Loading .38 Special Berry's Bullets using Bullseye or Win 231

[straightShot]

I'm going to use Berry's 125 gr HP bullets for some .38 spl loads. I have Bullseye and Win 231 powders. I haven't used these bullets before.

Can anyone recommend a load for either of these two powders?

Thanks.

 

[fishdog52]

Try 4.5 grains of 231 under the 125 gr bullet. I have shot over a 1,000 of these this year. It is a favorite practice load for me.

 

[zxcvbob]

I use those bullets with 4.0 grains of Red Dot. Amazingly accurate. 4.5 to 5 grains (probably closer to 4.5) of Bullseye should be a good load too.

 

[joneb]

You can find a good load with either of those powders, but I prefer W-231 it will shoot a bit softer.

 

[cherryriver]

If you can get your hands on some Vihta Vuori N320, the book max for plated 158s is 4.8gr; while it's not exactly what you had in mind, I will say this: it's the highest performance .38 Special load you can make, and the cleanest dang thing you'll ever shoot in your gun. Plus, it makes USPSA/IDPA "minor" by a mile in a four-inch gun, which most SAAMI-level .38 loads might not.
For Berry's plateds in general, I have found that powder charge weights tend to be in the middle of the equivalent lead or jacketed, and often tending towards the jacketed end. That may be at variance with the manufacturer's advice, which usually says use lead charges.

 

[Walkalong]

For Berry's plateds in general, I have found that powder charge weights tend to be in the middle of the equivalent lead or jacketed, and often tending towards the jacketed end. That may be at variance with the manufacturer's advice, which usually says use lead charges.

Exactly.

And ditto on N320 in .38 Spl. It works extremely well. Others do too, but N320 seems as good as any, and cleaner than 99% of them.

 

[rcmodel]

Berry actually says this about that:

"When loading plated bullets we have found best results using low- to mid-range jacketed data in the load manual. You must use data for a bullet that has the same weight and profile as the one you are loading. Do not exceed mid-range loads. Do not use magnum loads."

But what do they know?

rcmodel

 

[Canuck-IL]

Right, it's Rainier that suggested lead data be used...from experience, they have a softer plating.
/B

 

[Bush Pilot]

For plinking/practice loads I use 3.5 grs of Bullseye under a 125 gr plated bullet. Seriously, I could shoot this load out of a snubby all day long, out of a 686 or GP-100 it feels like a 22 IMO.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I use mostly W231 in all my .38 Special rounds. I see no reason why W231 won't work well with Barry's bullets.

 

[straightShot]

Thanks.

I have 5 lbs of Bullseye and 5 lbs of 231. I also have 2000 125 gr JHP Berry's Bullets.

Bush Pilot:
I'll try 3.5 grains of Bullseye.

fishdog52:
Is the 4.5 grains of 231 a medium load?