend to load closer to maximum weights. My handguns no longer look like chimney fire survivors after a long range visit.
 
I load hollow base wadcutters over 3.2gr. of Titegroup. Very accurate and fun to shoot out of any gun from early M&Ps to modern J Frames.
 

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3.4 Clays works great with a 125/130 grain lead/coated bullet in .38 Special and 6 grains of Unique works great in .357 with 158 lead/coated.
 
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flyfishinjunkee said:
Powders: Unique/Titegroup/Clays/Bullseye/2400
Click to expand...

Just wanted to comment on what I highlighted above... Alliant 2400.

I started my handloading adventure in 1988 armed with a Speer #11 and nothing else. No internet, no mentor, no help from anywhere (especially the guys at the local gun store) so my Speer#11 (circa 1987 copyright) was all I had. In there you can find some .38 Special+P loads for 110, 125 and 158 grain bullets and old Hercules 2400.

These days, my favorite source for published and lab-tested load data for all Alliant powders (including 2400) is from the 2005 printed Alliant guide. It's been my finding that the 2005 printed guide was the best and most flexible source before ATK kind of wrecked the published data for Alliant powders by "streamlining" all the data to specifically correspond with Speer bullets, also an ATK umbrella property at the time.

The 2005 guide shows no data in .38 Special using 2400 save for one oddball load using a 200gr slug.

Years back I attempted some .38 Special loads using 2400 and they weren't any good. It was nothing more than curiosity. I know that 2400 is a fantastic powder in high pressure and magnum loads and I will ALWAYS have a good supply of 2400 on hand.

In a 17.5k psi max .38 Special load, 2400 is far out of it's comfortable range. While I don't see using 2400 in experimental .38 Special loads as some kind of massive safety risk, I do believe it is a complete waste of time and components.

As always, I'm more than happy to hear any counter arguments or experience from which I might learn. But if asking my advice, .38 Special and 2400 are not compatible.
 
I recently loaded up some Lee 148 grain wadcutters over 4.0 grains of Unique. At 50 yards, single action, from a rest, four of them went into a hand-sized group with one flier taking the group out to about a foot. That was from my S&W 638 snubbie.
I'm thinking of making that my carry load, especially now that factory ammo has dried up.
 
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Sevens said:
Just wanted to comment on what I highlighted above... Alliant 2400.



I started my handloading adventure in 1988 armed with a Speer #11 and nothing else. No internet, no mentor, no help from anywhere (especially the guys at the local gun store) so my Speer#11 (circa 1987 copyright) was all I had. In there you can find some .38 Special+P loads for 110, 125 and 158 grain bullets and old Hercules 2400.



These days, my favorite source for published and lab-tested load data for all Alliant powders (including 2400) is from the 2005 printed Alliant guide. It's been my finding that the 2005 printed guide was the best and most flexible source before ATK kind of wrecked the published data for Alliant powders by "streamlining" all the data to specifically correspond with Speer bullets, also an ATK umbrella property at the time.



The 2005 guide shows no data in .38 Special using 2400 save for one oddball load using a 200gr slug.



Years back I attempted some .38 Special loads using 2400 and they weren't any good. It was nothing more than curiosity. I know that 2400 is a fantastic powder in high pressure and magnum loads and I will ALWAYS have a good supply of 2400 on hand.



In a 17.5k psi max .38 Special load, 2400 is far out of it's comfortable range. While I don't see using 2400 in experimental .38 Special loads as some kind of massive safety risk, I do believe it is a complete waste of time and components.



As always, I'm more than happy to hear any counter arguments or experience from which I might learn. But if asking my advice, .38 Special and 2400 are not compatible.
Click to expand...
I have a loaded 2400 with 158 grain semi wadcutter in 38 and it's actually a pretty good load. I would agree to stay away from it with lighter bullets but there is no reason not to use it with the heavier bullet in a 38. That said there are better powders out there for the 38 special as you stated. My go to's are unique Bullseye or TG.

My grandpa's old hornady book from 1973 lists 2400 as an option for most 38 special bullets they list (all except 1).
9e236d7c5888fa8aab9be9cde727cbaf.jpg
255500e314dceca9e25ec94e4d5a9a9e.jpg


Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
 
Try MBC 140 gr TCFP

I am a fan of MBC and have used all 4 bullets listed with good results in .38 spl. However, my best, and now pet load, is a MBC 140 gr TCFP over 3.4 grns of Bullseye, crimped to the top of the crimp groove. Very accurate, very mild recoil, and brass has virtually no soot, especially for Bullseye.
 
You have two tried and true powders that can do it all -Bullseye and Unique. A nice soft, but very accurate load for all 38 Specials is 2.8 gr Bullseye with 148 gr wadcutter, of which I loaded tens of thousands of rounds. A heavy +P load for the Model 27 is 6 gr. of Unique with 158 gr cast bullet.
 
if you’re interested in standard pressure 38 Special loads, I would suggest using your Bullseye:

148 gr DEWC - suggest 3.0 to 3.5 grs Bullseye. The 3.5 gr load was referred to as a “Full Wadcutter” potent and accurate.

158 gr SWC - 3.5 grs Bullesye is a time honored load. Very accurate with adequate power and covers most of your 38 Spl needs.

Sorry, I cannot offer advice for the 125 gr bullet, but a current Lyman manual should help with loads.

I would save the Unique for 38 Spl +P loads and 2400 for 38-44 or 357 Magnum requirements.

Bullseye is the near perfect powder for standard velocity 38 Special loads
 
flyfishinjunkee said:
I have a loaded 2400 with 158 grain semi wadcutter in 38 and it's actually a pretty good load. I would agree to stay away from it with lighter bullets but there is no reason not to use it with the heavier bullet in a 38. That said there are better powders out there for the 38 special as you stated. My go to's are unique Bullseye or TG.

My grandpa's old hornady book from 1973 lists 2400 as an option for most 38 special bullets they list (all except 1).
9e236d7c5888fa8aab9be9cde727cbaf.jpg
255500e314dceca9e25ec94e4d5a9a9e.jpg


Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Those upper end 38 Spl 158 gr lead loads are only for Heavy Duty 38-44 or 357 Magnum revolvers...please rely on a current manual for your 38 Spl loading needs.
 
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