Red Cent
Member
rsrocket1, are you a cowboy shooter?
38 special load?
- Thread starter ferggie
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Viper225
Member
My Light Load is a 125 SWC over 2.8 grains of Clays. Pleasant enough to shoot in my 638 all day. Very good load in my 64 shooting paper.
Bob
Bob
voicomp
Member
I "play" at the plinking range w/ a base 3.3 gr of Titegroup under a 125 gr cast LRN for .38 and .357 mag. I drop a stout (manual max) powder load (or three) into every hundred I make just to make sure I am not surprised by a bigger bang. I also load higher end for both 38 and .357 mag and sometimes I run a couple of cylinders of top-shelf-equivalent (at least) at the end of the shoot (because I am tired at that time). Also I intentionally do so as 3rd to 5th or 6th cylinder loads as well (warmed up but not tired).
Sometimes I start with "Full House" loads for several cylinders (perhaps 6 to 10) but then stop (or step down to low juice) so I dont skew whatever skill I may have with fatigue.
I have the luxury of being able to practice with more than one caliber as an added precaution against "assuming" I know what one round or gun does. If you have only one handgun, I suggest forgetting the previous sentence but getting frequent and varied rounds down range.
Make time/money for special attention to your preferred/usual defensive round (maybe as much as 50% of your ammo budget (?)) but get some cheap stuff and run it on through for larger volume practice and (IMHO) spend a little on trying out loads you think you might not carry (but that would be the last priority, especially if you have a load you are confident you can be rapidly accurate with).
Sometimes I start with "Full House" loads for several cylinders (perhaps 6 to 10) but then stop (or step down to low juice) so I dont skew whatever skill I may have with fatigue.
I have the luxury of being able to practice with more than one caliber as an added precaution against "assuming" I know what one round or gun does. If you have only one handgun, I suggest forgetting the previous sentence but getting frequent and varied rounds down range.
Make time/money for special attention to your preferred/usual defensive round (maybe as much as 50% of your ammo budget (?)) but get some cheap stuff and run it on through for larger volume practice and (IMHO) spend a little on trying out loads you think you might not carry (but that would be the last priority, especially if you have a load you are confident you can be rapidly accurate with).
Ralph G. Briscoe
Member
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2006
- Messages
- 56
Some observations--
I have a 642 and have tried a variety of loads including working up a practice load my wife would be comfortable shooting.
If you want it to shoot to point of aim, you'll want to use 158 grain bullets. The lighter stuff, with the possible exception of the 148 gr wadcutter which I haven't used in this gun, will shoot significantly below POI. I tried the "load hollowbase wadcutters backwards" trick back in the 70's. Other than looking nasty, I found it to be a waste of time--they won't stabilize. Most went through the target sideways at 5 yards....accuracy and penetration extremely erratic.
Someone mentioned 4.7 gr Unique with the 158gr as a "light" load for the 642. I get 815 fps out of it in the 642....close to 900 in my LCR. Kicks like hell in the little guns, but that's OK....it's my defense load. If I asked my wife to practice with it she'd quit shooting. I have come up with a good, low recoil practice load using the same 158 gr. bullet over 2.7 gr of Trailboss. It generates just under 600fps and shoots to point of aim in the 642. I arrived at the ultimate solution to the wife's recoil sensitivity by buying her a Smith 632. She shoots .32 Mag loads with no problem. Good Luck.
I have a 642 and have tried a variety of loads including working up a practice load my wife would be comfortable shooting.
If you want it to shoot to point of aim, you'll want to use 158 grain bullets. The lighter stuff, with the possible exception of the 148 gr wadcutter which I haven't used in this gun, will shoot significantly below POI. I tried the "load hollowbase wadcutters backwards" trick back in the 70's. Other than looking nasty, I found it to be a waste of time--they won't stabilize. Most went through the target sideways at 5 yards....accuracy and penetration extremely erratic.
Someone mentioned 4.7 gr Unique with the 158gr as a "light" load for the 642. I get 815 fps out of it in the 642....close to 900 in my LCR. Kicks like hell in the little guns, but that's OK....it's my defense load. If I asked my wife to practice with it she'd quit shooting. I have come up with a good, low recoil practice load using the same 158 gr. bullet over 2.7 gr of Trailboss. It generates just under 600fps and shoots to point of aim in the 642. I arrived at the ultimate solution to the wife's recoil sensitivity by buying her a Smith 632. She shoots .32 Mag loads with no problem. Good Luck.
4895
Member
Shot some handloads yesterday in my S&W 642.
38 special, 158 grain lead round nose flat point HSM bullets from Sportsman's Warehouse. (Low Velocity Lead-per HSM label)
Bullseye powder, Tula small pistol primers, mixed cases.
3.6 grains of powder gave me noticeable lead deposit. I will go back down to 3.5 grains (no leading).
3.4 grains of Bullseye might just be the sweet spot. Economical and consistent. Just like it says on the bottle. Meters great too.
YMMV
38 special, 158 grain lead round nose flat point HSM bullets from Sportsman's Warehouse. (Low Velocity Lead-per HSM label)
Bullseye powder, Tula small pistol primers, mixed cases.
3.6 grains of powder gave me noticeable lead deposit. I will go back down to 3.5 grains (no leading).
3.4 grains of Bullseye might just be the sweet spot. Economical and consistent. Just like it says on the bottle. Meters great too.
YMMV
Sapper771
Member
My favorite 38 special load is 3.8gr of Bulls eye under a Lee 105gr SWC. Comfortable to shoot all day, but still enough power for small game.
Ledhore
Member
3.5 gr of trailboss gives me an 80% fill to the base of the bullet using 163 grain cast RNFP and is an exceptional load for my 38 spl combat masterpiece.
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floydster
Member
If you want to ring the gong---4 grs. Trail Boss in back of 158gr. SWC.
Consistant, accurate, and fun to shoot, my most favorite load for the 38 Spl.
I use this load for my .357 Speed Six, .357 GP 100 and my .357 Blackhawk.
Clean burning, no leading--it's kinda like hanging out with a good women
Floydster a.k.a. Smokeyloads
Consistant, accurate, and fun to shoot, my most favorite load for the 38 Spl.
I use this load for my .357 Speed Six, .357 GP 100 and my .357 Blackhawk.
Clean burning, no leading--it's kinda like hanging out with a good women
Floydster a.k.a. Smokeyloads
Samari Jack
Member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2010
- Messages
- 278
I can relate. For a .38 special, the 642 is a snappy little thing. My old hands don't even like standard loads after a half box or so. I shoot it just enough to stay relatively proficient but not for fun. My next purchase for this pistol will be a better set of some kind of grips or something to modify the existing grips. Trouble is the one I have has a built in laser.
This loading info will be helpful.
Waywatcher
Member
^^This^^
I load 4.1 (+/- 0.1 grains in my measure) grains behind an LRN, which is about 95% full; a miracle for .38 special. I finally got to chronograph it, in my 4" GP100 it clocked at an average of 785fps. (Extreme spread of about 30fps, 769 to 799) I think this particular GP100 has an excessively tight barrel cylinder gap, though, so I would say it probably is close to a factory 158 LRN (755fps from a 4".)
Accurate enough for me too, at 50 yards (150ft) I fired 24 rounds double action at an 8.5x11 piece of paper and all 24 were on there.
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OldCavSoldier
Member
A plated (Berry's are great) 148 grain WC (either DE or HB) pushed by 4.3 grains of Unique is what has worked for me for a long time.
Cop Bob
Member
What he said !!! There have only been a few thousand matches won, and a couple of hundred records set with that load...
2.8 gr of 700-x will dupe that load, but we found that its performance at the 50 yard line was a touch flatter, but I don't think that would be an issue for you... just saying if they both great powders in that caliber/bullet combo..
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