Just ordered my first press

[DrewW]

Just got finished placing an order with Kempf's gun shop. Got a package deal with everything I need to get started and also ordered the Lyman reloading manual, hope to reload some .38's this weekend.

So I do actually have one question for you all, what powder would you recommend for someone just starting out loading target .38 Spl loads with hard cast lead bullets looking at either 130 or 140 grain bullets.

Thanks guys,

 

[DrewW]

Just got finished placing an order with Kempf's gun shop. Got a package deal with everything I need to get started and also ordered the Lyman reloading manual, hope to reload some .38's this weekend.

So I do actually have one question for you all, what powder would you recommend for someone just starting out loading target .38 Spl loads with hard cast lead bullets looking at either 130 or 140 grain bullets.

Thanks guys,

 

[john traveler]

For those light-to-standard weight .38 Special bullets, any of the fast pistol powders is suitable: Bullseye, WW 231, etc. up to and including Red Dot, Green Dot, and Unique.

The faster powders are the most economical (smallest powder charges), but you have to REALLY make sure that you drop one and ONLY one charge in the case before seating the bullet. A double charge is likely to blow up your gun.

 

[dave b]

Bullseye or titegroup will work well.

 

[Skip Sackett]

The load I have shot since I got my first m586 -4 has been 3.5gr of Bullseye with a 158gr LSWC or RN. From the 6" barrel I get right at 800fps, give or take 20fps.

There is a great load with W231/HP-38 for those bullets too.

For loads just a little hotter to much hotter Unique is a good choice too.

The "dot" powders and me just never got along. I had a bad experience with Blue Dot, in magnum loads, and just never went back to try the others, maybe a little Green Dot here and there.

For over a hundred years Bullseye has been the standard for light target rounds in the 38spl. You won't go wrong using it now either.

 

[Steve C]

Its hard to beat W231 in the .38 spl. Don't get hard cast for the .38 as you'll get plenty of leading at the low pressures produced. For the .38 spl you need a softer bullet, either a Speer or Hornady swagged bullet or a softer cast bullet. Hard cast is for magnum loads.

Here's a link that explains why: Missouri Bullet Co Technical information

 

[walnutred]

So what kind of press did you decide on?!?

 

[acl864]

+1 on the Bullseye powder. Economical and accurate. Great powder for .38 Special target loads.

Steve C is dead on about the hard cast bullets causing leading at .38 special target velocities. One good source for softer cast bullets is :
<a href="http://www.tennesseevalleybullets.com/" target="_blank">
Tennessee Valley Bullets</a>

For target work and general plinking I really like their 148 Gr. BBWC or 158 Gr. SWC at .358 diameter with 3.0 Bullseye. Both my Model 19's (one 2 1/2" barrel one 6") love these.

W231 is a good powder choice as well but I have a hard time finding it in local gunshops.

 

[DrewW]

Originally posted by walnutred:
So what kind of press did you decide on?!?

I ended up with the Lee Classic turret press, it was priced right for a poor college student like myself.

On the Hardcast bullets, at what point BHN should I be looking for? I haven't actually decided on a caster yet but all of the casters call their bullets "hardcast lead bullets" so that is why I called them that, if a softer cast is what I need that's what I'll get, just give me a rough number of what hardness would be best at.

I can get both bullseye and Win 231 at my local dealer, he keeps a little more of the 231 in stock so I may go that route if both powders are about the same.

 

[DrewW]

Originally posted by Steve C:
Its hard to beat W231 in the .38 spl. Don't get hard cast for the .38 as you'll get plenty of leading at the low pressures produced. For the .38 spl you need a softer bullet, either a Speer or Hornady swagged bullet or a softer cast bullet. Hard cast is for magnum loads.

Here's a link that explains why: Missouri Bullet Co Technical information

Ok I read the article you linked and that makes since, my question now is will the softer bullets, like around 12 BHN get damaged in shipping? I think that about 12 BHN is what I need which is what the TVB site says their bullets are.

 

[toad94]

Check out Missouri Bullet Company. A lot of good words about them on this forum. And they explain the hardness on their website.

 

[DougE]

I ordered these along with the die sets I ordered from them. The price seemed pretty fair and the bullets are pretty uniform in weight and dia. I'll have to do some shooting with them and see how they perform though.

 

[Landric]

Most of Missouri Bullets .357/.358 bullets are 12 BHN (but they give you the BHN on all their products). I've ordered several times from Missouri Bullet and never had the bullets damaged in shipment. They have great customer service and fast shipping too!

 

[DrewW]

Well I have been browsing the forum and just discovered the Missouri Bullet Company thread, everyone has great things to say, prices are cheap, and the owner is a forum member to boot, now the only real decision I have to make is how many bullets do I order!

Thanks for the help guys, and especially for the link to MBC

 

[Skip Sackett]

MBC is a member of the forum and I have heard great things about their bullets.

There is another forum member that is a commercial caster as well and he enjoys a great following too. NKJ_nut. His website is http://www.tennesseevalleybullets.com.

I have used some of his that were already loaded in some ammo I purchased from him. They seem to work real well too.

The only bullets they are second to are the ones I cast in my garage!

 

[cptdco]

now the only real decision I have to make is how many bullets do I order!

Take a look at the MBC web site...I think it says that you can get up to four 500 count boxes for the flat-rate shipping and that's what I usually do. Consider mixing a second type in there for variety, such as 3 boxes of the SWC and a box of DEWCs. Also: Missouri has 100 count sample packs.

 

[walnutred]

Like most here I've used both 231 and Bullseye for 38 Special. Last year when I decided to buy a 8lb keg I went with BE simply on cost. Where I bought the powder the differance in price was enough to buy 500 148 gn WC 38 projectiles. Either powder should work fine for you though.