Loads for snubbbies?

[Otterbein]

Now that you guys talked me into a 642 (ref: J Frame: Bodyguard vs. Centennial), what powder are you using to limit muzzle flash and maintain velocity in the short barrel? Is Unique adequate for the job or are you using a faster burning powder?

 

[Wee Hooker]

I don't load specifically for snubbies but am sold on 3.0gr of Clays under a 158gr lead RNFP bullet for all my 38 shooting. Shoots accurately to POA on fixed sighted guns, is pretty clean, has little muzzle flash, only moderate recoil and works well with a speedloader. I load em by the thousand and feed them to my whole stable of 38/357's.

 

[Skip Sackett]

Otterbein,
Now there is a name from my past! Only it that one wasn't from Ohio, he was from Oklahoma. We met in Iwakuni Japan, a long, long, time ago!

At any rate, for less flash faster powders are better BUT velocity suffers. I know folks that are shooting Unique out of their 2" barreled guns with the FBI load that develops close to 800fps. Not me, I'm the one reloader that has no use for Unique!

SR4756 is ALWAYS a good choice for 38spl +P loads and it meters TONS better than Unique. HS-6 is used by our very own Archangel, and I'm sure he will show up soon to tell us all about it! (I think he gets paid to advertise for them! ) It meters like a dream too. Herco, just a tad slower than Unique and much better at metering, is an unsung hero in these applications as well. 2400 is going to give you good velocity but you already know about muzzle flash.

I, and this is just personal preference, would stay away from hot loads with Clays. The pressure curve is CRAZY when you have a slight overload.

There is data out there for those kinds of loads. Maybe Erich will drop by and share his knowledge in this area too. He has a bunch of experience in this area.

 

[acl864]

Here's a link to an excellent forum post with photos about muzzle flash with a 38 snubbie. It started out here on the reloading forum but somehow got moved to the "1980 to Present" section.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/104939-some-more-muzzle-flash-photos-night-38-snubbie.html

 

[OKFC05]

I use two loads for 442/642: 3 gr of HP38 under a 148gr wadcutter for practice, and a Speer SB 135gr Gold Dot factory load for serious.

If you want to load your own defense rounds, you could do worse than duplicate the 135gr Speer load with HP38 and the Speer bullet.

 

[Otterbein]

THANKS for the replies, especially the link to the muzzle flash thread and photo's, very informative. Also thanks for the load data, I'll try them and see how they blast.

 

[David Sinko]

Vihta Vuori powders are about as low flash as you can get. Unfortunately they're also the most expensive and most difficult to find. The only one I have ever used is N320 which I wouldn't expect to give great velocity in .38 Special. I'm sure they have something slightly slower that would be ideal.

My chronograph has told me that SR4756 is the best thing going for high velocity .38 Special. I tried some 2400 in the short revolvers and was not impressed at all with the velocities I was getting.

Dave Sinko

 

[bmcgilvray]

Over the years I've found that fast burning powders don't favor snub barrels with higher velocities than slower burning powders as is sometimes assumed. The powder that yields the highest velocity in the longer barrels frequently also yields the highest velocity in the shorties.

Sometimes one encounters the most delightful muzzle flashes though.