[Art Eatman]

Checked the inventory of pistol powder. The mostest there, with an open can, is 231. I don't want to open the Bullseye. :) Everything else is slow-burning.

I've got a bunch of 158-grain LSWC bullets. I just want to load some practice/plinking stuff.

My loading books really vary with that powder.

So: Has anybody here ever done this combination? Is a max of 4.0 grains okay? Reasonable? Or should I go with 3.5?

Art

[Jim Watson]

I chronographed .38 Specials:
158 gr SWC + 3.6 gr W231 = 706 fps
158 gr SWC + 4.4 gr W231 = 811 fps.

Sorry, I never chronographed any at 4.0, but you can get an idea and I think it would be a reasonable load.

[Art Eatman]

Thanks. 4.0 sounds good for "messin' around".

:), Art

[g56]

I've loaded 3.1 gr of WW231 behind a 148 gr HBWC Star swaged bullets for many years, that was my competition load back when I shot PPC competition, it is a very accurate load.

I just recently ran those through a chrono, I was shooting my Ruger Blackhawk with a 4 5/8" barrel that day, temperature was about 70 degrees, I shot 2 strings of 10 shots, the average velocity of each string:

679.2 fps
688.1 fps

I'm going to go back on another day and chrono them through my S&W Model 10 with a 6" barrel to see what difference that might make, those velocities were somewhat low, the 6" barrel should make the difference.

[Brian Williams]

I like 3.5 gr with 125gr berry's 9mm bullets in 38 spec cases for some close up shooting. 3.5gr with 158LSWC is a good shoot anything round.

[jibjab]

I load 158 LRNFP w/ 4.2 grn W-231 useing either Winchester or Federal primers and 4.0 useing Remington. My cases are trimmed to 1.148 and the crimp is light.
When I burn up the Bulleye I may give Clays a try. ;)

[EddieCoyle]

The Winchester website lists a max charge of 3.7 grains of 231 for a 158 grain LSWC .38 Spl (not +P).

http://www.wwpowder.com/data/handgun/38spec.php

[Jim Watson]

How strange. It shows a wadcutter at 4.0 gr W231.

The latest print book I have is the 15th edition that shows .38 special 158 gr SWC up to 4.5 gr W231 standard, 4.7 gr +P. I routinely load 4.6.

[RON in PA]

For many years my standard load for the 38 special has been 4.4 grains of 231 under a 158 grain lead SWC bullet. This powder charge works well under a 148 grain Speer bevel base wadcutter also. Unfortunately Speer has decided to eliminate this bullet.

[bakert]

I use AA5 occasionally but most of my .38 loads are either 4 or 4.5 grs of 231 under a 158gr LSWC.

[Art Eatman]

:) The book recommendations are all over the place, aren't they?

I just want to mess around some with my Model 36, and get my wife to do some practicing with hers.

I was on a jury one time for a homicide where a .38 snubby was used. According to the coroner, any one of the HydraShok hits would have done the job; so, that's my carry load.

Again, thanks.

Art

[bakert]

Art, I use the 4 gr of 231 load with the 158gr bullet as a practice load in my little model 85 Taurus. In my gun the heavier bullets print just a bit higher at 7 to 10 yrds than my carry load of Rem +P 125 gr golden Sabres but I've got a lot of the 158 gr lead bullets and they are accurate enough.

[Art Eatman]

The deal is, 4.0 is easy for me to remember. So that's what I'll do.

:D, Art

[jibjab]

Hi Art, I just thought I'd through this at you, why not load a spread from 3.6 to 4.2 with 40 or so rounds ?

[Guy B. Meredith]

231 is not my favorite, but somehow I ended up with a huge jug of the stuff about the time I stopped competing so I am loading all my .38 spl with 4.6 gr to 4.8 gr of 231, 158 gr copper plate bullet from Xtreme (AKA West Coast) Bullets and WSP. At 4.6 they run a little under 900 fps out of my 4" M66.

[ninja45]

W231 is my favorite for .38, 9mm, .40, .45. They meter well, relatively clean, and accurate for my purposes.

I use 4.4 grns for .38 for years and years. Very accurate in my 3 inch 686 Smith.

Ninja45