.38 Special - Tastes Great/Less Filling

[Hondo 60]

Ok, so I've been loading .38 Spl for a long time.

HSM's 125 gr plated HP over 3.7 gr of Tite Group.
I am NOT recommending this load as it's under powered

But it gives me 700 fps out of my aluminum airweight S&W Model 38.

Due to a lack of funds, I'm switching to home cast lead.

Tite Group & 45/45/10 lube makes for almost as much smoke as black powder.
(and yes, I've shot black powder rounds outta my 38s)

What powder do you use that doesn't smoke?
(or at least cuts way down on the smoke?)

 

[Buck13]

Did you wipe the lube off the bases of the bullets? I found that cut the crud down somewhat with a batch of bullets that were greasy on the base.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I haven't noticed 231 or Bullseye to be very smoky. Uniqe is moreso than either of those.

However, if you're tumble lubing with Lee Alox or 45-45-10 (which is 45% Lee Alox) you're going to get some smoke. Most of it is coming from the lube, not the powder.

 

[Hondo 60]

Arkansas Paul - you're correct, the lube is the main culprit.
But I've found that some powders exacerbate the issue (make it worse), Tite Group being one of them.

Buck13 - Hey, there's an idea I hadn't thought of.

Has anyone tried WST? what was the result?

 

[TfflHndn]

I have tried WST on lead bullets, this last weekend in fact. I found the smoke minimal and the load very pleasant to shoot. I agree that TG is smokier than most, probably due to its high heat burning off more of the lube.

 

[Schwing]

I have found bullseye to be about the cleanest for light plinker loads. I recently started loading 148 Grain LWCs with 3.2 grains of Bullseye. I use pure alox and it does smoke a lot more than other lubes.

 

[USSR]

Hondo 60,

I can heartily recommend White Label's BAC lube and raising the pressure level of your load. Low pressure loads tend to be smoky.

Don

 

[Walkalong]

I'll second WST as well, but heck, almost any low nitro content fast powder will be less smokey than Tightgroup.

 

[all357mag]

Bullseye!

 

[Jesse Heywood]

Smoke comes from a combination of lube, powder, primer and pressure. Change any of the four and you change the smoke produced, sometimes good, sometimes bad.

What other powders do you have? Anything but Titegroup for less smoke.

 

[Mike 27]

Shot some today a matter of fact, used Missouri Bullet, and Bullseye. Not much smoke at all, and a nice plinker.

 

[LeonCarr]

WST is my powder of choice in the .38 Special, IME it has about half the smoke as W231 or Bullseye.

My "Smoke Test" is 5 rounds in less than 5 seconds on an indoor range with each load.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[788Ham]

I shoot Win. 231, 4.0 gr. and Hunters Specialty 158 gr. lead SWC's, about 750 fps, I've not noticed a lot smoke from these rounds. I shoot outdoor range. Easy shooting round, very accurate too.

 

[horsemen61]

I have to agree with the others win231 is very nice

 

[cfoodeat]

Universal burns fairly clean in my 85UL.

 

[Hondo 60]

The other powders I have are:
Accurate #5 - this will work, but I have to find some more.
Unique - can't measure worth a darn in 3 different PMs

Then I have powders that aren't good for 38 spl too.
Like Lil Gun, Varget, 2400 & AR-Comp.

 

[hovercat]

For a unique load I like to use a 0.5cc lee dipper. Fast and easy, works to about 3.7gr. Under a 141 wadcutter or a 158gr swc, cast. Nice easy load that my teenage daughter likes. A crimp seems to help accuracy and smoke.

My old lyman manual lists 2400 for 38spl, starting load 8.0 grains for any cast bullet 121 through 158grains.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

If you can find some AA#2 locally try that. I've never used it but have heard several people, both on here and at the range sing it's praises.

 

[Zeke/PA]

For "plinkin loads" I use 2.5 grains of Bullseye behind a 158 gr, Semi-Wadcutter. in my K-38, 686 and 638 with decent results. No severe leading problems using Missouri Bullets.

 

[KansasSasquatch]

3.2-3.4gr (3.4gr is max in my books) of Red Dot with MBC 158gr SWC is a very pleasant and smoke free load for me in all weather conditions. I haven't used Red Dot with any other cast boolits though, so I wouldn't know if your lube mix would change that.

 

[Lj1941]

3.1 Grains of Clays is for me a very economical and clean load. I have also used 3.4 Gr of Red Dot which is not as clean.I have so much of these 2 powders that I really haven't tried anything else.I use commerical cast and not sure what the lube is.All I know is it green in color.I reread the original post and see you are using 125 gr projectiles . My listed loads are 158 gr lswc & rn. Sorry for jumping in half cocked so to speak.

 

[Hondo 60]

Found some Bullseye today, so we'll try that.

Asked about WST, 231, HP-38, Red Dot, Universal, Accurate #2 & #5 - no luck on any of 'em.