.38 Special 148 Gr. Wadcutter loadings

[AJ]

For a long time I have loaded 2.8 Grains of Bullseye with a 148 Grain wadcutter slug. This has worked well in all of my revolvers chambered for .38/.357 and my .38 Special Wadcutter auto's (Colt Mid Range & S&W M52).

I was talking with some friends that shoot wadcutter guns also. They are using 2.8 Grains of Winchester 231 for their guns. That got me to thinking as I have a couple of pounds of that also. Then I looked in my Lyman 47th edition Manual and saw where the minimum loading for HP 38 is 2.7 Grains. Has anyone tried these?

Would all three powders meter the same? I have five different powder measures and could set one up for each powder or could I just use one?

Are these Bored Covid Questions?

 

[SMSgt]

Back in my .38 wadcutter days, 3.1 grains of 231 was my standard loading. It dropped very consistently from my Herter's powder dropper.

I would not rely on any two powders to drop the same from the same dropper, much less different droppers. If one wants to dedicate a dropper to drop "X" grains of powder "Y," that's fine.

 

[Troystat]

W231/HP-38 is a good powder for 148 grain wadcutters. You did not say if your bullets are HBWC or solid base, if they are solid base you might want to bump the load up to 3.1-3.3 grains of 231 for hollowbase bullets 2.8-3 grains of 231 is a good choice. You don't want to load them to strong if you are using HBWC's as you can blow the skirt of the bullet off and it can get stuck in the barrel.

 

[Chubbs103]

I'm just a guy posting on a gun forum, so...

HP-38 and W231 are the same powder. I have to assume they would meter the same in whatever measure you have (allowing for lot-to-lot differences)

You will have no idea what Bullseye will do in comparison until you try it.

This is where I come to the be careful part. If you have been reloading any period of time, complacency can blow your pistol/hand/face up just as easily as ignorance.

Do not assume anything. Do not have more than one powder out at a time (including in the hopper). You need to be 100% sure what powder is in the hopper when you pull the handle. You need to be 100% sure nothing you are doing will result in a mystery mix of powders. You need to be verifying your charge with a scale at the start (minimum) of each run.

 

[crstrode]

38 special 148 wadcutters are one of my favorite loads . . . however . . . they are not loaded for paper punching.

When someone inquires or opines on the subject of 38 wadcutters, the actual purpose of the load often goes unmentioned.

Hard cast 148 wadcutters make great short-barrel revolver defensive loads. 4.7 grains (+/-) of Unique yields 850 FPS from a 1-7/8" snubby. Penetration is awesome and accuracy is more than adequate for a defensive load.

 

[pittpa]

I started using full wadcutters in the 90's with Bullseye powder and fellow shooters said, that's dirty, use Red Dot. Fine with me, I was using Red Dot in shotgun loads at the time. Then they said Red Dot's dirty, use something else. Well guess what, they're all dirty and you gotta clean the gun anyway.
I eventually settled on WST, I use it in my 45 ACP as well and it keeps life simple. I never got any noticeable different accuracy with the different powders. I bought other powders (Bullseye Titegroup, maybe some Red Dot) when handgun powder (especially WST) was scarce and I'll hold those in reserve for when I run out of WST.

 

[AJ]

Not using these for defensive loads (though I would if that was all I had). These are used for punching paper at the range. My defensive/offensive handguns are in .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .357 Mag or 9 MM(but only if the others are not available).

Like I wrote I have five powder measures and will set at least two of them up for 2.8 Grains of powder. One for Bullseye and one for 231/HP 38 (once I am sure those meter the same).

 

[robertrwalsh]

I use 2.7 of Bullseye for target loads with the 148 WC. Have done so for decades. I guess I am a creature of habit.

 

[lrrifleman]

I have been loading 38 Special with 148gr wadcutters for close to 40 years. Before I got my Dillon 550B I loaded everything on my RCBS press and threw my charges with a Hornady Pistol Powder dispenser which used interchangeable bushings. I have NOT used HP38, but have used Bullseye and 231. Based on the bushing chart, the powder charges you are looking at don't occupy the same volume.

 

[AJ]

I am using both hollow based and double ended wadcutter. Kind of a non-partisan loader.

None of my measures use a bushing. They are all adjustable (Lyman 55's and RCBS).

Been loading since 1973, started using a Lyman 310 Tool (still have several) and Lee Powder Spoons (still have them too). The spoons are my fall back when I want to load 50 or so rounds quickly, they work.

Have had a Dillon and got rid of it. Like being able to watch all steps as I do them, not as the machine does four at once. Old fashioned, I guess.

 

[crstrode]

ANY reloader that does not weigh the result from any form of measure, dispenser, dropper, scoop, etc, is not looking for trouble - he has found it!

 

[AJ]

ANY reloader that does not weigh the result from any form of measure, dispenser, dropper, scoop, etc, is not looking for trouble - he has found it!

Do you weigh each time you drop some powder with a measure?

 

[dante231]

Dillon SDB.

When I get started, I weigh the first 10-20 drops. Then I weigh every other for another 20 rounds, then 1 every 5 rounds for 20. If I've been consistent to that point, I will weigh one every 15-20 rounds.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

 

[22hipower]

Do you weigh each time you drop some powder with a measure?

Some of us check the weight of every charge for every round. . . . .really like consistency. . . .and no surprises.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[rkittine]

I check my powder bushing on my progressives when I refill the powder hooper or change lot numbers for the powder. I have a light beam focused on the charged case to confirm that the charge level at least looks consistent.

Bob

 

[AJ]

To each their own...............

 

[crstrode]

Do you weigh each time you drop some powder with a measure?

Nope.

I do check the first few throws to see what it is really doing as opposed to what it is claimed to do. Then, every so-often it is checked again during the process.

One thing I NEVER do is make an adjustment, install a different rotor, etc, without a verification of what is actually being put into the empty case.

 

[AJ]

Nope.

I do check the first few throws to see what it is really doing as opposed to what it is claimed to do. Then, every so-often it is checked again during the process.

One thing I NEVER do is make an adjustment, install a different rotor, etc, without a verification of what is actually being put into the empty case.

When using my powder measure I check the initial few drops, then whenever the mood strikes after that.

I sometimes use Lee spoons. These I have found are consistent if you do the same thing each and every time. Been using these off and on for 57 years and have not blown myself (or anyone else up yet).

 

[walnutred]

I've tried the standard 148 gn DEWC, 2.7 gn Bullseye load and every possible variation from 2.7-3.2 gns of Bullseye. For some reason 3.0 gns works best for me, maybe it's because I do not seat the projectiles flush. I use a light crimp at the crimp groove. Or maybe it's all in my head. I think shooting is 30% mental anyway.

 

[AJ]

I've tried the standard 148 gn DEWC, 2.7 gn Bullseye load and every possible variation from 2.7-3.2 gns of Bullseye. For some reason 3.0 gns works best for me, maybe it's because I do not seat the projectiles flush. I use a light crimp at the crimp groove. Or maybe it's all in my head. I think shooting is 30% mental anyway.

2.8 grains of Bullseye shot well enough for me when I crimped as you do. Now that I am using a M52 I set them flush. Not all guns will shoot the same loading as well as another of the same make and model. Just find what shoots best in yours and load that.