looking for a starting load .38special

[RJ in Oregon]

I am looking for a light target load for my Model 19. I have 125 grain berry fp, cci small pistol mag primer, and either HS-6 or Autocomp. I havent seen a load using that combo. I have used the 125gr bullets, 6.5grains of HS-6 and regular small pistol primers. I am just not sure how much, or even if I should, adjust for the mag primers.

Thanks in advance,
RJ

 

[john traveler]

Magnum primers are not needed or desired for .38 Special loads. They are not needed for fast burning powders, and may give erratic velocities with the medium powders.

Please be advised that Berry's does not recommend loading extremely light or below , I think, 800 fps using their plated bullets. There is the risk of getting a separated copper jacket stuck in the bore if your load is too light.

That bullet weight is safe to use with the maximum loadings for 158 grain RN or SWC bullets. Just start with the lowest or medium load in the manuals and work up 0.1 grain or two.

 

[sourdough44]

I would go to the Hodgdon website. If they have a load with those powders it will be there. I use H Universal in the 38, though plenty of others will work.

 

[Treeman]

Actually HS 6 is one of the few powders that has commonly been used with mag primers in 38 special. All of Speer's 38 special loads with HS 6 used mag primers in several editions of their manual. Inasmuch as various sources have shown 6.5 of HS6 with158 grain bullets and mag primers you aren't pushing things at all with that load and 125s.

 

[Landric]

My standard .38 Special load for steel revolvers is a 158 grain RN, 6.5 grains of HS-6, and a Winchester SP Magnum primer (depending on who's data one uses this is either at the top end of standard pressure or just into+P). I have done some pretty extensive testing with different primers and powder weights to get to this load. The only difference the magnum primers seem to make is lower standard deviation and a smaller extreme spread. Average velocity is right about the same with a standard or magnum primer.

 

[Recon]

I would go to the Hodgdon website. If they have a load with those powders it will be there. I use H Universal in the 38, though plenty of others will work.

+1 on Hodgdon - The Gun Powder People

Their reloading data section is very useful.

For .38 Special load I prefer Hodgdon Clays or Win 231.

Regards...

 

[Tell Sackett]

I am looking for a light target load for my Model 19. I have 125 grain berry fp, cci small pistol mag primer, and either HS-6 or Autocomp. I havent seen a load using that combo. I have used the 125gr bullets, 6.5grains of HS-6 and regular small pistol primers. I am just not sure how much, or even if I should, adjust for the mag primers.

Thanks in advance,
RJ

RJ,
This is just my opinion but, I looked on the Hodgdon data site and saw that the load you mention is at the bottom of the data for that weight of bullet. In a bunch of older manuals, they specifically state to use magnum primers with HS-6. Personally I have found that HS-6 works better at higher pressures, like in the +P range. If it were me, I wouldn't reduce any and you will probably notice that your 6.5gr load just got a little cleaner!

Usually, magnum primers give me about 100fps over standard ones in the same load. I'm not shooting top end loads either!

 

[RJ in Oregon]

I am going to try and get my hands on some 231 or clays. I just have a couple pounds of HS-6 so I wanted to come up with a decent load using those components. I looked back and found in some of the manuals (seirra was one of them) that they used magnum primers with HS-6.
I am going to load some up this week and try it out.

 

[redfisherdave]

I use 3.8 grains of W231 with 158 grain cast SWC's out of a tumble lube Lee 6 cavity mold. Cast from wheel weights & lubed with Lee liquid Alox. Whatever small pistol primers that are available and whatever brass I've been able to salvage from the range.
These shoot to point of aim at 7 yards anyway in all of my Smith's, M36, M15-3 4" & M65-2 4". Very pleasant to shoot.
When I first started loading the 158 grn. SWC's I was using 3.2 grns of W231 & was shooting high. Kept bumping the load till I got to 3.8 grns & it shot to point of aim.
Good luck

 

[epj]

I use 3.0 grains of Clays with a 158 gr. RNFP bullet. Max is 3.2. It is a mild, accurate, clean load. I have 4 lbs. of Clays, so I use it in everything, though it may be at it's best in the .45 ACP. Careful with Clays when loading near max. Pressure spikes rapidly after a certain point.

 

[dmar]

I just loaded up some .38 Specials with Remmington 158 gr. JHP bullets and 4.2 gr. of W-231. This load was very accurate, and shot to point of aim in my 6" Model 27. Hope this helps...