Load for S&W 36

158 LSWC - 4.5 Unique.

I have used it in all .38 Specials for about 50 years.

rc

Same load as rc but have only used it about 40 years. Great general purpose load, easy on you and the gun.

and I don't like to fiddle with Unique, so I am in love with Ramshot's True Blue. or AA #5.

Jim H.

158 gr LSWC over 5.2 Unique almost 800 fps from the 2" Had the 36, now 60 & 337PD

For my S&W 36 w/a 1.875" barrel I load 4.0-4.2gr of W231 or 3.4-3.6gr of Bullseye with 158gr cast SWC or WNFP with F-100 or WSP.

I would stick with the 158 SWC, or try to get some Speer 135 grain Short Barrel Gold Dots.

The 140 XTP expands real well at .357 Velocity.
Not so well out of a 2" .38 Spl unless you really push it into +P territory.

rc

what RC said, with an addendum that

there are at least two good cast bullet suppliers of 135-140 gr. LSTC, LRN (a re-done 38Super bullet), and I think a LTRN bullet that allows you to replicate the GDSB short-barrel reloads. One of them is Missouri Bullets, a supplier preferred by many in this forum.

If you are interested in that, Google in this forum for something like "Replica Reloads" or use my username--about five-six years ago a few of us did exhaustive workups on the 38+P type Short-barrel reloads.

IOW, a good search will bring up a lot of information about reloading 38 Special for carry guns.

My preference has slowly shifted to an "FBI load"--e.g., like the Rem 38S, a 158-gr. LSWC-HP running at 800 fps--so I build most of my practice ammo out of 158 gr LSWCs and even carry them as well.

Running 158 gr with the correct powder and putting it up to European-spec 38 Special recipes can get you running 840 fps or so, well within striking distance of that original 860-875 FBI load (that ran from 2.5" barrels).

You're in a fertile ground for this particular reloading info; look for it.

Jim H.