38 Special powder

[john1911]

Looking to start reloading .38 specials, what powder are you using? I would like something that will fill most of the space (easier for me to prevent double charges).

 

[Sistema1927]

W231/HP38 has always been consistent for me in .38 Special. I would think that consistency and ease of metering would be more important than how much case it fills.

 

[joe4702]

Mainly 231 and Bullseye. Occasionally Universal Clays

 

[Galil5.56]

IMR Trail Boss would give you the loading density you are looking for using cast bullets.

 

[zxcvbob]

Alliant PROMO or Red Dot.

 

[Grandpa Shooter]

The more grains you use, the more it is costing you to reload .38. Alternative is to use the least amount of powder to get a desirable load, and then check the powder with a mirror set up on your press.

 

[Crazy4nitro]

I Like Unique,it fills the case pretty good.

'Nitro

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

+1 as Gaili stated.

 

[rmb721]

For 38 special, I use Unique.

 

[AmbulanceDriver]

I like AA #2, but it doesn't fill the case....

 

[WildeKurt]

Tried Unique and Bullseye

I've tried Unique and Bullseye. Bullseye is more economical as it hardly fills the case. I use that now. I started with Unique. Larger charges and it is dirtier at lighter charges (works great with Magnum loads). Also, I often find unburnt powder with lighter charges of Unique. "I load cuz' I'm cheap so my choice is Bullseye." How's that for a slogan?

 

[zxcvbob]

"I load cuz' I'm cheap so my choice is Bullseye." How's that for a slogan?

That's why I use PROMO. $75 for an 8 pound keg, and it works great. It's a little bulkier than Unique, so it fills the cases pretty good. Use the same charge weight as your favorite Red Dot load data.

I did shoot some .357 Magnum wadcutters today loaded with 5.7 grains of Bullseye. That's a good magnum load.

 

[Eagle103]

Bullseye. No, it won't fill half the case but it's accurate.

 

[trickyasafox]

I use unique, but like others said, it doesn't have the load density you may want. Who ever suggested trail boss was on target.

that being said, unique is my go to, catch all, everything powder for handguns. with a little work in cast bullets, i'm trying to incorporate it into reduced rifle loads too.

 

[tbtrout]

Trail Boss is what you want for filling the case. It works very well with cast bullets.

 

[revolverman357]

Unique

 

[nitesite]

John~

How fast do you want to push, and what weight bullet do you plan to shoot? What is your barrel length? Are you looking to replicate a light target load, a service/defense load, or something else?

Hard to throw out my opinion without knowing that info up front.

 

[john1911]

John~

How fast do you want to push, and what weight bullet do you plan to shoot?

158 grain Laser-Cast either SWC or round nose. I mainly want a low recoil plinking load. I'm not trying to see how fast I can push a bullet, just something for tin cans and small game.

What is your barrel length?

4" Colt Trooper MKIII

 

[JimPGov]

Wst; Clean And Bulky. Jp

 

[pbearperry]

I personally like Winchester 231 powder for 38 and 44 spl loads.

 

[pbearperry]

I personally like Winchester 231 powder for 38 and 44 spl loads.

 

[evan price]

158-gr swc in .38 Special with 3.5 grains of Titegroup. No where near filling the case. Just a teeny bit of powder.
Shoots great target loads and it's cheeeeeep.

 

[The Bushmaster]

W-231 and Remington SJHP in 125 or 140 grain bullets...If you are worried about "double charging" the case, remember...The first rule of reloading is read, research and understand. The second rule and probably the most important is PAY ATTENTION to what you are doing and you won't have a nasty ol' "double charge"...

 

[Lloyd Smale]

i mostly use bullseye and aa2 in the specials but would probably switch to vv310 if it wasnt so expensive.

 

[herohog]

Bullseye or W231, I like Bullseye as it burns cleaner than W231. Great in 9mm as well.