It being a small world, someone somewhere may want like me to emulate Federal American Eagle's 130 grain 38 Special using Titegroup and Berry's 125 grain plated tapered flatnose. I settled in on 4.6 grains largely because that's about what Lee's 0.40 cc disk throws. Felt recoil is indistinguishable to me from the FAE load, so I didn't bother to try to fine tune it with Lee's adjustable charge bar. That also happens to be the max charge of TG Hodgdon shows for the Hornady 125 grain XTP.
38 spcl Load w. Berry's 125 gr FN
- Thread starter leefan
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Which may be over max for a plated bullet.
Old links:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=6195350&postcount=11
Old links:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=6195350&postcount=11
oneounceload
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So by your post, I take it you did not consult a manual regarding plated versus FMJ?
Thats the max load for FMJ but probably not too much for plated. Some think you can't shoot plated this hot with 38 special! I think in this case that you can. I don't think anything bad will happen. Pressure is only 16k. Benchrest and put them on paper and see.
As far as risk, the specs are there for the gun you are shooting and the cases you are using.
To put it in perspective the max load of a 125gr plated in 9mm is 4.1gr but the pressure is over 30k. Its pressure and velocity that start to hurt accuracy with with first lead and then plated bullets.
This is not a +P load and I think you will be ok.
As far as risk, the specs are there for the gun you are shooting and the cases you are using.
To put it in perspective the max load of a 125gr plated in 9mm is 4.1gr but the pressure is over 30k. Its pressure and velocity that start to hurt accuracy with with first lead and then plated bullets.
This is not a +P load and I think you will be ok.
Walkalong and Oneounceload, Berry's says don't exceed 1250 fps, which I think this load is well shy of. But I don't have a chrony to tell for sure. Holes are nice and clean, so it isn't turning into a hollowpoint. And nothing funny happening with the grooves. I have been shooting Berry's in .32 acp, .380 acp, 9mm, 38 spcl, .357 magnum, 40 S&W and 45 acp with loads near or at max Hodgdon recommended. If felt recoil is any indication, I am loading to middle-of-the-road performance compared to my standard of FAE. Walkalong, thanks for that link. I will dig into it.
125gr +P load is 5.0gr of titegroup giving less then 1100fps and also less then 20k psi. The load you are using is still a "low pressure" round compared to 9mm.
When I use this comparison I'm taking into account the 125gr bullet and the effects of pressure and velocity and how the bullet performs under these conditions. I'm not especially a fan of "hot" loads myself.
I have found lead and plated bullets become inaccurate and tumble as the pressures increase with 9mm. The pressures in 38 special get no where near this and the bullet should perform well. The pressure on the gun or the weaker 38special cases you may be using that may give you issues.
An example of what I have been loading is a 148gr lead wadcutter behind 2.9gr of titegroup. Its been described as a "bird fart" out of my 8 3/8" model 27.
When I use this comparison I'm taking into account the 125gr bullet and the effects of pressure and velocity and how the bullet performs under these conditions. I'm not especially a fan of "hot" loads myself.
I have found lead and plated bullets become inaccurate and tumble as the pressures increase with 9mm. The pressures in 38 special get no where near this and the bullet should perform well. The pressure on the gun or the weaker 38special cases you may be using that may give you issues.
An example of what I have been loading is a 148gr lead wadcutter behind 2.9gr of titegroup. Its been described as a "bird fart" out of my 8 3/8" model 27.
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