38 Spl +P Power Pistol - Oct 2016 Handloader Mag

[38SPL HV]

I'm back after a long time off - we've moved to Northern Neveda out of the Northeast finally! What great shooting opportunities here and time again to buckle down on reloading!

Now have a Ruger 4 5/8 inch blackhawk 357 Mag. Brand new!

Want to develop a good range load using 38 Spl cases. Have Starline cases, Power Pistol powder and 158 gr Speer LSWC's. Primers will be CCI 500. Will use Alliant 38 Spl +P data using 6.0 grains of Power Pistol. I should be fairly close to 1,000 fps.

What are some of your 1,000 fps type loads? I retired Unique and really like Power Pistol for high velocity 38 Spl's. I also may try 38-44 loads from Oct 2016 Handloader Magazine using Power Pistol. You guys read the article and tried any of these loads loads?

Range nearby! Outdoors! BLM land also to practice on!

 

[BLUEDOT37]

I'm a big fan of Power Pistol too. Use in everything from 38 Special to reduced loads in the 500 S&W.

I've loaded 6.0gr/P-P with Rim Rocks's 158gr L-SWC-HP-GC bullet (BHN=5) in 38 Special case for SD loads in my Detective Special. Shoots fine.

I've got tons of 38 Special cases but since I rarely shoot my DS, & it's my only 38 Spcl. now, all my J-frame loads are in 357 cases for my 360J. I've gone up to 8.0gr/P-P using the same RR bullet in 357 cases.

.

 

[Steve C]

Looks like you have a load to reach your goal of 1K fps.

When I want to practice with magnum velocity lead bullet loads in the .357 I use .357 cases and hard cast bullets with 12 grs of AA9 or 13grs of 2400 for 1,200 fps +.

For practice using .38 spl loads with the softer Speer swagged bullets they usually get loaded with Unique or W231 but currently I'm burning a keg of Green Dot bought at an estate sale and don't worry about reaching a particular velocity.

 

[cowboy4evr]

Those Speer bullets are pretty soft for that much velocity . I always thought they were best at about 800fps. Hard Cast bullets -- no problem . You could find they have leaded up the barrel pretty bad.

 

[lebomm]

I load my wheelweight 358446 SWCs over 6.0 AA#5 with good result. Get good accuracy w/P-P in .44Spl 200gr, but not yet tried it in .38 Spl.

Larry

 

[boatbum101]

I use the following in my 38/44 pre 23 ODM all with Lyman 358429 Keith SWC 173grs with my alloy : 12.5grs H4227 & WSPM primer , 8.5grs VVN-105 & Fed 100 primer , 12.5grs 2400 & Fed 100 primer , 13.5grs W296 & WSPM primer , 7.5grs 800X & Fed 100 primer , 7.0grs SR-4756 & Fed 100 . All should be OK in your Ruger 357 . I would not shoot these in a K frame S&W , best to plainly mark these type of loads so they don't wind up in a less strong gun . I use +P brass & colorcasehead with a Red Sharpie permanent marker .

 

[irapollock]

Welcome back,
I'm another long time fan of Unique because of its versatility. However I recently purchased a pound of Power Pistol and was pretty impressed.
My results w/ 4.25" M66-8:
38 spcl, Starline cases, WSP primers, Pen 158 Gr truncated cone hard cast
5.7 gr PP 971fps avg MV, 6 fps std. dev
6.0 gr PP 1040fps avg MV, 5 fps std. dev
I'm also a fan of using fairly heavy crimps for more uniform ignition. My experience with the Speer LSWCHP bullets agrees with Cowboy that they are pretty soft so I ended up crimping them in a separate operation from bullet seating.
For what its worth, Hornady rates their 158 G LSWCHP bullets at 600 - 1100 fps (Hornady 3rd edition loading manual)
Good luck, have fun, be safe

 

[Nevada Ed]

Welcome to Nevada.

That range is 22 miles from the house but it has 800 yard gongs
and a 1,000 yard 50 gal, barrel out in the hill to the left, plus all
the close targets.

Spring is a great time to test loads due to the lower heat days
plus the wind is normally lighter in the first half of the year.

I have not loaded with PP powder but.........

in my 6" 686 revolver with a lead 158gr swc design oal 1.48";

SR4756 at 855 fps
Unique at 968 ............... ( 1014 max )
imr4227 at 888
HS6 at 989
CFE pistol at 939
Bullseye at 756 fps
all in a 38 case, worked well for me.

The 3-4 types of powder like PP should be able to reach 1,000fps
without any problems, just that my accuracy loads came at or under.....
939fps.

In a 357 case, HS6 at 1108fps and CFE at 1173fps both shot at
POA in my revolver at 15 yards and are better at 100 yards vs the weak 38 loads.

Good shooting.

 

[TAROMAN]

Worked up a +P load for field pistol silhouette matches.
Bayou 160 Power Pistol GRN:6.3 LO:941 HI:969 AVG:955 ES:28 SD:9.07.

First time out with my Model 67, I scored 62 of 80.

I LOVE Power Pistol.
Equally great in 44 Special and 357 Sig.

 

[rwsmith]

Soft Swaged bullets...

Soft swaged bullets start running into leading problems around 1000 fps. Use plated, coated, Hard cast lead,or jacketed. I put loads like that for my .357 in .357 cases.

 

[RDub]

Hey 38SPLHV glad you made it out west!

Here are a few targets of some loads I've played with for .38 cases. I don't load .38 cases that hot, but you could take them a little farther in your Blackhawk... As long as they don't wind up in a light frame .38 Special revolver...

These were done with a 4" 686 with a few different cast bullets. Anyway this should get you started..
The data next to the targets, from the top, Average velocity, skyscreens centered 10' from muzzle; Extreme Spread; Standard Deviation, and Temperature at the time of firing.

These loads are only recommended for K Frame equivalent or stronger .38 Special revolvers, or .357 Magnum revolvers.

Have fun and be safe

 

[38SPL HV]

Thank you, great info, appreciate it very much!

 

[bronco45]

RDub: Nice work, appreciate your working with those powders, especially Herco and Longshot!

 

[Davinman]

if you load in 357mag brass, 6gr of unique should get you about 1050fps with 158gr. hornady lead SWCHP bullets. i get that from my 4" python, its a very accurate load no leading in the bbl either. it is my go to plinking load in all my 357mag revolvers.

 

[lebomm]

Useful info - thanks for your work and sharing it with us.

Larry

 

[ddixie884]

I have some Speer 158gr swchp over 6gr PP, I keep them loaded in my 15-3 in my knock around 4wd. I haven't shot anything heavy with them, but I shot a copperhead in the water, yesterday. It was swimming and I didn't lead it enough. I hit it about in the middle and it cut him completely in two. It was approx 1in diameter.............

 

[wrangler5]

I used to use Power Pistol in my 9mm IDPA loads. Was quite happy with it until I got invited to a night shoot, and almost got thrown out after the first stage. The rest of the shooters found the fireball, for which Power Pistol is known, to be, shall we say, "distracting."

If you end up shooting Power Pistol loads in low light, just don't be surprised.