[LivewireBlanco]

Has anybody ever gone this light? Got the little woman a S&W 642 and want some nice light loads for plinking. She's a bit recoil sensitive but I really just want to tame the beast that can be an Airweight. I know I could load 125gr or wadcutters but my local gun shop has 93gr lead for cowboy action. Thoughts on this bullet/powder combo?

[LivewireBlanco]

I guess nobody has ever loaded a 38 with this load.

[3leggeddog]

try W231 with 3.5 grs which gives 689 fps with a90gr lrn! Its the lowess chamber pressure in my reloading book.

[joecil]

According to Lee's Modern Reloading current version with a 90g Lead bullet and trailboss is 3.0 gr at 740fps to 5.0 gr at 904fps 8100 PSI OAL 1.325.

For the 125 gr with Trailboss it would be as follows:

3.0 gr at 753fps to 5.3 gr at 952fps 13400 PSI OAL 1.445

Hope that helps but both should be a very low recoil load with ever bullet you use.

[weemsf]

I carried an Airweight for years as a backup. Best thing I ever did was to replace those tiny grips with Hogues. Making shooting the little gun with even service rounds bearable to borderline enjoyable.

[3leggeddog]

joecil, if u can please look up the loads for trailboss with a 150 gr lswc for 38 sp ? My book doesent show it... thanks....

[joecil]

It doesn't show a 150 gr lswc but does show a 148gr Wad Cutter with trailboss.

2.0 gr 625 fps to 2.3 gr 675 fps 15700 PSI OAL 1.160

Oh and guys Lee is the only book I have that actually lists Trailboss powder. I've not seen it in my Lyman, Speer or Hornady books at all. Oh and all my books are the latest editions.

A rule of thumb is 70% of case capacity with no compression. That is listed in a PDF file by IMR as well as some load data listed there in a couple of PDF files.

Here is the data listed in the PDF for handgun loads:

38 SPECIAL

Case: Winchester Twist: 1:18.75" Barrel: 7.7" Trim: 1.145" Primer: Winchester SP

Bullet: 125 GR. LRNFP Dia. .358" COL: 1.445"
Trail Boss 3.0 753 11,600 CUP 5.3 952 13,400 CUP

Bullet: 158 GR. LSWC Dia. .357" COL: 1.455"
Trail Boss 2.7 661 11,400 PSI 4.2 804 13,700 CUP

[3leggeddog]

Joecil thanks for the reply......

[ArchAngelCD]

And, you can safely use the 158gr LSWC load data with a 150gr LSWC bullet.

[Sport45]

Trail Boss data is also available on Hodgdon's website (http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp).

[LivewireBlanco]

Thanks guys! Lee's reloading manual is the only one I don't own out of those listed, go figure. I knew about the 70% rule from Hogdon's website but I didn't know if it would be accurate at all.