Which 38 special data?

[SquarePizza]

So while I was preparing some load data for my 130 HST's, I went through the "one book, one load" manual for 38 special and I decided that I would be conservative and use the 140gr load data.

Well that proved to be quite an eye opener when I compared the data for Unique across three different manuals. Below are the results that I found:

140 Grain JHP, Unique powder

Hornady 4.2 - 5.2 +P is 5.8
Sierra 5.6 - 6.4

Speer 135 gr gold dot +P 4.8 - 5.2
(Speer doesn't have a 140gr JHP, so I had to use their 135)

That is a pretty large spread, Speer basically claims that hornady's data is pretty much all +P, and the sierra data is starts where the others end.

 

[kenjen]

I would start at 4.2 and work my way up from there. I know what you mean about the "eye opening", big difference from book to book.

 

[trapper9260]

I would start at 4.2 and work my way up from there. I know what you mean about the "eye opening", big difference from book to book.

I say the same also ,Start low and work up to what the gun tell you.

 

[mikld]

When in doubt, go with the lowest listed load (and I'd suggest you get a real reloading manual). I have one of the one cartridge reloading pamphlets and find the info to be dated and all over the board. They are just compilations of data, much like the Lee manuals, and you have no idea how old the info is. Nearly every source/lab will use their components (probably a different lot than what you have), on their equipment (can be everything from a real gun to universal receivers with barrels of questionable wear), so naturally results will be different...

 

[AManWearingAHat]

Start low and work up. All books use different components and seating depths. Usually I see those discrepencies as encouraging that there is a large useful range of safe charges. Use good load practice and be mindful of what the gun and the brass are telling you and you should have no problem finding an excellent load!

 

[Nevada Ed]

It also makes a difference if the data is out of a weapon or a Universal Receiver.

FPS is secondary but the pressure of a load is a must.

No matter what load or weapon.......
start low and work up.

A pain but better safe than sorry.

 

[Jellybean]

Hornady, Speer and Sierra are all SAAMI compliant, which means their data was all good in their test weapons using their components at the time.

What the differences should tell you is that nothing about loading data is written in stone and no data is guaranteed to be safe in your weapon with your components. That is up to you.

Not all data from bullet manufacturers are loaded to max. pressure. They often base their data on the velocities they decide their bullets are rated for. The real manuals may give you these velocities, but the manuals don't tell you what limits they actually set so it's not a good idea to "fudge" their data.

As the others have stated, start low and work up. Even if you are using the exact same components listed in their manuals, there are differences from one lot to the other and can be large differences in their firearms and yours and in their loading techniques from yours. The current trend seems to be to "shop" for the fastest velocity, which really isn't a good idea. Large increases in pressure may show a very small, or even no increase in velocity. There's a lot of good information in loading manuals that isn't included in the "all data in one source" books.

 

[Hasbeen1945]

Keep in mind every fire arm is a individual. Two made on the same assembly line are different. Then we have the components. Each one is different as recognized by lot numbers. So every time you change a component you change the load . Velocity and pressure change.
With this in mind you start low and work up to find the load that works well in your individual firearm.

 

[GeoJelly]

Hoping to not step on any toes here - I finally received my shipment of the 130 HST's today. Unlike my first shipment from them, which looked like first-quality bright shiny bullets, the batch I received look like blems. Lots of small marks on them but none are actually deformed. I will run them overnight in the tumbler before I load any. I'm sure they will look much better tomorrow - but just to let folks know that for $19 a hundred - you won't be getting attractive-looking bullets.

Edited to add: my first shipment from them was 147-gr 9mm large-cavity JHP's.

 

[nbedford]

That is why I start low to middling, and then chronograph my loads. Like someone said each revolver is a law unto itself. That being said, I usually use Bullseye for 38 Special loads.

 

[WR Moore]

There's a whole lot of things that affect pressure/max loads. Bearing surface of the bullet, bullet diameter, jacket/core hardness, co-efficient of friction, surface finish of the bore and seating depth right off the top of my head. You can change the "compression ratio" of a load by varying bullet length.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

What you've found is not unusual.I've even seen a couple books where in one the min load was over max to the other(I don't remember which one and for which caliber ...sorry).That's why I own many load books and when I want to develop a load,I consult each and work from an average from all of them.