800-x with 38/357

[Nevada Ed]

I still have a full can of this powder left over from when I used it for reloading steel shot for some old duck loads.
There are much better powders now for steel,and I hate to have it go to waste.

I am asking if anyone has used it in a 6" or snub nose 38 Spl with either lead or jacketed bullets,with any success? I don't care if it is dirty,just would like to find a use for it,even if it has to be with a 357 magnum load. I don't need the amount of powder but a note if target,medium or near maximum ,would be nice.
Thanks for any help.

 

[venomballistics]

Ive used it in 44 magnum ... I'd probably use it in the largest appropriate caliber you have due to its metering properties.
the stuff is wildly tedious, often mandating each charge to be weighed.

On the up side, it did rather well in the magnum though it took a while to burn the stuff up ... in retrospect I wish I loaded shot shells sooner in life to save myself that pain

 

[bluetopper]

It should do a fine job in 357 and it might do well in 38 too considering all the case volume. I just don't know how well 800X burns in a low pressure cartridge.

Experimenting is half the fun anyway.

 

[colt_saa]

7 grains with a 125JHP yeilds just at 1000 from a 38 Special.

Never tried it in 357 as I LOVE H110

 

[venomballistics]

It should do a fine job in 357 and it might do well in 38 too considering all the case volume. I just don't know how well 800X burns in a low pressure cartridge.

Experimenting is half the fun anyway.

being a shotgun powder, in a 12 Ga it's asked to work between 7K to just under 12K PSI ... it should work out.
its just so hard to work with.
Since the OP stated that he may load for shotgun, try your hand at loading some buckshot.
that'll eat up that powder a good bit faster and with less pain.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I agree, you will be better served using that pound of 800X in shotgun shells. But yes, it will work in the .357 Magnum but it meters like stones.

 

[David Sinko]

I have used it in .38 Special snub loads and if I recall it was decent but it wouldn't be my first choice. I had planned on using it for .40 S&W until I discovered the charges thrown from my 550B were dangerously inconsistent.

I find that it is an excellent powder for loading shotgun slugs cast from the Lee mold.

Overall it's a very versatile powder but you'll probably have to end up weighing individual charges.

Dave Sinko

 

[TSQUARED]

I would not use HS-800X. I purchased a large keg many years ago for 28 ga. loads in spite of the warning from the dealer that it metered poorly. That was an uderstatement - first bloopers I had ever made.

 

[Treeman]

800x is my favorite .44 magnum powder. Favorite 10mm auto powder and almost my favorite .357 mag powder. It is capable of top performance but is absolutely delightful for slightly reduced loads in the magnum revolver cartridges-loads that are still "magnum" but at lower pressures and slightly reduced velocities. It doesn't meter like water or ball powder but it isn't a big deal with my measure- getting loads within plus or minus a tenth of a grain every throw is easy and completely adequate with 800x.

 

[rockquarry]

I have used 800X in the .38 Special for both light wadcutter target loads and "medium" (standard pressure) loads. As others have mentioned, however, it meters poorly through most measures. I no longer use it. I have never tried 800X in the .357 Magnum.

 

[RDub]

I still have a full can of this powder left over from when I used it for reloading steel shot for some old duck loads.
There are much better powders now for steel,and I hate to have it go to waste.

I am asking if anyone has used it in a 6" or snub nose 38 Spl with either lead or jacketed bullets,with any success? I don't care if it is dirty,just would like to find a use for it,even if it has to be with a 357 magnum load. I don't need the amount of powder but a note if target,medium or near maximum ,would be nice.
Thanks for any help.

Yes, 800-X works well in .38 Special..

This is a target from a study I did using a Magtech 158gr Lead RN shot out of a 4" 686. I got this load from an IMR Handloader's Guide pamphlet.
804 fps
It was one of the most accurate and fastest loads in the whole trial. It would be even faster out of a 6" barrel.

Also shot out of a 4" 686.
I was looking for a good +P load with 158gr cast SWC. 800-X performed well.
968 fps


The only downside to 800-X is what others have said, it meters like corn flakes.
If I am using 800-X in a progressive, (it's my favorite powder in 10mm Auto), I will drop a charge in a case, then empty the case in the pan of a scale, then make any adjustments to the weight, and you will have to make adjustments, then put the case back and continue on. It's the only way with 800-X.

With .357 Mag I tried some 110gr JHP with 800-X.
Same 4" 686.

11.0grs worked out the best. The Winchester 110gr factory load does about 1250fps out of this gun.

So go ahead and use it, you should have some fun with it..