158g Plated bullets for 38?

Boogsawaste, do you use any Western Powders (Accurate, Ramshot)? If so, their online data has 158 grain plated load data for 38 Special and 38 Special +P. Powders they show 158 grain plated bullet data on are Accurate #2, Ramshot Silhouette, Ramshot True Blue and Accurate #5.
 
Anecdotal evidence from myself and another revolver shooter in my league:
I've stuck 158 gr plated bullets in my barrel using lead data. No such issues using jacketed bullet data. Velocity lags behind published data for jacketed bullets of the same weight. My friend prefers 125 grain bullets in his 6" 686 and has found that weight more forgiving with low charge weights. Not rigorous data I know but based on some2000 rounds worth of observation.

My take home: use jacketed data for plated bullets. Even then they have been inferior to cast in both accuracy and velocity in my testing.
 
It's just a matter of not enough chamber pressure to push the bullet out of the barrel. Whether it's from too light loads, too light loads of slower powder, more/less friction from bullet construction, or whatever, it's not a reloading oddity or advanced theory, plain and simple, you need a certain amount of pressure to push the bullet all the way out of the barrel...

For 35+ years I have used an "appropriate" powder, with appropriate loads, for the type of bullets used and have never had a bullet stuck in any gun...
 
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Boogsawaste, do you use any Western Powders (Accurate, Ramshot)? If so, their online data has 158 grain plated load data for 38 Special and 38 Special +P. Powders they show 158 grain plated bullet data on are Accurate #2, Ramshot Silhouette, Ramshot True Blue and Accurate #5.

None of those. Been wanting to try a few though!
 
I read the warning and am sure the warning was about light loads and slow powders. Yes, too light a load and there is a possibility of a stuck bullet, but that's with any weight or construction bullet. I have been reloading 38 since '69 (off and on) and using starting loads outta my manual(s) and I have had only one squib, and that was my fault, not the load...

I thought the same thing but wondered why they didn't just use "do not reduce" data for 158's. And even saying they are using 158 cast for their +p data because of low velocity with jacketed caused me to raise an eyebrow. Although possibly they are saying +p 158 jacketed are too slow to expand? I have no idea.

About the jacket separation with light charge, I believe that comes from the 146 and the heavier (I forget the weight, 160?), half jacket rounds. I think there are warnings about that in some manuals.
 
None of those. Been wanting to try a few though!

If you are in a buying mood then, Powder Valley just sent me an email today about free Hazmat when ordering $99 or more of Accurate, Ramshot or Norma powders. For 38 Special, Accurate #2 works very well for lighter loads (used basically like 231/HP38). Accurate #5 would correspond more to a slower powder more suited to top end 38 Special loads).
 
If you are in a buying mood then, Powder Valley just sent me an email today about free Hazmat when ordering $99 or more of Accurate, Ramshot or Norma powders. For 38 Special, Accurate #2 works very well for lighter loads (used basically like 231/HP38). Accurate #5 would correspond more to a slower powder more suited to top end 38 Special loads).

Thanks! I'll head on over there.
 
Technical Writers are "special" people (not bad, just a little different). A tech writer specializes in taking what a technician/engineer tell him and writing it sown so everybody can understand. Kind like the difference between a Chilton manual that everybody can use vs. a full Shop Manual that trained/experienced mechanics use. Perhaps the warning was written to take in the most readers vs. experienced reloaders...

I've only dealt with Tech. Writers a couple times. Both taking technical info and kinda interpreting it for the writer so he can write it correctly for all readers...
 
I go with the data for Jacked data but.............
do not exceed the fps for the company's bullet data.

That being said......
I have used a very slow "Unlisted" powder on a plated 115gr ball type bullet
and it was accurate but only did 701fps and had two stove pipes !!
I also pushed a 1200fps rated plated bullet to 1376fps, without it flying apart.
there were no fragments on the target, this time!

Since plated bullets are usually for target use, they will be shot in the "Middle" fps range
and should never present a problem for the shooter.

Well, at least that is my two cents worth.
 
If you are going to shoot .38 with 158 gr bullets.....

....throw out that Speer manual and get an older one where they have the loads that you need. Or consult another manufacturers book.


PS That's bloody ridiculous. As far back as Speer #9 they have been discouraging using 158 gr bullets in .38. At first I didn't mind too much because they just said the bullets might not stablize through short barrels. I never had any problem with them. OK, so you keyhole a perp with a 158 gr. bullet. It's still going to hurt. A lot. And I"ve never come close to sticking a 158 gr jacketed bullet in the barrel. Not in 40 years.
 
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FWIW....I shoot Extreme plated 158 gr bullets in my 38s and 357s with Hodgdon's data for Winchester 572 in both standard and +P loads. No issues with stuck bullets.
 
This was true.....

I believe the specific danger is jacket separation, where the lead core continues downrange, impacting the target, but the jacket remains stuck in the barrel.

This was true years ago without more advanced bonding of the core to the jacket or 'half jacketed' bullets. Jacket separation is still a possibility, but much, much less with modern bullets.
 
Wow......

If you are in a buying mood then, Powder Valley just sent me an email today about free Hazmat when ordering $99 or more of Accurate, Ramshot or Norma powders. For 38 Special, Accurate #2 works very well for lighter loads (used basically like 231/HP38). Accurate #5 would correspond more to a slower powder more suited to top end 38 Special loads).

I thought that the $20 I paid was good....
 
I tried plated 148 grain WC bullets once in .38 Special. Could see no advantage over my own cast and conventionally lubricated bullets. Accuracy was certainly inferior.

Anyone have good experience with plated bullets in comparison with well made, fitted, cast bullets?

IMHO, THE ONLY ADVANTAGE WOULD BE EASE OF CLEAN UP......
 
IMHO, THE ONLY ADVANTAGE WOULD BE EASE OF CLEAN UP......

Yes, this. They're so much easier to clean up for me. I don't cast my own and am at the mercy of store bought. I have some coated bullets from MBC and Bayou that work nice. I especially like shooting these in 30-30.

I will bring the chronograph to the range next time and try a few loads. What is considered a "safe" from squib FPS range from a 4" barrel? Pardon my ignorance on jacketed and plated. I normally shoot cast.

By the way, with my shooting and distance I don't see any difference between the cast and these as far as accuracy. I'm no professional shot and just enjoy hitting steel.
 
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