What's the second best powder for 38 special?

[Maximumbob54]

Best? Any pistol powder that you can find right now with .38 load data for it. Yeah, I'm getting a little desperate.

 

[SgtLumpy]

What's the best hair color for a girlfriend?

Ford, Chevy or Dodge trucks?


Sgt Lumpy

 

[bassgunner]

What's the best hair color for a girlfriend?

Ford, Chevy or Dodge trucks?


Sgt Lumpy

I know it was a "loaded" question. Just looking for some ideas of what folks might have found works when what you want is not available.

 

[LostintheOzone]

I've found Bullseye to be sooty. I use Alliant American Select for 38 spl. which is listed as a shotgun powder and one of the easiest to find because of that. They have load data for it in 38 spl. along with numerous other handgun calibers. I like it so much it's all I use for 12 ga 45 acp and 38 spl. loads. I have 10 lbs of it under my loading bench.

 

[SgtLumpy]

I know it was a "loaded" question. Just looking for some ideas of what folks might have found works when what you want is not available.

There's a lot of powders that "work". "Best" in terms of a lot of parameters -

- Cost
- Availablilty (most relative to any choice)
- Clean
- Recoil
- Meters well
- Smokes a lot
- Volume in the case

Narrowing down your desires in a powder might get you a better answer. If not someone with totally different needs/wants might tell you what they think is a great powder but might be totally inappropriate for your needs/wants.

And all of it is tempered by what's available, of course.

I like redheads and Chevy's. But my blonde girlfriend's big Dodge 4x4 dually is a pretty nice truck.


Sgt Lumpy

 

[Nevada Ed]

"I prefer the W231 type of burn. "

for "Non-Ball type" powder I use Alliant.
Green Dot is around the burn speed of 231 but does not work well with light target loads in all my 38's.

Bullseye works well but is faster than 231, so that leaves Red Dot.
It fills the case much better than Bullseye and will get +P loads if needed and is great with target loads to maximum in all my 38's and 9mm loadings.
In my J frame snub nose it beats Unique, hands down in overall fps and accuracy test with all Jacketed bullets from 110 to 135grs.
The bad news is that my M49's do not like either Red or 231, for some odd reason with lead target loads from 125gr to the 158's.
Good luck.

 

[claybrdr]

True Blue is great if you can find it. Used it for years in my 9mm IPSC loads and works well in 38 special and many other handgun calibers. Also use Vihtavuori N320 and N330.

 

[imakmst]

Unique is the second best powder for 38 Special....


Bullseye is the first.

Agreed. It's what goes thru mine.

 

[Wee Hooker]

Clays worked well for me in .38 Special using both 148 grain HBWCs and 158 grain RN and SWCs. 3.0 grains under a 158 gr cast RN gave just under 750 FPS from my 6" Pre-14 and proved to be very accurate.

x2. 3 gr of clays under a cast 158gr Rn/SWC/RNFP bullet get shot by the thousands by me and my club buddies. This load is relatively clean, soft shooting and darn accurate. Getting 2300 loads out of a single pound is just a bonus.

 

[MikeyB]

My go to powder for .38's in the 1970's was Unique but switched to W231 in the '80's. Unique would still be my backup.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

I would go with Unique. It works well in the old 38's.

 

[jimbuzz]

I'm getting to where I use Titegroup for all my handgun loads. (.45, .40, .38sp)

 

[freqlord]

I personally use bullseye or Hp38 with that bullet. Win231 is the same though.


Sent by a click click durk

 

[pete950]

HP38 then Bullsey

 

[gnappi]

I have used AA#5 recently works pretty good with 158 grain bullets and with 5.6 grains per load you get 1250 loads (or 1206 using 5.8 grains) per pound and either will meet ICORE power floor requirements.

 

[Nevada Ed]

that has to be..................

Alliant BE 86.

Never see it any where !!

 

[Reddog]

I've had very good luck with 700X the last couple years!
Dick

 

[alwslate]

Looking at the long history of the 38 spl and it's popularity in target
shooting I would bet that more rounds of 38 spl have been loaded with
Bullseye than all other powders combined.

 

[silentflyer]

I use Unique, 296/H100, and 2400 for all my loading, 38/357,41 mag and 44 mag, if it was good enough for Skeeter...

 

[elpac3]

.38 special 158 LSWC loads

Go with Bullseye.

I have been shooting 3.0 grains of BE over a 158 LSWC for indoor 50 foot shooting for 30 years. Nice target load, minimal recoil.

 

[aviserated]

TIN STAR is best, but not cheapest. It shoots more accurately than Bullseye and gives lower velocity spread. Fills case better also.

 

[novalty]

I've found the second best to always be the one I have, someone's always going to tell me they have a better one.

<cough>dillon<cough>

 

[blujax01]

...

<cough>dillon<cough>

You should have someone take a look at that cough.

 

[Shooter6br]

For me Universal, Unique, Red Dot . In a pinch i am open to what my dealer has.

 

[Kilibreaux]

I have been loading 4.0gr W231 with 158gr LSWC and it is great. However, as difficult as W231 is to find, what is the second best option? I can get on occasion: HS-6, IMR-4227, Clays. Anything else that has been seen around that works well? I have loaded with Autocomp in a pinch but I prefer the W231 type of burn.

Best powder in the world for medium length .38spl is Alliant Unique because it's a flake powder with plenty of bulk for a case originally designed for BP. For short barrels Alliant Bullseye has been a reloader's "standard" for eons...Bullseye is very much like WW-231.