115 gr hardcast .38 special with hs-6

Brain fart with erroneous data, so editing to remove it.

In 2010 i tested using HS-6 with my home cast 158 gr lswc ( true weight about 163 gr) in 38 Special with old standard primers. Working up, 6.3 gr produced 5 shot groups at 50 yards of 4" 4 1/2" and 3" from my 6" M28. Note that this is the maximum load listed by Hodgdon. Just wanted to use up the powder.

Retested in 2015. Forgot i shot it before. Its dirty. Just point muzzle up when ejecting fired brass.

Hodgdon lists a 115 and a 120 gr bullet (jacketed) It is not to difficult to figure a charge fir a 115 hard cast lead from that.

https://shop.hodgdon.com/reloading-data-center

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

Steves pages has 38 special 123 gr listed at HS-6 From 7.8 grains to 8.4 grains.

125 gr at HS-6 From 5.6 grains to 8.5 grains. Bullet type is not listed.

The HODGDON 38 +P data is hot & should burn cleaner, work up as always.

Use a mag primer. HS-6 is in the same family as H110.

conan32120 said:

not sure where you found such specific numbers, I checked all my books and available web sites and I couldn't find any date for 115gr hard cast. What I'll probably do is work from 125gr jhp data. I am also going to try 231 and bullseye for this bullet. There's no 115gr data for them either. It's the journey not the destination for me in handloading

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I tend to use jacketed data for hard cast. I get good results. But you have to do it at your own risk.

From Lyman #45 38 Special.

conan32120 said:

I am also going to try 231 and bullseye for this bullet.

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243winxb said:

From Lyman #45 38 Special.

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I love the old Lyman manuals. I always noticed that the unique and 2400 had similar velocity but it took twice the 2400 to get there. If I'm using twice the powder I want a distinct advantage not an equal result.

I would think that HS-6 would be better suited to heavier bullets in the cartridge range. Maybe 150-190 gr range projectiles.

I'm not saying HS-6 won't work, I'm saying that it prefers a higher pressure, and that pressure is easier to get with heavier bullets.

If I were doing it, and I'm not, I would use a faster powder with the lighter bullets.

Lyman 49 does not show HS6 for a cast bullet lighter than 155 gr.
They have it for jacketed bullets down to 110 gr.

conan32120 said:

lsn't it curious how cast is only at 155+ yet jacketed goes down to 110? it's the good results I had with the jacketed bullets that's driving me try hardcast.

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That's because your not using the lyman cast bullet manual. Mine goes down to 90 grains.

Sorry, was in a rush/distracted this AM when I put the above post in. I could have sworn that was what I saw on their site but going back I pulled the wrong info (not sure what info I put in going back trying to figure it out). That is why I prefer a book that I can look at 50 times before I proceed.

Lyman is likely the best bet.

This is also why I rarely use the less common weights for a caliber, I know the frustration is real to get it figured out. Not to mention, there is usually a reason it is not a common load.