38 Special 200grain LRN load data needed

[Macca38]

Ok,

I am looking for possible data for a 38 special load....I have a whole lot of 200 grain LRN projectiles, and some 231 and some trailboss.

Is there a load for a 200grain LRN with either trailboss or 231...I havent found anything yet.

 

[Chief-7700]

Lyman #49 reloading manual only goes up to 170 grain lead.
Chief

 

[Macca38]

yup,

a lot of the manuals only go to 170 grain

But there is load data for 200grain lrn just not for the powders i have atm

 

[rcmodel]

I would imagine Trail-Boss is too bulky to use with a 200 grain bullet.

WW231 should work, but finding a load might be a problem.

Here are MAX loads for some other powders.
Red Dot 2.8 gr.
Bullseye 3.0 gr.
700X 3.0 gr.
Green Dot 3.1 gr.
HP38 3.2 gr.
------------------WW231?
Unique 3.6 gr.
HS6 5.0 gr.

I guess if I had WW231, I would try about 3.2 - 3.4 grains.
I guess!

But I guess I am not responsible for the results.

rc

 

[336A]

I know I don't post here much but I know how frustrating it is to get hard to find load data. This is from an older Lyman Pistol & Revolver manual, don't ask which one as I don't know. I hope that this helps and will also tell you up front that 2400 works great with this bullet. Be safe and work up to top loads carefully.

 

[Macca38]

Thanks all...im looking at some powder comparison data....going to try and pick the average weight between all the powders that are comparable to 231 and then i'll test fire one round from a vice in a modern 686 which should more than handle anything a 38 special can do... certainly i wont be putting the amoo through my old model 14 before im completely happy that its safe.

So far from what I can tell....3.2-3.4 grains is the margin

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have a 1997 Hodgdon load manual and they were still listing 200gr bullet loads for the .38 Special.

Here are the loads:
H4227 - 8.5gr - 819 fps - 15,900 CUP
HS-6 - 5.0gr - 794 fps - 15,900 CUP
HP-38 - 3.2gr - 681 fps - 14,900 CUP

HP-38 and W231 are now the same exact powder but weren't back in 1997 but they were so close I would thing that data is valid for W231. I would use HS-6 if I were loading a 200gr bullet in a .38 Special case. (especially since I already use both W231 and HS-6) Velocities are from a 7" test barrel.

 

[rcmodel]

and then i'll test fire one round from a vice in a modern 686

A vice is certainly uncalled for.

As I said in Post #4, 3.2 - 3.4 grains WW231 & a 200 grain lead bullet is safe in any modern .38 Special revolver.
But especially so in any modern .357 revolver.

If it wasn't, I would not have recommeded it.

rc

 

[wcwhitey]

Thanks for the post 336A. I lost my old Lymans in a move years ago. Nice to see 2400 loading numbers. Shows how much things have changed. Bill

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Chances are that long bullet is going to tumble when it meets "resistance". That's why the British liked it so much.

 

[AgentAdam]

Are you referring to a 200grn .38spec or a .303brit?

 

[Macca38]

Ok.....200 Grain round nose hard cast lead projectile with 3.4 grains of 231 is just fine....and yeh a vice is over kill but the range has it setup and you just chuck the gun in there anyway....good for looking at group size too which by the way was fantastic in my new 686...i didnt actually measure it but lets just say out of 12 rounds there was one slightly stray and the rest were nicely bunched together and mostly cutting each other at 25 metres....be interesting to see if that group stays reasonable at 50metres too.

Also very little recoil! could possibly be a nice little load for WA1500