Both these loads were on the mild side for the bullets being used, 11.0gr of 2400 and 6.2gr of power pistol. The lighter bullets (145gr/150gr) could of used 11.5gr of 2400 and 6.6gr of power pistol. But Both the 11.0gr & 6.2gr loads were easy to control with all the bullets tested.
2400
h&g #51 146gr swchp 867fps
Cramer #25 (hunter) 158gr rnfphp 879fps
Cramer #26 150gr swchp 868fps
358439 156gr swchp 879fps
358156 148gr gc swchp 888fps
Mihec 640 158gr rnfphp 891fps
Mihec 148gr hbwc loaded backwards/crimped in top lube groove 850fps
150gr jacketed hp made from 380acp cases 916fps
358431 145gr hbswchp 882fps
Raphine 145gr hbrnfphp 902fps
2400 had a 882fps average for the 100-shot 10 different bullet string.
Power pistol
h&g #51 146gr swchp 878fps
Cramer #25 (hunter) 158gr rnfphp 895fps
Cramer #26 150gr swchp 905fps
358439 156gr swchp 873fps
358156 148gr gc swchp 900fps
Mihec 640 158gr rnfphp 889fps
Mihec 148gr hbwc loaded backwards/crimped in top lube groove 884fps
150gr jacketed hp made from 380acp cases 910fps
358431 145gr hbswchp 859fps
Raphine 145gr hbrnfphp 880fps
The 100-shot 10 different bullet string for power pistol was 887fps.
Of the 5 powders used in the testing, bullseye and unique were on the heavy/max side compared to the other 3 powders tested. None of the loads I tested were excessive, the cases fell out of the cylinders (no sticky extraction). And most importantly, none of them had excessive recoil. Any of them could easily have follow-up shots. I shot tested all 500 rounds in 1 day and the last 200 shots tested were the 2400 and then the power pistol. While 500 rounds in 1 day with a snub nosed revolver and p+ loads isn't ideal, it was not excessive to me by any means.
Most of these loads can be tweaked for more performance.
My 2" bbl'd snubnose 38spl does run a little on the slow side compared to other 1 7/8"/2" bbl'd revolvers
The test results for a 100-shot string with 10 different bullets were:
bullseye 801fps
unique 833fps
be-86 845fps
2400 882fps
power pistol 887fps
Of the 10 bullets tested the lyman (thompson) 358156 150gr hp, the cramer #26 hp (same as the lyman 358477 swc) & the home swaged jacketed 150gr hp preformed the best with every powder tested.
I will not say what the loads were but I've taken all 3 of those bullets up to the 950fps/975fps range with 2400 and power pistol.
Myself I prefer a 150gr/158gr bullet in a snub nosed 38spl compared to the 125gr bullets. Same velocity and more thump.
Anyway just more 39spl testing in snubnosed revolvers.
2400
h&g #51 146gr swchp 867fps
Cramer #25 (hunter) 158gr rnfphp 879fps
Cramer #26 150gr swchp 868fps
358439 156gr swchp 879fps
358156 148gr gc swchp 888fps
Mihec 640 158gr rnfphp 891fps
Mihec 148gr hbwc loaded backwards/crimped in top lube groove 850fps
150gr jacketed hp made from 380acp cases 916fps
358431 145gr hbswchp 882fps
Raphine 145gr hbrnfphp 902fps
2400 had a 882fps average for the 100-shot 10 different bullet string.
Power pistol
h&g #51 146gr swchp 878fps
Cramer #25 (hunter) 158gr rnfphp 895fps
Cramer #26 150gr swchp 905fps
358439 156gr swchp 873fps
358156 148gr gc swchp 900fps
Mihec 640 158gr rnfphp 889fps
Mihec 148gr hbwc loaded backwards/crimped in top lube groove 884fps
150gr jacketed hp made from 380acp cases 910fps
358431 145gr hbswchp 859fps
Raphine 145gr hbrnfphp 880fps
The 100-shot 10 different bullet string for power pistol was 887fps.
Of the 5 powders used in the testing, bullseye and unique were on the heavy/max side compared to the other 3 powders tested. None of the loads I tested were excessive, the cases fell out of the cylinders (no sticky extraction). And most importantly, none of them had excessive recoil. Any of them could easily have follow-up shots. I shot tested all 500 rounds in 1 day and the last 200 shots tested were the 2400 and then the power pistol. While 500 rounds in 1 day with a snub nosed revolver and p+ loads isn't ideal, it was not excessive to me by any means.
Most of these loads can be tweaked for more performance.
My 2" bbl'd snubnose 38spl does run a little on the slow side compared to other 1 7/8"/2" bbl'd revolvers
The test results for a 100-shot string with 10 different bullets were:
bullseye 801fps
unique 833fps
be-86 845fps
2400 882fps
power pistol 887fps
Of the 10 bullets tested the lyman (thompson) 358156 150gr hp, the cramer #26 hp (same as the lyman 358477 swc) & the home swaged jacketed 150gr hp preformed the best with every powder tested.
I will not say what the loads were but I've taken all 3 of those bullets up to the 950fps/975fps range with 2400 and power pistol.
Myself I prefer a 150gr/158gr bullet in a snub nosed 38spl compared to the 125gr bullets. Same velocity and more thump.
Anyway just more 39spl testing in snubnosed revolvers.