Post your favorite 38 Special Recipes

[Cyrano]

150 gr wadcutter, cast soft from my SAECO mould, ahead of 3.0 grs of W 231. Accurate and easy to shoot.

 

[moosedog]

For pure enjoyment out of any of my 38/44 N frames I use a 358156 cast HP with a gas check over 11.5 grs of 2400 with a mag primer. Comes out just a little over 1,000 fps out of most 5 to 6.5 inch barrels.

This is only for N frame 38 Special S&Ws.

 

[bogman]

158gr. SWC & 5.5grs. of Unique. Speer #11 list it as a +P. in my model 10-8 HB it gets 1058 fps, from my Chrony. accuracy is excellent. no pressure signs & no leading (Ga. Arms bullets) older Speer book shows a +P at 6.0grs. Unique

 

[Treeman]

3.6 grains of PB driving 150-160 grain cast bullets-a very clean light load.

5 grains of Unique with 158-173 grain cast SWCs.- A full power .38 Special loading that is NOT +P

5.9 grains of Power Pistol with a 150 grain Wadcutter (Lyman 358432-a WC with a reduced diameter nose and a crimping groove giving same powder space intrusion as most 158grSWCs) This one is +P and pushes that WC to about 980fps from a 4 inch revolver barrel

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

A dose of SR-4756 that many forum members are familiar with, under a 358429 home cast bullet.

It's definitely a .38/44 load.

 

[Mule88]

158 gn cast, 5 gn universal clays, cci 500 primer. great all around load with good velocity and accuracy.

 

[walnutred]

3.5gns Bullseye, any cast 158gn bullet design, any brass, any SP primer.

 

[Batjac]

Does anyone have a load for a 125gr. hard cast flat point with Accurate #5?

 

[shortrange]

Lee tumble lube wadcutter and 3 gr. bullseye. Extremely accurate in my model 14. These molds are inexpensive, so it doesnt cost much to give it a try. This is the most accurate bullet I have ever loaded in 38 special.

 

[Wee Hooker]

What no Clays???
I used to use W231 (and before that Bullseye) but
3.0 of Clays under a 158Gr Round Nose Flat Point is my hands down favorite these days. Clean, accurate, shoots POA in fixed sighted guns, works well in speed loaders yet makes a more defined hole in your target. Same load with a 158gr Lead SWC or a 148gr BNWC with 3.1gr of Clays under is it also nice for pure paper punching. Nice side benifit is that you can get 2300+ rounds out of a single pound!

 

[oldschool63]

3.7 Unique with a 125 TCFP hard cast bullet.

 

[bmcgilvray]

Since the mid-70s, a 158 grain lead SWC over 4.8 grains of Unique for 858 fps from a 4-inch barrel. This has been my all-purpose field load and I've fired of 10s of thousands of rounds of it.

 

[Emerson]

148 gr wadcutter & 2.7 gr of Bullseye

I wish I had a dollar for every round I sent downrange with that load.

 

[thomashoward]

158 gr. SWC over 5. gr of Unique with a Fed 100 primer

 

[Forester]

For general all purpose I like the TVB 158 swc over 4.5 of Unique. For +P I like the same bullet over 5.4 grains of Unique. These two loads will do anything and everything for me in this caliber.

 

[chriske]

148 Gr LHBWC & 3.1 Gr W-231
148 gr DEWC & 3.3 Gr W-231
158 LSWC & 4.3 W-231
Once tried some 158Gr LRN & 3.5 Gr HP38 from a friend: worked very well, too.

 

[roaddog28]

For me its either American Eagle or Magtech 158g round nose for practice. Thats if I can get some. If I am using reloads that would be 158g round or sometimes LSWC. What ever I can get now because of the ammo shortage. I don't have the equipment to reload and have to depend on somebody else.
roaddog28

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I use either Winchester or CCI SPP.
I use Win, Rem and Federal brass.

3.2gr W231 under a 148gr HBWC
3.5gr W231 under a 148gr DEWC
4.0gr W231 under a 158gr LSWC
6.4gr HS-6 under a 158gr LSWC

I have a few others but those are my favorites. As usual, don't blame me or this forum for mistakes in posting numbers. User be aware...

 

[bill skebeck]

Bill

158g round nose. 3g bullseye

 

[LoneStar22]

My Favorite .38 Special Loads

Both loads use the Lyman 358429 CB, crimped in the crimping grove. The bullet is cast from wheel weights with 2% Tin (by weight) added. CB's are air cured. Brass is trimmed, Federal small pistol primers are used. Brass is partially resized (1/3rd the OAL case length.
Loads:
4.0grs W231
5.0grs Unique