Help the new guy

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Cjcmajor10

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I have been a long time reader and follower of THR and love this resource. So I thought I would turn to you guys first!!!

I am new to reloading and finally got all the required reading and equipment. As well as the materials to reload. I got the size 500 small pistols primers, bullseye powder, and 158 grain honady JHP bullets. I only bought these bullets because it is all bass pro had that day and I thought it would close to what I am used to shooting from factory ammo.

Here is my dilemma... My newly bought Lyman 49th edition does not list bullseye powder load data for the 158 grain JHP bullets!!!!!

Please help.

Also any reloading info for a newbie would be helpful. I have been doing lots if reading online and here for weeks now. But any tips, hints, and tricks are appreciated
 
that's because Bullseye is not recommended for jacketed bullets..

run back when you get the chance and grab a can of Unique

I might as well edit this one..

IMR 4227 produces a factory duplication load ( I assume we're talking .357 Mag)
 
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I was hoping to start with .38 specials and them move to .357 mag. Another reason I bought that particular bullet. So I could use it for both.


So far, everyone thinks I need to go back and get unique powder for the jacketed loads and I will be able to use the already purchased bullseye for future lead loads?
 
158 grain jacketed bullets are not a real good choice for standard pressure .38 Special anymore.

Since SAAMI watered down .38 Special pressure some years ago, some companies like Speer Bullets for instance don't even give 158 JHP data in the new manuals.
They won't expand at that low velocity, and they could get stuck in the barrel at the lightest starting loads in a loose worn out revolver.

I agree with the "buy some Unique" suggestion if you just gotta do it.

5.0 grains will give you a decent load safe in all modern .38 Spl revolvers.

rc
 
.38Spl..
5gr Unique
6.5 gr Blue Dirt.. er... Blue DOT
9 gr 2400

all would work really well..

and all powders show data for .357 Mag...
 
I have found that if none of my manuals have the powder im working with or bullet gr(i use older sierra manuals, hodgen, and lee,but have one of the newest speer.) I turn to google for recipes. Or to powders manufacture website, some of them let you print loads out. I havent gotten any new toys to load for, right now im worried about the first wednesday in november, if i have to load rounds for civil unrest.
 
I agree with RC. Save the Bullseye for LSWC's. Unique will work great for both 38spcl and moderate .357 loads. 5gr Unique with the 158gr JHP is a great middle of the road 38 load, but I think you are wasting these as they wont expand at 38 velocities anyway.

I would save the 158gr bullets for use in .357 loads and buy some swaged wadcutters or plated bullets for use with the Bulleye in 38 loads. 2.7gr Bullseye under a 158 lead wadcutter is THE Classic 38 target load.
 
Starting your reloading career with Bullseye? Good Job!

Alliant's 2004 Reloader Guide lists a max of 3.5 grains of Bullseye under a 160gr JSP in the .38 Special and 3.7grs in the .38 Special +P. The former does 800 FPS while the latter does 820. The listed OAL is 1.435"

.357" JSP and JHP are similar enough in length that you can use the data interchangeably.
 
Bullseye can be used to successfully load both the .38 spl and .357 mag. It is a very fast powder so be careful not to double charge or exceed maximum load.

Below is published data showing Bullseye in standard pressure .38 spl and .357 mag. The .357 mag data is maximum data and a proper start load needs to be calculated by reducing the load listed by 10% and then working up.

Bullseye will not deliver maximum velocities as it reaches peak pressure too quick but its noted for target load accuracy.
 

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I stopped loading any jacketed bullets over 125gr in .38SPL but still load them in .357. I do sometimes use Bullseye for jacketed bullets in .38SPL, but have switched to either Unique, 231, or HP-38 for such loads. Bullseye still pushes pretty much all of my lead .38SPLs
 
918v said:
Starting your reloading career with Bullseye? Good Job!

Alliant's 2004 Reloader Guide lists a max of 3.5 grains of Bullseye under a 160gr JSP in the .38 Special and 3.7grs in the .38 Special +P. The former does 800 FPS while the latter does 820. The listed OAL is 1.435"

.357" JSP and JHP are similar enough in length that you can use the data interchangeably.
Click to expand...
the frist handgun powder I got was bullseye , for my 44mag, the way I looked at it back then was , I could get 3 times more loads out of bullseye than I would out of 2400 for the same money , are there better and safer powers for the 44 , yep , just like there are better powders than Unique for the 357mag,, I use unque in my 45acp, works great , but I don't think I have ever uesd it in my 357mag will it work , ? sure, I see lots of loads for it , but bulsleye will work too , I think the last 357 I loaded up was with H110 and the last cast 357 I loaded ,was with Universal,

NOTE: H110 and W296, are the same, lots of loads for that powder!
 
Thanks for all the responses. I guess I will have to get some unique powder and some 125 gr bullets. Now the only question is which to load first!
 
Steve C said:
Bullseye can be used to successfully load both the .38 spl and .357 mag. It is a very fast powder so be careful not to double charge or exceed maximum load.

Below is published data showing Bullseye in standard pressure .38 spl and .357 mag. The .357 mag data is maximum data and a proper start load needs to be calculated by reducing the load listed by 10% and then working up.

Bullseye will not deliver maximum velocities as it reaches peak pressure too quick but its noted for target load accuracy.
Click to expand...
The voice of reason! I started reloading .38 Special with Bullseye in 1969. I only had a Lee Loader and only could afford 100 bullets at a time so I usually got 125 gr. jacketed bullets. I soon went to a generic 158 gr. LSWC, but stayed with Bullseye. For just learning to reload those 158 gr. bullets were perfect for me. At that time the 158 LSWC and 148 gr. WC bullets were the most popular for .38 and info readily available (pre-web)...
 
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