.38 Spcl load question

[puma guy]

I have not reloaded in many, many years and don't have any of my old manuals. I have 200 rounds of .38 Spcl reloads given to me by a friend that are probably 35+ years old. I don't have any problem with that. The boxes are marked 7 grains Unique and the bullets are round nose lead, probably 158 grain. From my old memory 7 grains of Unique seems excessive for .38, but I really don't know. He had a couple of rifles chambered for .357 so it's possible he used them in the rifles. A Marin 1894 and a Winchester. This is probably a dumb question; I know it's no longer Hercules Unique, has Alliant Unique powder been altered or changed for burn rate? The major question is are they safe loaded with 7 grains? I have a S&W Model 60, Model 19 and Model 27 I would try them in. Any help is appreciated.

 

[max]

I would not shoot those.

 

[arjay]

I'd be wary,but it depends on the bullet weight. Off hand a 158 gr bullet uses 5.1 gr of unique as a max!

 

[RenoGuy]

I have not reloaded in many, many years and don't have any of my old manuals. I have 200 rounds of .38 Spcl reloads given to me by a friend that are probably 35+ years old. I don't have any problem with that. The boxes are marked 7 grains Unique and the bullets are round nose lead, probably 158 grain. From my old memory 7 grains of Unique seems excessive for .38, but I really don't know. He had a couple of rifles chambered for .357 so it's possible he used them in the rifles. A Marin 1894 and a Winchester. This is probably a dumb question; I know it's no longer Hercules Unique, has Alliant Unique powder been altered or changed for burn rate? The major question is are they safe loaded with 7 grains? I have a S&W Model 60, Model 19 and Model 27 I would try them in. Any help is appreciated.

According to the 49th Lyman's, for 38 Special, 158 gr lead with Unique starts at 4.0 grains up to 4.7 grains max

357 Magnum with 120 gr lead with Unique starts at 6.9 grains up to 9.1 grains max

They list a 357 mag 158 gr JHP with Unique at 6.4 grains with a max of 8.3 grains

Hope this helps

 

[crankyoldlady]

My "powder puff" target load is 3.9 gr Unique under 158 gr LSWC. A bit smoky but I dislike wasting powder.

Seven grains would make me real nervous.

 

[rwsmith]

Hot loads

I think I'd pull a bullet and weigh it (and the charge). That is a hot load for .38 no matter what the bullet weight is, even by older standards. I think you are right in that those were for a .357 rifle. With the doubt, those cartridges are best broken down for components.

 

[Nevada Ed]

I don't accept and shoot reloads from any one that I do not know or trust.
For sure I would pull a bullet and see whats,what .....as the first thing with new ammo.

Pulling bullets is a pain but ,better safe than sorry............
and yes,those are ment for a rifle or a .357 magnum.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

It's extremely possible those are .357 Magnum rounds in .38 Special brass. If you completely trust the loader I would shoot them but only in a .357 Magnum revolver or .357 Carbine.

Even the 158gr .38 Special loads in Speer #8 using Unique don't come close to 7.0gr.

 

[puma guy]

Thanks to one and all for the advice and info. While I do trust the fellow who loaded these I am not going to shoot them. He moved to Ecuador to get away from the US and it's hard to get in touch with him. I wouldn't ask him about the ammo anyway. I am not hard up for .38 ammo and have a lot of brass and a quite a few bullets from back in the 60's and 70's if I ever do get back to loading again. He also gave me 500 empty .44 Russian cases that he shot up in the S&W #3 Russian he gave me so if I reload anything I'll start with that, so I can shoot it.

 

[chief38]

I'd pull the heads, dump the powder and re-load them with new powder at the proper amount.

 

[Pisgah]

You don't even know the powder for sure, much less the charge weight; all you know is that if they are what they are labelled, they are highly overloaded.

The information you have is more than enough to tell you -- don't shoot them.

 

[glider1]

They'd probably be allright in that model 19 IF they are what they say they are. I'd be more worried about barrel leading. I only shoot someone elses reloads when I really know and trust the person that loaded them.

 

[MichiganScott]

I'm in total agreement with ArizonaEd. I don't reload for anyone and I don't shoot anybody elses reloads.

 

[puma guy]

I'm in total agreement with ArizonaEd. I don't reload for anyone and I don't shoot anybody elses reloads.

I think you mean NevadaEd I don't have a bullet puller and I've tried unsuccessfully pulling a bullet with a pair of channel locks. They are crimped very tightly. I may just squeeze the cases so no one can use them.