Need an easy shooting .38spl. load

[Cool Hand Hodge]

I need a light shooting .38spl load using unique and 158 gr. wad cutters. This is for the wife. I want a good practice load to introduce her to the shooting sports. I dont want somthing that will keyhole, but on the slow side none the less.

 

[Spotteddog]

You didn't say what powder you intend to run, what length barrel, or in what gun?
But a good generic load from Lyman #43 for
Bullseye powder
(SUGGESTED)
2.5 grains-720-730 FPS
(MAX)
3.5 grains-840-850 FPS

 

[Cool Hand Hodge]

I need a light shooting .38spl load using unique and 158 gr. wad cutters. This is for the wife. I want a good practice load to introduce her to the shooting sports. I dont want somthing that will keyhole, but on the slow side none the less.

unique...2inch and 4 inch guns

 

[Spotteddog]

Oooops! Sorry!

Sometimes that speed reading course screws me up!

The lightest Lyman #43 shows in Unique for 158 lead is,
5.0 grains-850 FPS (suggested)
6.0 grains-1060 FPS (MAX)

Unique is a high performance powder.
There are others that lend themselves better to lower rate loadings?
As you can see even the hottest Bullseye loading, is near the lightest suggested loading for Unique.
Again, apologies for missing that info earlier!

 

[acl864]

It's going to be tough to load light recoil loads with 38 Special using Unique powder. Something that burns a little quicker (ex. Bullseye, Clays, W231) will let you load lighter and shoot with less recoil. I've loaded Bullseye down to the minimum charge of 2.5 gr. and gotten acceptable results with little recoil- even in an alloy frame snub nose revolver.

 

[Cool Hand Hodge]

Makes good sense. Problem is that i have a huge supply of unique! I was thinking maybe 4 grains ought to work. Any input?

 

[canoeguy]

I've had really good results with a 158 grain lead round nose bullet (Missouri Bullet Company Cowboy #11) with 3.2 grains Trail Boss powder. On-line Trail Boss loading data shows this load speeds along at around 700 feet per second. It is the most accurate load out of my 4" Model 64, light recoil and super accurate. The Missouri Bullet Company bullet is .358 diameter, so it fills the lands and grooves of the revolver, low velocity keeps it from leading. Also, the Trail Boss powder is high volume, so it measures well and fills the case nicely.

This revolver and ammunition combination is scary accurate, I've had .22 rifles that don't shoot as good at 25 yards as this combination does.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I have been using UNIQUE with round nosed lead 158 grain bullets in my Victory models, 4 inch barrels.

I am loading 4 grains of Unigue (in a Dillon 550) and it shoots fine. Here is a target from 50 feet with 15 shots, the target was a 100 yard target, I used what I had.

 

[canoeguy]

One more thing, the lowest volume of Unique I have found useful is 4.3 grains Unique behind a 158 grain LRN bullet, this gives 850 FPS or so. Any less and I get un-burnt powder, poor accuracy and a chance of binding up the revoler with unburnt powder under the extractor star. This load has a more pronounced recoil than the Trail Boss load at 700 FPS mentioned above. But , 4.3 grains Unique is a good load, try it.

 

[dbarale]

I agree that you will probably be happier and get less unburnt powder if you stay above 4.2 or 4.3 grains of Unique. I wouldn't go less than 4.0.
My standard plinking load is 4.5 grains and it's still a bit dirty.
Either way make sure to crimp heavy to build up a little more pressure and help clean up the load. Win primers also seem to run cleaner than Federal for some reason?

 

[tops]

3.5 unique--2in.@577fps 4in.@607fps
4.5 unique--2in.@696fps 4in@775fps
5.0 unique--2in.@716fps no 4in
5.2 unique--no 2in 4in@894
Those fps are 5 shot average. My wife uses the the 3.5 to practice and the 5.0 to carry. She uses a M642 and a 4in. 5 screw. Larry ps. forgot to mention that these loads are with a 158gr. SWC bullet.

 

[minconrevo]

The most accurate "powder puff" load for .38 Special that I've found uses the factory-recommend low amount of Accurate Arms #2 and a cast lead bullet. Light recoil and very accurate; I got standard deviations well under 5 with it.

Bullseye, 700X, Red Dot, TiteGroup, Winchester Super Target and Winchester 231 will work, although all are a bit dirtier burning, to various degrees.

Especially if you are starting her shooting with an alloy J-frame, the powder puff loads are a great idea.

 

[Vulcan Bob]

I've had good luck with 4.0gr of Unique, WSP primer under a speer 158gr LSWC. I use a heavy roll crimp, shoots very well and is about as clean as you get with Unique. I use this load for my older guns to keep wear and tear to a miminum. The Trail Boss load previously mentioned is a GOOD one.

 

[Steve C]

I need a light shooting .38spl load using unique and 158 gr. wad cutters.

Wad cutters are normally 148gr, if you mean semi wad cutters then there are 158gr bullets.

For a lead 148gr solid base wad cutter use 3.7grs of Unique, for a 158gr LSWC a 4.0gr load would work fine. These loads should run around 750 fps from a 4" revolver and will be relatively mild.

 

[Cool Hand Hodge]

they are semi wad cutters...sorry for the confusion

 

[btruman]

My easy and accurate load in .38Sp is a 158 gr lead bullet, SWC or RN over 4 grs of Win 231. The good wife likes it too.

 

[Skip Sackett]

I have shot 3.5gr of Bullseye under almost every type of 158gr bullet out there with good results. Out of my M586 6" it clocked at 790fps +/-.

It is an accurate load to say the least and I have taken a few PPC competitions with that load.

There is a guy that I have shot plates against that uses Unique for his 158gr loadings. I asked him "Isn't that a bit dirty?" He replied that at less than 4.5gr it is, over it and everything cleans right up. When I say dirty I mean unburnt powder. Nothing more.

I see you are from Detroit. Spent some time there as well as in the 'burbs. Hazel Tuckey, Ferndale and Oak Park. Lived at Livernois and McGraw for a short time as a youth. My dad had several service stations there when I was growing up. 8 mile road and Pinecrest (closest road), Hunter Blvd in Birmingham and 11 mile and Southfield.

Small world!

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

Both my Lyman and Lee manuals say 4.0 Unique as a starting load with 158 gr bullet, although since mine are hand cast, they often are only 155-156 grains.
I do a medium to heavy crimp and use Winchester primers. I am also a nut about totally cleaning after every session. I don't recommend it for everyone, I just know that my Victories like it.
I also use 2.8 grains of Clays with the same bullet and crimp and it also likes that.

That all said, I have to admit my usual range session is about 25-30 rounds shot so there is not much time to build up gunk, and you certainly cannot go wrong with 4.2 or 4.3 of Unique, just see what you gun likes.

 

[GypsmJim]

Many years ago when I first started reloading I read somewhere a recomendation to use Bullseye in a .38 if the barrel is less than 4". My own tests have confirmed that. I get inferior accuracy with Unique in my shorter bareled revolvers.

 

[1644]

38 spl. wadcutter

been loading 38 wadcutters, 148 grain, pushed by 3.0 grains of bullseyes. all loading thru a Dillon 550B press. great machine............