First 38 special reloads.

[PhilMc]

Loaded up some 38 special this week and took them out to the range to try them out. First time loading 38 special, but load lots of other calibers. Just recently bought a S&W 637 snuby.

Mixed brass
Hornady 125gr XTP HP
6.0gr Power Pistol
Primer: Winchester WSP
COL: 1.450"
Slight Roll Crimp

Above is straight out of the Hornady #9 book

Seems a little snappy but I don't have a lot of experience shooting these little snub nose 38's. Has a nice blast thanks to the power pistol.

Pic is of the fired cases.

I also have: Titegroup, WST, WIN231.

Anyone have a favorite load for these that you like

 

[Walkalong]

Cases look great. W-231 will also work well. WST is good for light "target"/plinker loads in .38 Spl.

 

[mstreddy]

OP,
I haven't loaded 125s, but I have loaded 158gr LSWC and plated RN using WST and Win231.
My favorite 38 Special plinking loads
MBC 158 LSWC "match" over 3.4 gr of WST
MBC 158 LSWC "match" over 3.5 gr of Win231
Berry's 158 RN plated 3.9 gr Win231

These are all near bunny fart loads and they allow practice, even with snubby, without beating my hands up.

 

[Vodoun da Vinci]

I love those XTP bullets but yu have to drive them hard to get reliable expansion...in .357 they rock! My .38 Special load with the 125 gr. XTP's is driven by 5 gr. of Unique and they can be right snappy in a Ruger LCR but easy shooters in my Dan Wesson with a 2 1/2" tube.

I got a couple hundred 125 gr. XTP's for free as part of a trade and wanted to use them in developing a SD load for my Wife and her LCR. By the time I drove them hard enough to get reliable expansion (it's gonna be iffy in a .38 Special without going to +P velocity) they were too snappy for her to shoot.

But I run XTP's for myself in .38 at anywhere between 4gr - 6 gr. of Unique with 6 gr. loads being about as hot as I can handle...

VooDoo

 

[gamestalker]

Wow, I can almost always tell that a cartridge has been fired from a S&W revolver that has the FP insert cone, the concave primers give it away. Mine always look like that too.

As for the primers, they look great like, as Walkalong said. I would say upon visual inspection of the primers, that you have a pretty good 38 spl. load there.

GS

 

[PhilMc]

Thanks for the advice guys, just wasn't sure since I'm new to 38's

 

[6pak]

Try a wadcutter

A snub isn't going to generate enough velocity to get those hollow points to open up much. Try loading some lead HB wadcutters using 3.4 grains of your W231. Those are lots of fun to shoot and you will love seeing the big, fat holes they blow into your target.

 

[gonoles_1980]

I'm going to try a ladder of Titeload at the range today, 3.2-3.6 +.1 gr each ladder. I'll let you know the results, using 158gr xtreme semi-wadcutters.

 

[Onward Allusion]

Follow the reload data and you should be fine. I just started maybe 5 months ago and it is fun and a bit relaxing. Saves a few bucks too.

Regarding Titegroup - it's a fast powder. Down load it for 38 spl. I use 3 gr with 125 gr hardcast and it still produces a decent recoil with a snub.

 

[Sunray]

Did you work up the load or just pick one that's .1 below max? Isn't unsafe at all, but you have to work up the load. Not just pick one and hope.
"...ladder of Titeload..." That Titegroup? 3.2 is below minimum for 158 grain jacketed bullet according to Hodgdon.

 

[Hondo 60]

I love Titegroup for .38 special.
But be careful as the charge is very low & you can quadruple the charge & still not overflow.

Caution: My load is on the lite side, but I still get 700 fps from a S&W Model 38 (750 from a 4" S&W Model 10).
=================================================
3.7 gr under a 125 gr plated or jacketed bullet (including Hornady XTPs)
OAL 1.445 - maybe longer, just seat at the cannelure
=================================================
With that load, I can do nice 2" groups from 25 yards, free standing with a 2-hand hold.

 

[gonoles_1980]

Sunray I started with the min on the Hodgon website and go from there. I liked 3.5gr for xtreme LSWC 158gr.

 

[gamestalker]

I run 125 gr. XTP's from 2-1/2" snubs with Longshot, and they always perform with very consistent mushrooming. Very good velocities with that +P Longshot data in Hodgdon.

GS

 

[zxcvbob]

I have a Ruger .38 snub waiting for my to pick up tomorrow or Tuesday at Cabela's. I plan to load 148 grain DEWC's for it, with a healthy charge of Green Dot, 231, or Universal.

 

[336A]

When it comes to reloading the .38 SPL I like to stick with the bullet weight that the cartridge was intended for, that being the 158gr weight. Also I like that weight since all fixed sight revolvers are regulated for that bullet. For everyday loads I strive for the original ballistics of 850fps with a 158gr SWC, I have 3 loads that do this or come very close.

Brass: mixed
Bullet: 158gr SWC
Powder: 4.6gr Unique/ 4.5gr W231
Primer: Win sp
Seat and roll crimp into crimp groove

Both of these are very accurate loads, though I do belive the W231 is slightly more accurate.

Brass: mixed
Bullet: Lyman #358665
Powder: 4.0gr W231
Primer: Win sp
Seat and roll crimp into crimp groove

This comes right out of the Lyman cast bullet handbook, IIRC it is listed as giving 840fps. Lyman lists this bullet as being 158gr however the ones that I have are 165gr, they also sport a nice wide meplat. Lyman states that 4.5gr of Unique will give 870fps with this bullet, I haven't tried Unique yet with this one. The data as per Lyman was obtained using a 4" barrel if that means anthing.

Last up is my rendition of the "FBI" Load, this is a MAX load if you wish to use it work up slowly at your own risk. It is safe in my firearms but may not be in yours.
Brass: mixed
Bullet: swaged Hornady 158gr SWCHP
Powder: 5.4gr Unique (+P)
Primer: Win sp
Seat and roll crimp as you would the 158gr cast SWC.

I only loaded up a few of these to test in my S&W Model 10 for familiarization purposes only. It shot very well in my Model 10 I also shot 5.3gr of Unique, and it was even more accurate as in dang near one hole group at 10yd and shot to POA. Here is a smorgashbord of .38 SPL data for those interested from a poster else where, I'm pretty sure some of you know him quite well too.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/ammo/144598-some-38-special-chronograph-tests.html

 

[loose noose]

I started loading .38spl, and .45acp way back in the early 60's on a single stage RCBS Rock Chucker (forerunner), and still have that press. I still load .38spl. on a progressive, mostly using Xtreme 125 grain projectiles. Due to having a hard time getting powders I've lately been using Red Dot with great success. Noted they are very accurate out to 15 yards in my Colt Detective Special.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

When it comes to reloading the .38 SPL I like to stick with the bullet weight that the cartridge was intended for, that being the 158gr weight. Also I like that weight since all fixed sight revolvers are regulated for that bullet. For everyday loads I strive for the original ballistics of 850fps with a 158gr SWC.

Brass: mixed
Bullet: Lyman #358665
Powder: 4.0gr W231
Primer: Win SPP
Seat and roll crimp into crimp groove

This comes right out of the Lyman cast bullet handbook, IIRC it is listed as giving 840fps. Lyman lists this bullet as being 158gr however the ones that I have are 165gr, they also sport a nice wide meplat. Lyman states that 4.5gr of Unique will give 870fps with this bullet, I haven't tried Unique yet with this one. The data as per Lyman was obtained using a 4" barrel if that means anything.

That load is my all time favorite .38 Special load hands down. It shoots perfectly in every 38/357 I own and serves double duty as a range load and small game hunting load too...

Last up is my rendition of the "FBI" Load, this is a MAX load if you wish to use it work up slowly at your own risk. It is safe in my firearms but may not be in yours.
Brass: mixed
Bullet: swaged Hornady 158gr SWCHP
Powder: 5.4gr Unique (+P)
Primer: Win SPP
Seat and roll crimp as you would the 158gr cast SWC.

That sounds like a good FBI load but my FBI Replica load is different and will deliver the same high velocity and accuracy of the FBI loads of the 1970's.

Winchester .38 Special +P case
158gr Hornady LSWC/HP
CCI 550 Primer (Magnum primer on this load)
xx.xgr HS-6
COL 1.475"
4" M686 ---- 2" M640
927.0 -- AV --- 888.9
955.1 --- H --- 897.1
905.4 --- L --- 876.6
49.7 ---- ES --- 20.5
20.7 ---- SD ---- 7.9
17.0 ---- AD ---- 5.9

I hesitate to post the charge weight because it's higher than any current load data available. It is however lower than some of the load data from the 1970's. That data listed a charge of 7.2gr HS-6 but my load is lower. According to that data the pressures were 19,800 PSI.

 

[336A]

Hi ArchAngel, I remember your HS-6 fueled load as you did extensive work on it somtime back. BTW your right that #358665 bullet coupled with 4.0gr of W231 is one accurate load, and one which I really enjoy though it is quite lively from a snub nosed revolver. I hope that my gunsmith will be casting more of these this winter. Last time that I bought some from him he was selling them so cheap compared to whats out there now I almost screamed like a little girl inexcitement

 

[gamestalker]

Ya, I like that HS6 load also, good stuff for sure. But my Longshot load will get me 1050 fps with 158 gr. XTP's.

The 38 spl is so much fun to load for, I just can't seem to get enough of that type action.

GS

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Ya, I like that HS6 load also, good stuff for sure. But my Longshot load will get me 1050 fps with 158 gr. XTP's.

The 38 spl is so much fun to load for, I just can't seem to get enough of that type action.

GS

The first round I loaded was a .38 Special and ever since the .38 Special is what I load most each year. It is my favorite cartridge and I even carry is for SD.

 

[ljnowell]

I have loaded the Missouri Bullet 158 gr LSWC(bhn18) over 6 gr of power pistol for a carry load for some time. The same bullet over 3.4gr of AA#2 makes a dandy light target load.

I also load the 158 SWC-HP over power pistol and AA#2. I get the same performance in testing with both powders when shot from my 637. I tend to prefer the AA load as it recoils much less.

 

[RealGun]

Try Hornady's published Bullseye load, starting at 4.5 grains for the 125 gr XTP. There are other "fast" powders that should yield similar results.

Power Pistol may be too slow burning for a short barrel. Too much drama as a result. AA#2 has a reputation for short barrel use. You have to look at which charges have enough volume to measure accurately in your equipment.

 

[PhilMc]

Thanks for all the replies, have got some good ideas to work with.