Favorite light recoil load for 38 special

[Lee in Quartzsite]

Interesting reading and makes me wonder if I am on the wrong track. Why such heavy bullets? I have been shooting Bullseye for almost a year, and I am loading a 125 gr flat nose from Xtreme and 4.5 grs of Titegroup. It seems to work really well. I prefer using Bullseye powder but it's still very hard to find. For me 700X didn't meter very good in my Hornady powder measure, plus to me it seemed dirty. Just curious about the heavier bullet weight.

38- 125 FP

 

[perryhd]

Trail Boss is another powder I would like to try but can't find.

 

[sellersm]

Of the powders you've listed as available to you, I'd go with HP-38 first. Great powder for light loads, pretty accurate as well!

 

[photobiker]

sckothmann, next time I order some bullets I will get some lighter ones, in the 125 range.

Lee, my mind set, right, wrong or whatever, was that heavier bullets take longer to get going so the recoil was less. I think this thinking process comes from rifle loading. Light bullets, faster burning powder more recoil. Heavier bullets slower burning powder less recoil. I can tell the difference between 115 gr 9mm and a 147 gr 9mm. And I shoot 124 gr 9's. Next order I get some lighter 38's. I did follow a post, I think of another forum, about shooting 90 gr. and 95 gr. 9mm and how soft and accurate they were. This guy was competing in weekend shoots. Might be something to the lighter bullets.

 

[Bulldawg Dad]

148 Grain Double End Wadcutter (Hard Cast Lead) and now Xtreme CopperPlated Wadcutter over 2.8 grns. WWSTAA (Super Target)

 

[Sam Casey]

Like the idea of tissue wad over powder. Have plastic bag of old cast WC's that lube has smeared on bases. Been reluctant to use thinking powder would be contaminated by greasy base. Do you try to fill all area between base and powder?

 

[italiansport]

148 grain HBWC over 3.4 grains of 231[/QUOTE

Been shooting a similar 148 grain load for years with the powder reduced to 3.0 grains of 231. When I run out of 231 I'll have to find another light kicker.
Jim

 

[JonF]

Coming in a little late (old and slow ya know).

100s and 100s of 148gr. bbwc over 2.8grs of 700-x.
No problems with powder measure feeding accuracy
using Hornady equipment.

 

[Lou_the_welder]

"Light loads"

3.5 gr- titegroup
3.9gr- bullseye

158 gr xtreme RNFP 1.445" oal or col. Lite crimp and not even in the cannelure! These are plated and i wouldn't want to run them any lower. In a 6" barrel they sound like 22s.

 

[DocAnyday]

SI woul go with the recipe recommended by gregintenn - 148 gr HBWC over 2.7 grains of BullsEye powder. This was/is "the" load in shooting Practical Police Combat (PPC) matches with the revolver. A good shooter could get consistent x-ring performance at 50 yards with negligible recoil.











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[LAH]

I'm using 2.5 grs. of Bullseye & the RCBS 38-90-RN for 50 ft. This gives not quite twice the recoil as my K-22 when fired in my K-38. I also shoot the H&G 50 with Promo.

 

[Crabo]

3. 0 to 3.5 Bullseye with a 158 SWC is a nice mild load.
If I remember right 2.7 Bullseye was kind of a standard 50 foot paper puncher load, years ago.

But, that much Bullseye doesn't take up much room in a 38 spl. case. And even a triple charge might be hard to see. So, be careful.

Usually I prefer a powder charge that fills the case about 40%.

( always check any internet expert load against a good reloading manual )

3.5 grains of Bullseye pushing the Lee 125 grn round nose flat cast bullet is extremely accurate and mild.

 

[alwslate]

Like the idea of tissue wad over powder. Have plastic bag of old cast WC's that lube has smeared on bases. Been reluctant to use thinking powder would be contaminated by greasy base. Do you try to fill all area between base and powder?

Any kind of wad or case filler is definitely not recommended
in pistol loads. I also have some old cast bullets with the
old greasy type lube that is smeared on the bases. Just
scrub them on a rag or lightly scrape them with a knife blade
and proceed.

 

[TfflHndn]

3.0 grains of Clays under a 148 plated DEWC or a 158 SWC, or 3.1 grains of Titegroup under a 148 DEWC are my target loads.

 

[NFrames]

158gr. LSWC and 3.5 grains of WST.

+1 on this load. My standard for several years.

 

[Model 15-4ever]

OP,

If 700-X is accurate, why are you changing? I find this is a great versatile powder. You can load 12ga, .45 ACP and .38 Spl with excellent results. What other calibers do you really need??

I use a Dillon 550RL press. 700-X meters right on the money with the Dillon powder measure. No issues at all. With any measure, the key to uniform charges is consistency of technique.

In .38 Special the 148 HBWC and 2.8 grains 700-X is as accurate as Bullseye for target shooting. Cast 150 DEWC do well with 3.0 grains. Any 158 grain lead bullet will shoot well with 3.3 grains. Enjoy.

 

[Huskerguy]

I load 3.2 grains of Titegroup or 3.5 grains of W231 behind a 158 grain Lee home poured LSWC. These are very manageable for both me and my wife and we are both north of 60 so we don't enjoy the "hard stuff."

I just picked up a model 10 and took a box of each of the above loads to the range and I could not believe how smooth and accurate both of these loads were in the 10. I won't change a thing.

 

[Wally West]

3.0gr Promo/Red Dot under any lead bullet works in my Target Masterpiece.

Right now I'm using the Lee 140gr SWC. Funny how that "3gr" thing keeps popping up with about every pistol powder in the 38sp

 

[perryhd]

OP,

If 700-X is accurate, why are you changing?

I have an RCBS Uniflow powder measure that seams to not like 700X. The charges I have checked are close enough but about every third or forth charge it wants to hang up. Because at times it was the only pistol powder I could find I have loaded several pounds of 700X without any issues other than the ruff feel in the measure. Maybe it,s just me but I never got comfortable with it hanging. I'm not just old I'm old school and still load single stage. It maybe I feel things with my measure that you may not feel with a Dillon type press. Dan

 

[1950jcb]

Another vote for

3.0 gr. Red Dot under a 148 HBWC--great target load--mild, extremely accurate, and very economical--well--it used to be.