Good powder for loading 38 loads in 357 brass

[LUCKYDAWG13]

I have 357 brass and would like to load to 38 special level I know that i can use 38 special data
I have a few K of plated bullets to use 158 gr Whats a good powder to use on hand
Unique Red DOT Bullseye 231 HS6
thank's

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Any of those powders will work. Look up Alliant and Hodgdon's web sites for load data.
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Any of those powders will work. Look up Alliant and Hodgdon's web sites for load data.
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/

yes i know that they will work was hoping someone would have a pet load

 

[40-82]

I've used all of the ones you've listed with the possible exception of HS6. I don't remember using that one. The wonderful thing about .38 Special is that it tends to be forgiving. Most listed loads will give you completely serviceable accuracy in a fair revolver, by which I mean ragged holes at fifteen yards. If you're a dead serious target shooter and you want to do better than that a little experimentation might find you the load that does the best.

The old standard of course was Bullseye, but an article in Ken Waters' Pet Loads suggested heavily that you might just slightly shade the accuracy of those loads if you were willing to take the time to do some work at the bench--or you might not. Bullseye is very good, but so are the others.

 

[IlikeSA]

If what you listed, Bullseye or 231 would be the most economical.

 

[Blue68f100]

I use 4.8gr WST with 158gr LSCW and the plated bullets. These are what I call mouse fat loads, velocity around 650 fp/s if I recall.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

yes i know that they will work was hoping someone would have a pet load

I've used Bullseye, Red dot and Unique. Can't say I have a pet load other than using Red dot or bullseye for light loads and Unique for moderate loads.

 

[Random 8]

I've used 4ish grains of HP38 with 158 cast in. 357 and gotten decent accuracy. It's in the speed range of a stout. 38. My field pistol load follows the Hodge. Max load Hs 6 under a 158 Penn hardcast. I'd call it. 357 medium. Accuracy is outstanding, recoil and blast are manageable. I'd avoid the unique in this application, it's quite dirty in light 357 loads.

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Ok going to try the win 231 first looks like in 38 spl brass start load of 3.8 to max of 4.3 and in 357 brass 6.2 start and 6.9 max
so going to start at 4.3 and work up to 5. gr this would be safe right ? gun ruger sp101 3"

 

[RedLeg105]

I use 4.0gr. of Bullseye, in a .357 Magnum case, behind a plated 158gr. SWC for target shooting. It's extremely accurate and the recoil is very manageable.

 

[Random 8]

Ok going to try the win 231 first looks like in 38 spl brass start load of 3.8 to max of 4.3 and in 357 brass 6.2 start and 6.9 max
so going to start at 4.3 and work up to 5. gr this would be safe right ? gun ruger sp101 3"

I think you're looking at jacketed bullets data. Hodgedon lists both jacketed and cast at 158 grains. You'll want to follow the cast data. You should be absolutely safe in the 4.3 to 5 range. Depending on your bullets and revolvers, 5 may be getting a little faster than you like.

 

[Varminterror]

Add 10% to .38 special case load data and you’ll achieve very similar results in a .357mag case.

Personally, I use 4.5 grn Bullseye under 93grn Meister LRN’s, and 5.0grn HP-38/W231 under a 125grn plated bullet (still chewing up inventory of Rainier bullets, but also have used this load under jacketed Remington SJSP’s). Built for use in J frame/SP101 and ultralight alloy revolvers, these loads are a remarkable pleasure in a vintage 7.5” Redhawk.

ETA: I reread and caught your question about W231 and existing load data. If you examine the pressures of that .357mag data, you’ll see it’s exceeding .38spcl levels - in this case, the exclusion of data is due to a publishers concision, not due to any safety factor. 3.8grn minimum in a 38spcl case scales to 4.2grn in a 357mag case - THAT is your minimum in the .357mag case and your max is the published 6.9grn. 5.0 will be safe, under the appropriate bullet weight. As mentioned - 5.0 W231/HP-38 under a 125 is one of my pet loads.

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Thanks all I just got 50 cases all set to load up going to run with 4.5 gr of 231 I'm just looking for a quite paper punching load
the loud crack of a 357 just set's my Tinnitus off when i shoot at my indoor range

 

[joneb]

I use accurate #5 for this with a standard primer, HS6 works very well at 7.5 gr with a magnum primer with Xtreme plated FP COL 1.570".

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Well I had a change of plans went with 4.2 gr of bullseye instead of the win 231 loaded up 50 rounds to try out will be heading to the range sometime today

 

[Reeferman]

Well I had a change of plans went with 4.2 gr of bullseye instead of the win 231 loaded up 50 rounds to try out will be heading to the range sometime today

Other than red dot I use same powders as you have and always end up going back to Bullesye.

 

[gonoles_1980]

I use what would be considered a high end 38+P load in my 357 loads for my snubbie.
357 case 158gr xtreme LSWC 4.5gr. The Hodgon website says you can go as low as 3.4gr, so you could reduce the load to get a pure 38spl load.

 

[PO2Hammer]

Unique is the champ for those loads. 5.5 grains Unique and a 158 plated in magnum brass is my pet.

 

[Catpop]

I’m a fan of Unique and RD, but I’m not at my data as we speak- sorry

 

[RealGun]

I have 357 brass and would like to load to 38 special level I know that i can use 38 special data
I have a few K of plated bullets to use 158 gr Whats a good powder to use on hand
Unique Red DOT Bullseye 231 HS6
thank's

The trick is finding a powder common to 38+p loads and minimum 357 Magnum, then work in that range, off the books. My "lite" 357 magnum then is 6.2 BE-86. I use it for smaller guns that don't handle the recoil of full power loads. I figured that as 38+p max of 5.2 (JHP less 10%) averaged with 7.3 min .357 Magnum (8.1 max 158 LRNFP less 10%), giving me 6.2 in 357 brass, 158 gr lead. I run that in a Ruger SP101 3+" and formerly an S&W 60-10. I keep liking how it shoots and then reloading it.

Comparison of 38+p and .357 Magnum loads with various powders produces more search hits with 125 grain bullets.

 

[cfullgraf]

My favorite load for 357 Magnum is 6.3 grains of Unique and 158 SWC in a 357 Magnum case. I get 900-950 fps with it in a 4" revolver. It is pleasant to shoot even in a 3" Model 60 (I know a subjective opinion) but it is a bit more than 38 Special +P

Unique is the champ for those loads. 5.5 grains Unique and a 158 plated in magnum brass is my pet.

PO2Hammer's load would be more down in the 38 Special range.

 

[Starter52]

158 grain plated bullet and 4.0 grains of Red Dot.

We've been shooting it for years.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

I have 357 brass and would like to load to 38 special level I know that i can use 38 special data
I have a few K of plated bullets to use 158 gr Whats a good powder to use on hand
Unique Red DOT Bullseye 231 HS6
thank's

Unique

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Just thought that I would report back the 4.2 gr of Bullseye is the ticket I put 50 rounds in a group that a silver dollar would cover
this is out of my 3" Ruger sp101 right at 7 yards shoots to point of aim and a joy to shoot I dont think I can ask for more out of the
little Ruger

would like to ad no flyers just one hole

 

[joneb]

Just thought that I would report back the 4.2 gr of Bullseye is the ticket I put 50 rounds in a group that a silver dollar would cover
this is out of my 3" Ruger sp101 right at 7 yards shoots to point of aim and a joy to shoot I dont think I can ask for more out of the
little Ruger

would like to ad no flyers just one hole

I get that at 15 yrds with the HS-6 load I mentioned is from a Ruger Security Six w/a 2.75" barrel.