Creating a 38 S&W load

[MuffinMaster]

I am trying to create a load for a 145gr LRN .361 using sr7625 and would like to ask if my reasoning is safe and sound.

I have the latest copy of Lyman's "Cast Bullet Handbook" and am referencing pg 253 and in particular lyman load data for mold #358477 150 gr. I called Lyman and reached the technician who was familular with this load data and how it was created. I asked him what the lenght of this bullet was. He told me that it was .660 mold size with real sizes been within +/- 2-5 thousands depending on alloy content simular to lymans #2. The bullets I have are from MB with a hardness of 12 and measures on MY average of being .650. The OAL for lymans 358477 load is 1.070.

If I load MB 145 gr to 1.060 OAL can I use the load data for #358477 sr7625 which is:
starting 2.5gr through 2.8 gr

 

[James2]

I would not be afraid of doing that as long as you start low and work up. IOW load a few, shoot, and see how they do before loading up a whole bunch.

Seating depth, bullet weight, and bullet design, are all factors that influence pressures. It is often that I have had bullets with no specific data for that bullet. I have had good luck using data for a bullet of similar weight, starting at the low end of the chart, and without worrying too much about seating depth. If there is a ring to crimp in and they work in the piece at that length, that is what I do.

A lot of the older data I have doesn't even give an OAL.

The key is: Start low and work up!

 

[MuffinMaster]

There is no crimp grove on the MB 146 gr. . I found very little load data for 145 gr and what I did was not in a powder I have on hand. I have to guesstimate a load. The only way I could think of is to dulicate the seat depth of know load in the powder I have. In this case lyman #358477 was .365. The bullet designs are not simular though. The wieghts are somewhat close .... I think. I have not wieghted them however.

Well guesstimates and explosives kinda scare me a bit. Since I will be holding the explosive I guess I should ask someone.

BTW, I think I will be hanging a cross over my loading bench somewhere , is there a pray for handloads I could hang just below it and above the safty rules?

Thx

 

[Clark]

Here is the bullet. He casts it from soft Lead.
http://www.westernbullet.com/ly3150gr.html

 

[Springfield0612]

Here's another source for .38 S&W bullets. He's a stay at home dad small business owner, works out of his garage.

http://www.mattsbullets.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=72&zenid=bmlj51760h58tbsh4nb2a56653

 

[AethelstanAegen]

This is why I load mine with blackpowder. No worries about damaging myself or the gun, but that does seem like fairly valid logic on your load. Definitely start low and work your way up. With .38 S&W loads, an awful lot depends on what you're shooting it out of...I stick to BP because my S&W Safety Hammerless predates smokeless. If your gun is one of the older models, you can still damage it over time even with low pressure smokeless loads.

 

[dagger dog]

If you are shooting a solid frame revolver, you're probably good to go with the info you got from Lyman.

BUT, if you have a top break, well I wouldn't shoot it with smokeless.

I have an old Iver Johnson Owlhead, Safety, Automatic, safety as in Iver's transfer bar and automatic as in it ejects all the cartridges when it is "broken open". It is an 1894
1st Model, shoots great with BP !

 

[davek32100]

This is why I load mine with blackpowder. No worries about damaging myself or the gun, but that does seem like fairly valid logic on your load. Definitely start low and work your way up. With .38 S&W loads, an awful lot depends on what you're shooting it out of...I stick to BP because my S&W Safety Hammerless predates smokeless. If your gun is one of the older models, you can still damage it over time even with low pressure smokeless loads.

Hey dagger dog, I have a iver that looks like your. The guy I bought it Fromm says its a smokeless gun from the forties. How can I tell the year?

Thanks david