637-2 airweight bullet recommendation?

[.44MagnumN00b]

My dad just bought a 637 airweight in .38 special, and it's shooting pretty high with 158 grain bullets. The barrel is 1.875 inches long, and we've tried some 130 grainers and they still shoot a little high. He has the dies to reload for it since we reload .357 magnum, but I'm not sure what weight bullet to use to make this little gun shoot right? He has some 125 grain bullets, but I doubt that that'll change the POI much from 130s. What do you guys shoot out of your pocket pistols? Also, what powder do you recommend? I'm looking at Unique since I can also use that for reloading .357 mag pistol and .44 mag. Thoughts?

 

[MichiganScott]

Increasing your velocity should bring point of impact down.

Although Unique can be made to work, I'd probably use 231 or Bullseye.

 

[indiandave]

For target loads I use 231 or Titegroup. I shot lead most of the time. My 637 shots well with 148 wadcutters and 3.1 grains of Winchester 231.

 

[alwslate]

I shoot cast 148 gr WCs or cast 158 gr SWCs and RNs. Unique is not
a good powder for modest loads in the J frame 38s. I agree with the
above poster, hard to beat Bullseye and W231. Other good choices
are Titegroup, Red Dot and WST.

 

[Nevada Ed]

My snub nose never did well with Unique and the lead bullets for target work and that includes the heavy 158gr bullet.

Green Dot is the slowest powder that gave me good POA accuracy loads with Bullseye, Trail Boss and w321 being the top choices for ALL weight lead bullets in the snub nose.

My M49 with the 125gr LFN and RN liked Bullseye, trail and Universal clays.

the 148 HBwc did well with Bullseye with w231 on its tail.

the 158 Lswc worked with Bullseye while the LRN worked well with w231 and Trail Boss.

I use a light crimp on the LRN and a medium to M/Heavy crimp on the Lswc in my loads. velocity runs from 527 to 655 fps for my target loads.
I use Unique for my heavy target loads with 5.0grs and the Lswc158gr bullet with a heavy crimp at +P speed around 830 fps. I never down loaded with this powder for target loads........
that is what the faster powders were made for.

Good loading.

 

[HKSmith]

You didn't say at what distance you are shooting, but I would guess it's within 50 feet. At that distance POI is almost entirely a function of bullet weight rather than velocity. It sounds like your gun (and most J-frames I've shot) are sighted to a 6 o'clock hold at 50 feet with 158 grain bullets. The only way to get POI to equal POA is to reduce bullet weight. From the information you gave, I would try 110 grain bullets with any fast to medium burn rate powder. There are lots of data in the reloading manuals for 110 grain bullets with different powders in .38 Special. I don't think the powder choice will affect POI in any predictable way.

There is a distance at which 158 grain bullets will hit POA from your gun; it's probably about 50 yards, which is not a distance at which most Airweight snubbies are used.

 

[Jaymo]

I'd go with 110 grain bullets for your use.

I've got no complaints about Bullseye, except how hard it is for me to find it. I'm being stingy with my last bottle, and using Red Dot in my target loads.
I'm having good luck with it.
I save my Unique for heavy .38 & .44 Spl, .45 Colt, and modern(wussified) .357 and .44 mag loads.
For barn-burning magnum(real) loads, I use H110, 2400, N110, and now, 300-MP.

To be honest, the Dot powders (Red/Green/Blue) are more than capable of handling the vast majority of my handgun loading duties and are easier to find locally.

 

[rwsmith]

If you've got the 125 grain jobs.....

I would certainly try the 125 grains at a faster velocity, as that has always been a good match for that caliber.

 

[Nevada Ed]

I have shot the 110gr Jhp in my snub from a low of 674 fps to a high of 996 fps "Cor-Bon" type +P loading.
I settled for a Red Dot load at only 866 fps for my best load that would be close to POA and still have a group under 2".
For some reason my snub does not like the 110gr bullets..........

With the 125gr Jhp bullets my low velocity average was 783 and my maximum was 952 fps but this load was tossed out since it was at K frame pressures. Maximum J frame fps came to 903 fps with two powders.
My factory Dup. load came with the use of Unique powder at 870 fps and 210 ft/lbs. of energy. Not the fastest load but it did group 5 shots at .61 inches at ten feet off a rest.

My 135 GD Dup. load came out at 851 fps and grouped 5 @ 1.45" but had a ES of just 9 !! The factory stuff had a ES of 55 and grouped 5 @ 1.33.

The 140gr XTP at 838 fps with 218 ft/lbs. placed 5 @ .87" and was at POA.

Seems that the heavier Jhp bullets shot closer to POA in my J frame and that is a good thing.

Just did not want you to think my last post was all about lead bullets being the "Thing" for a snub nose.

IF you load for SD......... try to keep these copper bullets as close to 850 fps as you can for expansion.

Good shooting.

 

[moxie]

I'd go with the 125s. Lighter bullets have a lower POI.

The 110s have very little bearing surface. In a very light gun such as yours even fairly light loads generate enough recoil to cause bullet jump, which can tie up the cylinder. Not good.

Bullseye is your powder!

 

[David R]

As you can see, the 158 +P group better, but the 110 @ 1100 fps shoot closer to poa.

Hollow base wadcutters with 2.8 bullseye shoot POA in my gun.

David

 

[Joe A.]

My older 638 shoots the 158 grain loads point of aim and the 125 grain bullets below point or aim. Neither one off point of aim enough not to use. My new 637 shoots the 125 grain bullets to point of aim while shooting the 158 grain bullets higher. Each revolver shoots all weights close enough for social purposes.