Low power 38 special for practice?

[Cal44]

Of the major brands of 38 Special range ammo, what is the lowest powered load available for practice?

I'm looking for low power practice ammo for very light weight guns like Airweights and Air Lites.

I know the tendency is to say 38 target wadcutters, but I haven't seen a box of wadcutters in local stores for years.

Living in CA, I can't mail order so I need something a LGS or big box sporting goods store is likely to stock.

 

[NYlakesider]

Well as I fire +P nastys in my 38 carried for "problems" I tend to use the old standard load of 158 grain RN for most practice.

Its relatively cheap and available no problem. I do not find it uncomfortable in my 642 or Ruger LCR.38

 

[dusty3030]

I'd ask around your local cowboy action (SASS) club or clubs and see where members are getting their factory ammo at. Magtech, Black Hills, and Fiocchi make mild loads catered to the sport.

SASS Clubs in California

If you can get a local dealer to order in some Fiochhi (linked below) that would be ideal as it is a very mild load.
Fiocchi Cowboy Action Ammo 38 Special 158 Grain Lead Round Nose Flat

 

[murphydog]

130 gr FMJ .38 Special is also good practice ammunition for your needs.

 

[ContinentalOp]

My go-to practice round for my 642s is 130gr FMJ. I'm currently using PMC 132gr FMJ, but any brand should do.

You can also look for 158gr LRN or LSWC.

Also, you could always ask at your LGS if they can order ammo for you. It might need to be a bulk purchase, like a case, but I don't think it'd hurt to ask. If you know any other shooters, you may even be able to do a group-buy. Just a thought.

 

[kaaskop49]

Until the 80s, virtually ALL .38 range practice was with WC ammo, commercial bulk reloads for the most part.. Those of us who wanted more realistic practice with reasonably priced LRN/service ammo were out of luck. The development and availability of white box/generic ammo was a godsend.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[italiansport]

I've loaded my own for years. 158 gr wadcutter pushed by 3 gr Winchester 231. A light kicker and very economical to load.
Jim

 

[Nevada Ed]

The store bought 148gr WC ammo has a high price tag on it and even the 158gr LRN standard load is not that cheap as well as the specialty lead "Cow Boy loads".

There are the plated or copper target loads that don't break the bank but I have not, as yet, tried them.

Good luck.

 

[DWalt]

Can you reload? You can make any light load you want that way, but not too light as the bullet can stick in the barrel. Regarding full wadcutter loadings, I don't see any of them on dealer shelves these days. Not too many (if any) Bullseye shooters use .38 Special Revolvers today, and those guys were the main users of full WCs back in the day. I generally load my own, but I often see full boxes of factory WC loads at gun shows, occasionally priced quite cheaply, less than $10/box.

 

[Nevada Ed]

If you can find some 148gr Seller or Fiocchi lead wad cutters, they are the slowest, lightest factory recoil load in 38 special that I know of at or under 600fps from a 2" J frame.


The Winchester 148 wc ammo kicks out 707 fps, which is rated as a standard loading.

Good hunting.

 

[38SPL HV]

If you can’t reload or find WC loads, Rem UMC 38 Spl 158 gr RNL is a great practice load and will shoot to the sights.

 

[AZretired]

Most of the 130 grain RN Copper coated rounds are loaded to 800 fps which is a good practice load and relatively cheap. But for some reason the Speer Blazer Brass is loaded to over 900 fps so if looking for low recoil don't buy that.

 

[yeti]

Prefer to roll my own but if you just can't, try one of these factory ammo choices.

Magtech Cowboy Action is only ~114PF with a 125gr (uncoated) lead.
Black Hills has a 158gr that ~126PF (uncoated) lead.
Winchester Cowboy Action LFN ~126PF (uncoated) lead.

I'll second that S&B 148WC load Nevada Ed recommended, while not cheap it is slow & mellow.

 

[Echo40]

Federal American Eagle

That stuff is so light loaded that I had to keep opening up the cylinder between shots just to make sure it wasn't a squib. Although to be fair, one shot did indeed end up being a squib, so it might have just been a bad batch of ammo, but in my experience American Eagle is always soft-shooting.

 

[DWalt]

I concur in the use of light loads for general recreational and target shooting. Virtually all of my revolvers (even the .44 Magnums) use nothing beyond minimum-level reloads, usually with lead bullets. I personally do not care for muzzle blast and recoil. Semi-autos use handloads loaded only to the minimum level which will function the action reliably.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Per post #15

I have a 3" 9mm and a 6" 38 special and a starting or minimum load that works with a 125gr

starting out at 945fps +/-.

However this is a apple to orange thing, since both need different fps for their best target loads per weapon and barrel lengths.
No way can a 38 snub and a 6" 9mm come close in this matter.

 

[hcgaloi]

you can try Hornady 38 Special 90 gr FTX® Critical Defense® Lite

 

[jag312]

I have one word.....Reload.

 

[captainwayne]

Magtech makes a 38 special short with 125 grain LRN. Power factor is super low, under 750 I think. Super soft shooting.
I've had a few ftf's per box though.
Cost about the same as the standard 38 special rounds.

 

[sheppard]

Since you are in CA and can't mail order why not ask your LGS to order what you want so that you can purchase them from him.

My suggestion is the 148 grain wadcutter ammo you have already mentioned. It is comfortable to shoot and is a good self defense load as well because of its good penetration.