.38 Special BBWC Load Check

[Lerk]

Hi guys,
Looking for a load check, have not found any other data to confirm against.

.38 Special Cases
National Bullet Co BBWC 141gr (solid base)
Unique Max Load 5.3gr
1.275" COAL is seated to crimp groove

This load sound right? Pulled from Lymans 47th edition. Starting at 3.8gr and working up.

Will be used in a Smith airweight J-Frame and a Ruger 357 mag GP100. Light target use. Using up some of the older bullets I have on hand.

 

[Galil5.56]

Seems plenty reasonable to me. I loaded up some 148 gr BBWC with 3.2 grains of Unique, and got some very nice soft loads for my S&W Model 60, with a 3" barrel. Avg velocity was 630 fps. I'd say at 3.8 grains you are way safe from potential squibs. FWIW, 158 grain Speer swaged 158 gr SWC-HP's, clock right at 800 fps from the same gun with 5 grains even of Unique, so you will see some pretty nice velocity from the 141's, if you can reach max charge weight. Good luck.

 

[Riomouse911]

A max load with a BBWC kicks as much as a max load with a JHP, SWC RNL etc. bullet, especially in an air weight J frame.

If you want light plinking WC loads I’ll suggest keep the charges at the lower end of the spectrum and you will have a ton more fun shooting with your Smith...

I have a .30 cal ammo can loaded with 750-800 FPS WC loads using Unique and Bullseye. Very pleasant in the 642, Colt Cobra, SP 101 all the way through the L frame to an 8” Dan Wesson M-15 VH. These are relaxation and also my newbie training loads.

I have a second .30 cal can with higher velocity FP, RN, SWC etc. reloads (also with Unique, my fav!) for more experienced shooters.

Just a thought

Stay safe!

 

[bluetopper]

3.8gr of Unique in a 38 wadcutter is as good of an accuracy load as there is.

 

[Riomouse911]

Yup, those should be in the 775-800 FPS range from a 2”, which is right where I want to be for my WC loads

Stay safe!

 

[Lerk]

This load has turned into a head scratcher for me. GP100 liked them a lot, no issues at all and found a good load that was accurate. The J-Frame didn't get past the first set. I fired off 2 rounds at 3.8gr and I filled the entire barrel's rifle with lead, couldn't even finish testing since I forgot my cleaning kit. Somethings not right there. I'll post up my chrono numbers once I open them back up. Gotta slug the barrel and see how hard those bullets are also. Testing continues...

 

[Galil5.56]

Not a bad idea to check the throat diameters of the cylinder, and perhaps lube the remaining bullets with Lee Liquid ALOX/similar. Not sure how hard these bullets are, but in my experience many commercial casters run their "hardcast" alloy across the board, even though for your application a softer, larger diameter bullet would work much better.

My 3" M60 would lead just in front of the forcing cone, and as I recall adding lee Liquid ALOX to the hardcast bullets did help the situation.

 

[Texas10mm]

1. Fit is king. If the fit isn't right you're going to have problems. With a revolver this includes cylinder throats and barrel.
2. 99% of commercial cast bullets are MUCH too hard for their intended application.
3. 95% of commercial cast bullet lubes are wrong for their intended application. They want a hard lube that will stay in the grooves during shipping.

 

[rfwobbly]

Hi guys,
Looking for a load check, have not found any other data to confirm against.

.38 Special Cases
National Bullet Co BBWC 141gr (solid base)
Unique Max Load 5.3gr
1.275" COAL is seated to crimp groove

When data is hard to find, use the data from the next heavier bullet of the same description. Lyman and others list loads for 148/150gn Wad Cutters. Then, begin at the Starting Load and work up. There will of course be differences, but it all works out by testing with incremental loads.

Unique for a 148gn WC is shown at 3.7 to 4.2gn.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

IMO your max charge of Unique is way too high. WC loads are usually meant for target loads and there is no need to plush them so hard.

Lyman 50 lists charges from 3.7gr to 4.2gr Unique under a 150gr WC bullet, it seems to me 5.3gr Unique is way too high.

 

[joneb]

IMO your max charge of Unique is way too high. WC loads are usually meant for target loads and there is no need to plush them so hard.

Lyman 50 lists charges from 3.7gr to 4.2gr Unique under a 150gr WC bullet, it seems to me 5.3gr Unique is way too high.

With a solid base or cupped base WC I've had great results, there is no shirt issue to worry about.
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?attachments/reloading-001-jpg.75644/ on the target is shows 148gr SWC it was a Speer BBWC, sorry.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

With a solid base or cupped base WC I've had great results, there is no shirt issue to worry about.
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?attachments/reloading-001-jpg.75644/ on the target is shows 148gr SWC it was a Speer BBWC, sorry.

The OP is asking about Unique but your target is marked Bullseye.

What does this have to do with my post?

 

[joneb]

The OP is asking about Unique but your target is marked Bullseye.

What does this have to do with my post?

There is more flexibility to work up a load with a solid base WC vs a HBWC.

 

[Lerk]

IMO your max charge of Unique is way too high. WC loads are usually meant for target loads and there is no need to plush them so hard.

Lyman 50 lists charges from 3.7gr to 4.2gr Unique under a 150gr WC bullet, it seems to me 5.3gr Unique is way too high.

My starting load was 3.8gr of Unique, and was the only load I actually fired (Post #6). I had 5.3gr listed as the max load in my original post to give me the top end.