TSQUARED
Member
I used either 2.8 gr. of Bullseye or 3.2 gr. W-231 with the Remington primer for ca 760 fps with the Remington 148 gr. LHBWC.
148 HBWC loads for .38 spl snub-nose?
- Thread starter borealis
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I used either 2.8 gr. of Bullseye or 3.2 gr. W-231 with the Remington primer for ca 760 fps with the Remington 148 gr. LHBWC.
3.5 grs VV 320
148 gr HBWC
Rem small rifle primers
148 gr HBWC
Rem small rifle primers
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HBWC shot in large numbers (which is needed for practice) out of Snubby's have always leaded the cylinders and forcing cones up beyond where I will use them anymore. I use 158 grain RNL hard cast bullets for the purposes of practice, plinking and target shooting. While they may be the worst bullets for Self Defense, they are (IMHO) the best for doing a lot of shooting. Because if their shape, they tend to NOT lead up the works, are VERY ACCURATE, and ease their way into the forcing cone from the cylinder. There are no sharp shoulders to catch on anything and they are very easy to load.
The ONLY downside to the vulnerable RNL 158 grain bullet is that they do not cut nice clean holes in paper. Oh, they are very easy to see, put they punch through rather than cut through like a HBWC will. Personally, I will take the trade off for all the benefits!
The ONLY downside to the vulnerable RNL 158 grain bullet is that they do not cut nice clean holes in paper. Oh, they are very easy to see, put they punch through rather than cut through like a HBWC will. Personally, I will take the trade off for all the benefits!
All depends on what gun you put your loads through.
I have several .357 magnums and some 38 snub nose and they all like different type bullets and powders for their pet target loads.
I have used Bullseye, Red Dot, Trail Boss, w231 and Universal for my 148gr target loads. The hard part is finding one or two loads that all your guns like !!
You might start with Bullseye or w231 since these are the two powers that most of us get good results from, with all the different ways to make a load.
Good shooting.
I have several .357 magnums and some 38 snub nose and they all like different type bullets and powders for their pet target loads.
I have used Bullseye, Red Dot, Trail Boss, w231 and Universal for my 148gr target loads. The hard part is finding one or two loads that all your guns like !!
You might start with Bullseye or w231 since these are the two powers that most of us get good results from, with all the different ways to make a load.
Good shooting.
Speer says no 158 gr jacketed.........
Speer quit publishing date for 158 grain jacketed because they don't stabilize. If fact I tried shooting some out of my
1 7/8" model 10 and noticed some 'keyholeling'. This doesn't seem to affect the 148 and 158 gr lead bullets which shoot just fine out of a snubbie.
Speer quit publishing date for 158 grain jacketed because they don't stabilize. If fact I tried shooting some out of my
1 7/8" model 10 and noticed some 'keyholeling'. This doesn't seem to affect the 148 and 158 gr lead bullets which shoot just fine out of a snubbie.
Moonman
Member
Penn Bullets makes some 100 grain DOUBLE ENDED WADCUTTERS, for the ladies and others wanting a softer recoil.
Some PPC Shooters use it as well.
Some PPC Shooters use it as well.
I've been curious....
I've been curious about those. Any idea what a load of Bullseye or Unique would be for them?
I've been curious about those. Any idea what a load of Bullseye or Unique would be for them?
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bmcgilvray
Member
I was composing almost this very same question last night --- And here it is
A friend and I used to reload everything we shot 40 years ago. He moved and I gave him everything but my .38 brass. I haven't loaded anything in the interim but now have two 38s - A 4" Mod 10 and a 1 7/8" 49 that my wife and I have been shooting a lot lately
So here's the thing..... I know that the 4" M10 will drive nails with 148 HBWCs & 2.8gr of Bullseye, but last night I read somewhere (should have bookmarked it) that this is NOT a very good load for a snubby
Is that true
If it is, what is a good load for that bullet and powder for the 49 ---- Or should I be using a different powder or bullet or both for the snub?
I'd really like to keep this as simple (OK - Cheap) as possible. My plan is to get a single stage press and to keep the components as basic as I possibly can -- At least for now
2.8 grains of Bulls-Eye and a 148 grain HBWC is a super good load for all my snubs. Makes 'em perform like show ponies.
elpac3
Member
Use the Rim Rock 148 gr SWC and load with 148 WC data. The swc is easier to chamber in revolvers and gives the low powder consumption advantage of the 148 gr loads.
Steve in Vermont
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That load seems quite high. According to the Hornady 8th edition manual they recommend 2.1 to 3.0 gr of V N-320 powder, 3.0 giving 750 FPS. I bought a pound of this powder and load 148 gr HBWC (Speer and Hornady) with 2.6 gr and it works great. One nice thing about that powder, it's clean. I'm always concerned about loading HBWC to hot, for obvious reasons, and it appears to me 3.5 gr might be a little much. Other thoughts?
hotrod150
Member
I goofed up recently and started loading some newly-acquired Speer HBWC's without switching to the proper rotor in my Little Dandy powder measure. I'd been loading SWC's & DEWC's using the same 4.5 gr W231 charge & was used to just pouring the powder in and going. (Now I store the little dandy without a rotor, which forces me to stop and THINK! about what I'm loading before proceeding)
Anyway, I loaded about a half-dozen over 4.5 W231 before I realized my mistake. I don't have a bullet-puller set-up for disassemblng this round, so I thought I'd take a chance & single-load them into my vintage model 60 & give it a whirl. They shot fine-- no sign of skirt separation or any other trouble, and they seemed accurate enough. I later loaded another two dozen with the same results.
I don't know if I'll be loading any more like that, but I'm not as worried about it as I was. I think the Speer HBWC has been redesigned some- the cavity is now cone-shaped which I think would be less probe to separation than a cylindrical cavity.
And although I know they're different bullets, my Hornady manual #3 shows a 4.2 GR load of W231 for their HBWC. All of the Hornady HBWC loads tested at 900-950 from a 4" model 15, which is "full charge" (as Ed Harris puts it) in my book.
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Back in the old days the LE guys shot lots of lead bullets and the "Full Load" 148 gr was clocked at 850 fps in the 4 inch barrel.
That came to 237.49 ft/lbs of energy at the muzzle.........and it did a lot better than the 158 LRN at 755 fps with 200 ft/lbs of energy for what was known as the "Widow maker".
Times have changed...........
710 fps at only 165 ft/lbs. with todays loads.
That came to 237.49 ft/lbs of energy at the muzzle.........and it did a lot better than the 158 LRN at 755 fps with 200 ft/lbs of energy for what was known as the "Widow maker".
Times have changed...........
710 fps at only 165 ft/lbs. with todays loads.
