I know this is about BOTH commercial bullet choices AND reloading, so my apologies up front if I posted in the wrong area.

I just got my new 642CT and managed to fire off a box of regular 38SP Round Targets at the BassPro indoor range. Nice place, but that said, I have some questions about how best to feed this thing. I have 5k of 158XTPs for my 686 reloading, but have heard/read where this bullet may not be the best choice for the 642CT.

I have 4lb HS6 powder and both CCI-500 and CCI-550 primers for starters.

QUESTION(s):

1. What is best style of bullets for concealed carry PD in the 642CT? LSWCs, JHPs?
2. What would be an ideal weight to use for both accuracy and effect?
3. Is lighter/faster better than heavier/slower? yes/no... and in what cases?

FWIW, I want to be able to reload in this caliber for practice, though will probably "carry" commercial ammunition day-to-day. Plus, I will probably be staying with non+P loads at this point. I have my big 686 Magnum to fill THAT void in my life.

For 38's I don't prefer 158 jacketed stuff. Especially if using a hollow point and non +p. I've used speer gold dot 125 +p stuff in my airweights before. What I've been using now is home brewed hard cast wadcutters. Just personal preference and they're loaded warm. This is for 2" barrels only. My longer 38's get hollow points. A lot of people like the speer gold dots for short barrel in 135gn. I'd try them, but I've yet to come across a box! 158lswchp +p is also a popular choice.

On a side note, I really like those 158 xtp's in 357. Made quite a few of them, but I'm getting low.

__________________
Jim

I carry a 442 and use the Gold Dot 135gr +p for short barrels. Found them on Gunbroker. All I hear is good stuff about them. Hope I don't have to find out...

I like Federal "Reduced Recoil" 110 grain JHP in mine. Maybe not the most devastating ballistics, but I can shoot it very accurately, and it's pleasant to practice with.

+1 on Speer Gold Dots 38 special short barrel +P.
An alternate would be Remington Golden Saber 38 special +P.

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Accuracy supercedes Speed

I use either hard cast 148 gr wc or hard cast SWC

If it were me I'd save the XTP's. There is nothing to gain by running them through your 642. Expansion with heavy jacketed bullets is iffy in the short barrel and they're to expensive to plink with. Speer 158 grain LSWCHP's would be my first choice for carry loads and practice loads. I'm not aware of any .38 Special loads that require magnum primers. Winchester 231 is my first choice for .38 Special, but it's been scarce lately so I've been using Unique and Bullseye. 110 grain bullets hit very low in my fixed sight guns (442's). I stick with 158's for all around use.

Best Regards,
ADP3

Two J frames here. A 638 and a 649. Nothing but 158 grain bullets. FMJ for practice and JHP for carry. I believe the snubbies were designed around the 158 grain bullet and lighter bullets will impact at a lower point.

While this is true about POA/POI, it's questionable if 158 jhp will expand reliably, or at all, from snubs. It's just hard to pump up the velocity and stay within 38spl or +p pressures.

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Jim

OK, I am hearing

• Heavy jacketed is a poor choice in the 642 -- got it.
  
• LSWCs seem to be a popular choice for 642.
  
• Some like "heavy" and some like "light" bullets.

I think that the suggestion for Gold Dot 135gr +p for short barrels is a good one for carry. Will probably do that. That leaves reloading for practice rounds. I seem to be leaning toward 125gr XTPs, as I don't exactly love the lead fouling/clean-up. FWIW, Lee shows these with HS6 (my powder on hand) getting ~1,000fps, so may try these.

On a side note------ After running caps for 200-300 rounds, I started getting a pronounced catch/lock on the trigger pull of this "new" 642. Being the one who puts the anal in retentive, I pulled this "new" gun apart to find out what was going on. Plenty of shavings to go around:


What found was much in the way of rough edges on both milled and cast parts. Took some 600grit and a small rat-tail file and cleaned/smoothed some of the edges on the thumb release mechanism that was digging into the frame. Also cleaned up the trigger mechanisms where I could see how the wear was defining the working edges. And in the end lubed everything with a touch of CLP. I think this did much more for ease of use than wearing out my finger snapping all those caps...

Couple things. Don't go by the loading manuals velocity as it's usually inflated over real guns.

And I'd still skip the 125 xtp in your hand loads. Not that they're bad, but it can get expensive. You still have options though. I have lots of luck with bulk generic 125 jsp I pick up here and there. Coated bullets are GREAT. I get mine from bayou bullets. Never a dirty barrel and hardly any smoke. They're not expensive at all either. And lastly, I still use good old cast. I didn't want to deal with lead issues at first either, but I've also never had any problems with it. This includes loading 158swc that are sized to .355. I get trace amounts with those though, nothing serious.

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Jim

My fixed sight K frames all shoot pretty much to POA with 158g bullets, so that's what I load all of my 38 Special cases with. Plinkers get loaded with lead round nose bullets that I cast, and use a full case of Trail Boss - it's enough to make the velocity required for IDPA but is still comfortable for a long day of shooting.

Carry rounds for the 442 and 638 are either "FBI" loads - +P 158g lead SWCHP from Remington - or standard pressure Buffalo Bores with the same bullet, which (strangely) go just as fast as the +Ps out of my guns. I can reload lead hollow points to match the factory velocity, but have to use +P charges to get there. I rarely shoot as many as a dozen of those loads at any session.

I don't have a problem with lead in the barrels or cylinder throats. The worst "leading" is that on the face of blued cylinders - on stainless guns I use one of the lead-away cloths as needed, but they can take bluing off pretty fast.

I carry my J loaded with 135gr +p gold dots and shoot 130gr target loads for range use.

My daily carry is the 642 with CT. I carry the FBI load (+P 158 gr SWC HP) as it is one of the most effective loads possible.

My practice load is a full charge wadcutter. It shoots close to point of aim and works well (I cast my own). If I were to carry reloads, it would be Mihec's mold with home cast 158 gr H.P. as fast as is safe to load and shoot).

FWIW
Dale53