scattershot
Member
I like a 158 lswc over 4.0 231. Very accurate load, at the upper end for standard 38 spl loads. I like the FBI 158 lhp for serious stuff, but that's just in my truck gun, since I don't carry.
favorite 38 SPL loads
- Thread starter hotrod150
- Start date
I have a few that I like and shoot well from my M10-14.
1. 158gr SWC over 4.6gr of Unique, this is my primary general purpose load that gets used when I'm woods bumming, hunting and punching paper.
2. 158gr SWC over 4.5gr W231, this one shoots very well too and I've been carrying this one lately in place of the above load.
3. 158gr Lyman 358665 over 4.0gr W231, I get these from my local gunsmith. Though it is listed as a 158gr bullet the average weight is 165gr. The load came staight from the most current Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. I really like this bullet as it has a nice wide meplat, almost like a WFn profile. According to the book this is supposed to get 840fps from a 4" tube. I will try Unique with it next as 4.5gr is supposed to get 870fps, that would make a dandy woods load.
4. 158gr Hornady LSWCHP/ cast SWC over 5.4gr Unique, I don't use this one that often but it is a very good +P load in my revolver.
I did try the Lyman 358429 168gr Keith bullet a few years back with Unique. My revolver did not like this bullet at all for some reason. The only reason that I could come up with is that the mold my gunsmith is using is one of those that Lyman modified. The front driving band on the bullets that he is casting with that mold is narrower than what Keith specified. From what I've learned Lyman is now making the mold to original dimensions.
1. 158gr SWC over 4.6gr of Unique, this is my primary general purpose load that gets used when I'm woods bumming, hunting and punching paper.
2. 158gr SWC over 4.5gr W231, this one shoots very well too and I've been carrying this one lately in place of the above load.
3. 158gr Lyman 358665 over 4.0gr W231, I get these from my local gunsmith. Though it is listed as a 158gr bullet the average weight is 165gr. The load came staight from the most current Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. I really like this bullet as it has a nice wide meplat, almost like a WFn profile. According to the book this is supposed to get 840fps from a 4" tube. I will try Unique with it next as 4.5gr is supposed to get 870fps, that would make a dandy woods load.
4. 158gr Hornady LSWCHP/ cast SWC over 5.4gr Unique, I don't use this one that often but it is a very good +P load in my revolver.
I did try the Lyman 358429 168gr Keith bullet a few years back with Unique. My revolver did not like this bullet at all for some reason. The only reason that I could come up with is that the mold my gunsmith is using is one of those that Lyman modified. The front driving band on the bullets that he is casting with that mold is narrower than what Keith specified. From what I've learned Lyman is now making the mold to original dimensions.
Snapping Twig
Member
My load is 4.5g W231 under a 160g Lyman 358156 w/o gas check.
Very nice in either of my J frames.
Very nice in either of my J frames.
shil
Member
jringo, when I carried my old Model 36, then my old Model 38, I practiced with standard-pressure 158 lead handloads. My carry load was the old Nyclad 125 "Chiefs' Special" hollow nose. Standard pressure. There were no 125gr lead bullets available to load for practice, then. My today's-carry snubby is a 442 with Speer 135 grain +P GoldDots. Occasionally, they are in stock as a component! Alternately, for practice, I went with a 125 or 140 jacketed. You can get 130 FMJ's from Zero Bullet and use 140 data. They worked OK for me and they are reasonably priced. The little gun does sting the hand after a while!
shil
Member
Blujax, just an FYI and no offense intended: Some Philadelphia street cops are still carrying six-guns loaded with .38 Special, 125JHP's I think. They tend to be the older veterans. The officer I spoke with had a Model 65; told me he had no faith in the issued Glock 9mm's.
In the J frame and air-lite aluminum revolvers it comes down to managed recoil of the loads used for these 14 to 20 oz revolvers.
In my steel frame M49 the recoil of the 38 special loads are not bad at all but the 110gr at 872fps and the 125gr at 840 fps both have under 200 ft/lbs of energy.
The 148gr HBwc at only 755 fps can reach 197 ft/lbs, which shows how weak these loads are.
If you can get a 110gr at 960fps or a 125gr up to 900fps they will get around 225 ft/lbs of energy, which I feel is the minimum that I would carry in my 38 snub nose if that was the only ammo that I had........
If you can find a 148 wc at 820 fps it will match these two jacket bullets with an energy of 221 ft/lbs............
However you are now in the area of recoil that comes with the 135gr +P that also has an energy of around 222 ft/lbs.
So do you really want to load that 158gr FBI load in that 15 oz. revolver in order to try for around 250 ft/lbs of energy and go from the 125gr Nyclad recoil of 3.73 ft/lbs to the full load that I get with my FBI load at 5.86 ft/lbs ??
Actually 5.86 is not that bad, since I did try a 158gr load out that went across my chrony with a 948 fps average in just three shots........ ( I stopped there ) and the recoil was 7.30 ft/lbs !!
Just because a manual has data, does not mean that it is safe in your guns...................................
You got to know your limits.
In my steel frame M49 the recoil of the 38 special loads are not bad at all but the 110gr at 872fps and the 125gr at 840 fps both have under 200 ft/lbs of energy.
The 148gr HBwc at only 755 fps can reach 197 ft/lbs, which shows how weak these loads are.
If you can get a 110gr at 960fps or a 125gr up to 900fps they will get around 225 ft/lbs of energy, which I feel is the minimum that I would carry in my 38 snub nose if that was the only ammo that I had........
If you can find a 148 wc at 820 fps it will match these two jacket bullets with an energy of 221 ft/lbs............
However you are now in the area of recoil that comes with the 135gr +P that also has an energy of around 222 ft/lbs.
So do you really want to load that 158gr FBI load in that 15 oz. revolver in order to try for around 250 ft/lbs of energy and go from the 125gr Nyclad recoil of 3.73 ft/lbs to the full load that I get with my FBI load at 5.86 ft/lbs ??
Actually 5.86 is not that bad, since I did try a 158gr load out that went across my chrony with a 948 fps average in just three shots........ ( I stopped there ) and the recoil was 7.30 ft/lbs !!
Just because a manual has data, does not mean that it is safe in your guns...................................
You got to know your limits.
s2harry
Member
Beware Old Reloading Data
From what Ive read and understand Old Reloading Manuals should probably be kept only for technical info cool pictures or your own notes. Due to changes in manufacturing or improvements powders are not the same as they were 20-30 years ago and the charges reflect it. .38 proof loads are 25,000 to 27,500 pis cup or what ever and you can meet or exceed that with faulty reloading practices...
Regardless you all mean well but I dont think using old loads is the right way to practice reloading. Keep every thing current. If your favorite load is still in the new book then ok but...
Once I read in a magazine of a low pessure .38sp 110gr load that used 7.2 gr of 800x, Well every single case splits allllll the way down in 3 different guns. Havent got a clue why. The new book shows 6.9 gr with a 125gr bullet! beats me... be careful
From what Ive read and understand Old Reloading Manuals should probably be kept only for technical info cool pictures or your own notes. Due to changes in manufacturing or improvements powders are not the same as they were 20-30 years ago and the charges reflect it. .38 proof loads are 25,000 to 27,500 pis cup or what ever and you can meet or exceed that with faulty reloading practices...
Regardless you all mean well but I dont think using old loads is the right way to practice reloading. Keep every thing current. If your favorite load is still in the new book then ok but...
Once I read in a magazine of a low pessure .38sp 110gr load that used 7.2 gr of 800x, Well every single case splits allllll the way down in 3 different guns. Havent got a clue why. The new book shows 6.9 gr with a 125gr bullet! beats me... be careful
I did not know that. Thanks!
OP
hotrod150
Member
I prefer to use "power factor" (bullet weight x velocity, aka momentum) calculations to compare loads, since energy calc's (weight x velocity squared) are scewed toward high velocity low bullet weight loads. The heavy bullet loads look even better compared to the lightweights when calc'd out using momentum instead of energy.
hotrod;
Thank you for telling me about the PF thing, it works out better than using recoil and has open my eyes to a new way of looking at loads.
Here is some data that I worked up on my M49 snub nose J frame with factory and reloads.
You will notice that you have to choose between energy or penetration when matching loads with the same power factor, with the 38 special around 94 to 96 PF and +P ammo starting around a PF 105.
148 hbwc Remington 640fps......PF 94
reload................ 775/197me ...PF 114
110 SJhp Winchester 875/187 .....PF 96
Hi-Vel .....................996/242 .....PF 109
125 Jhp 38 spl~ Nyclad 830/191 ..PF 103
Standard 38 +p .......... 880/215.. PF 110
135 Speer factory ......... 860/222...PF 116
158 LRN Federal ........... 648/148 ...PF 102
Reminton FBI Lhp .........861/260 ...PF 136
Many say the 148 lead is a better light SD bullet but looking at the energy of it and the 125 Jhp, along with the PF figures, I would say there might be two bullet choices before going to the heavy 135 and 158gr loads. I would not pass on the 110gr either, I know that I would not like two of them rattling around in my body.
Thank you for telling me about the PF thing, it works out better than using recoil and has open my eyes to a new way of looking at loads.
Here is some data that I worked up on my M49 snub nose J frame with factory and reloads.
You will notice that you have to choose between energy or penetration when matching loads with the same power factor, with the 38 special around 94 to 96 PF and +P ammo starting around a PF 105.
148 hbwc Remington 640fps......PF 94
reload................ 775/197me ...PF 114
110 SJhp Winchester 875/187 .....PF 96
Hi-Vel .....................996/242 .....PF 109
125 Jhp 38 spl~ Nyclad 830/191 ..PF 103
Standard 38 +p .......... 880/215.. PF 110
135 Speer factory ......... 860/222...PF 116
158 LRN Federal ........... 648/148 ...PF 102
Reminton FBI Lhp .........861/260 ...PF 136
Many say the 148 lead is a better light SD bullet but looking at the energy of it and the 125 Jhp, along with the PF figures, I would say there might be two bullet choices before going to the heavy 135 and 158gr loads. I would not pass on the 110gr either, I know that I would not like two of them rattling around in my body.
