38 Special 158 gr,Plated Berry Bullets-- can't find load data

[sr1971]

Primer flow is more of a FP fit to hole issue, has very little to do with showing HP signs. This can happen at starting loads if the clearance is too great. There is one mfg of bolts for AR's I will no longer buy. They are running 0.004" clearance and you get primer flow no matter what primer you use. With today's modern CNC equipment there is reason for this. I contacted them, return the bolt and the replacement was worse yet. I moved to JP HP bolt no problems. Since, I have repaired the bolt with a bushing of proper clearance, 0.001"-0.0015".

Thank you for that information I hadn't thought that far. The cases were all new Sig brass I bought a couple years ago on sale and they were fired from a 66-2. I'll grab the hole and pin gages and check 25% of the pockets on the lot of 500 I have on hand.

 

[joneb]

What Berry's 158gr bullet are we looking to reload? Does it have a crimp groove or cannelure?

 

[Seymour380]

http://www.accuratepowder.com/load-data/

First post for me. I saw some Berry's data on the Accurate powder webpage and thought of your post. Looks like they have data for several powders with 158 gr. Berry's plated 38 special. I've used AA#5 with 158 gr. LSWC and really like it, meters nicely.

 

[kcofohio]

http://www.accuratepowder.com/load-data/

First post for me. I saw some Berry's data on the Accurate powder webpage and thought of your post. Looks like they have data for several powders with 158 gr. Berry's plated 38 special. I've used AA#5 with 158 gr. LSWC and really like it, meters nicely.

A late welcome to THR, Seymour308!
And a good 1st post.

 

[Seymour380]

A late welcome to THR, Seymour308!
And a good 1st post.

Thanks very much!

 

[edwardware]

. . . came up pretty empty in terms loading data for Berry 158 gr plated 38 sp. Lots of stuff on forums from experienced loaders doing workarounds, but I'm still too wet behind the ears to go there.

Using data for a 158gr bullet, to load your 158gr bullet, is not a workaround.

Pick a powder you have available, find a data source for that powder with 158gr in .38Spl, and work up a load.

 

[lordpaxman]

Welcome to THR.

Did a lot of searching on line, including Hogden and Berry sites, as well as Hornady manual and came up pretty empty in terms loading data for Berry 158 gr plated 38 sp.

Hodgons online site has data for 158 gr lead, mei cast lead and XTPs with CFEPistol. Use either XTP or mei cast lead data and you’ll be fine. Good luck!

 

[Walkalong]

The X-Treme 158 Gr SWC over 2400 gives me nearly identical velocities to the Hornady 158 Gr XTP over the same amount of 2400. Hmmmm.....

 

[George P]

The X-Treme 158 Gr SWC over 2400 gives me nearly identical velocities to the Hornady 158 Gr XTP over the same amount of 2400. Hmmmm.....

Velocity is nothing without accuracy; how do they compare in that regard?

 

[Walkalong]

Velocity is nothing without accuracy

I agree, but that had nothing to do with my point.

 

[stonebuster]

OP, I'm in the same boat as you. I'm getting set up to reload my first 38 spl. I'm buying what I can find that will do the job. I chose HP-38, Xtreme 158grain(plated) and Seller and Bellot SP primers a friend had stock piled. After a lot of researching I believe between 3.7gr and 4.0gr of HP-38 w/ 158 grain Extreme should be enough to not get it stuck and not enough to get me in trouble. The link in post #8 seems to confirm this. I would appreciate the expert's here thoughts before I reload these.

 

[lordpaxman]

Extreme has information on load data on their site:
https://www.xtremebullets.com/Bullet-Load-Info-s/1952.htm
And a manual for sale:
https://www.xtremebullets.com/product-p/123123.htm

After a lot of researching I believe between 3.7gr and 4.0gr of HP-38 w/ 158 grain Extreme should be enough to not get it stuck and not enough to get me in trouble.

I don’t load Extremes but based on their info and what I load Rainiers and Berrys with, you should be fine. Good luck.

 

[H&R Glock]

Extreme has very little information, and what they sell for information I quote a buyer as saying is "exceptionally useless."
I use their bullets to save money, and I use reloading manual data on cast bullets, always working up my loads. Published starting loads have never been a problem as plated bullets are made with soft lead.

 

[Zendude]

With plated bullets, using a powder weight halfway between the FMJ starting and max load data has given me the best results. But it’s always best to start low and work up.