38 chief special what to load it with?

[LightninST]

This may help

 

[GJeffB]

Lyman 358156 + a pinch of Unique. The "pinch" will be found in various manuals. Some will find Unique unburned in 2" barrel, I haven't. Back when, Colt Cobra, Smith 36, clean burn, proper pressure, easy on brass. Nobody ever willing to stand in front of it. [shrug]

-jb, flashback to "then"

 

[Zendude]

my pocket snubby from the 70's-
for a healthy self defense load- I need a recommendation on a bullet or two, and powder.
I have cfe pistol and titegroup on hand
I keep factory Federal Hi power 125g.+ p in it now and Remington 125. sjhp's
only shoot this once in a while to keep in touch with it.

Titegroup and some kind of flat nose bullet should work.

 

[rkittine]

I like upside down hollow based wad cutters for use in my home as they will do damage close in, but will reduce the chance of going through walls and hurting someone you did not want to hut.

Bob

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

my pocket snubby from the 70's-
for a healthy self defense load- I need a recommendation on a bullet or two, and powder.
I have cfe pistol and titegroup on hand
I keep factory Federal Hi power 125g.+ p in it now and Remington 125. sjhp's
only shoot this once in a while to keep in touch with it.

It's hard to argue with 4.5gr. of Bullseye under a 148gr. DEWC. Pretty much a general purpose .38Spl load.

 

[Jonesy814]

I don't believe older Smiths are rated for +P.

There was no such thing as plus P until 1971. In 71, SAMMI actually LOWERED the maximum standard pressure rating for 38 Special and invented the term Plus P for what had been the previous, somewhat higher standard pressure.

 

[Valleylobo]

I like upside down hollow based wad cutters for use in my home as they will do damage close in, but will reduce the chance of going through walls and hurting someone you did not want to hut.

Bob

May not be the place to ask but has anyone used 158grain hbwc with titegroup for the .38 special tried looking up info on hodgens but still on the learning train so any info is appreciated

 

[Seymour380]

www.cheycastbullets.com

Here is another coated lead bullet option for you. They have a 148 gr. WC that may be ideal for your needs. I really like their 158 gr. RNFP for 38 special.

 

[Dunross]

125gr full wadcutter with enough of your preferred powder to get it up to about 800fps. Bullseye, W231, or Unique would be my choices.

 

[eb in oregon]

I've found that a full wad cutter bullet of any type is more than adequate in snub nosed revolvers. Both .38 and .32 caliber. My favorite pistol powder is Unique. I've been using it for over 40 years and it has never failed to do the job. Every loading manual ever printed has loads listed for wad cutter target loads, so the exact charge is up to the user. I've tried other powders and found no advantages in them over Unique (though I've been experimenting with H110 for magnum loads), and I load from .25 ACP up to .44 magnum. So essentially I use wad cutter target loads in my snubbies and don't feel under armed or powered as they will still penetrate the sternum and being punctured in vital organs isn't healthy to anyone. They also have a tendency to yaw in tissue which really does inflict more damage and energy transfer.