Hornady 38 special HBWC with HP38

[brewer12345]

I will be headed to the range on Friday to try out a new snubnose 38. When I wandered through Cabela's last week they had a sale on Hornady swaged 148 grain HBWCs, so I bought some and rolled up some 38s with this bullet seated flush and 3.7 grains of HP38, shooting for a little over starting load data from Hodgdon (they give a range of 3.5 and 4.0). Now that I do a bit more noodling around I see people saying they load as light as 3 grains with this particular bullet. I have zero experience with HBWCs, is 3.7 grains anything to worry about? I know that pressure isn't an issue, just don't want to be inadvertently in the range where I am risking blowing the skirt off the bullet.

 

[Walkalong]

Feb 2010
64 Degrees
Unknown 148 gr swaged lead HBWC
1.195 OAL
3.2 Grs W-231

4" Model 10 HB

PB (Powder Back)
Hi=751
Lo=723
Avg=742
ES=28
SD=10

PF (Powder Forward)
Hi=744
Lo=721
Avg=731
ES=23
SD=8

I don't know if 3.7 is too much, but I would double check each round to be sure when you test them.

 

[brewer12345]

Much obliged. I spoke to a tech at hodgdon who reiterated that 3.7 is a safe load. I will go lighter next time, probably 3.2.

 

[Catpop]

I know that pressure isn't an issue, just don't want to be inadvertently in the range where I am risking blowing the skirt off the bullet.

How can you blow the skirt off a lead boolit? If it has a skirt, then it a jacketed bullet. I'm confused. But then I usually am anyway.
On the other hand, a favorite load of mine for my wifes sw60 was 2.8 gr RD under a 158 lswc. Very accurate and very mild recoil. Don't think I'd trust it in a longer barrel though.
Good luck!

 

[brewer12345]

How can you blow the skirt off a lead boolit? If it has a skirt, then it a jacketed bullet. I'm confused. But then I usually am anyway.
On the other hand, a favorite load of mine for my wifes sw60 was 2.8 gr RD under a 158 lswc. Very accurate and very mild recoil. Don't think I'd trust it in a longer barrel though.
Good luck!

These are hollow based wadcutters. They have a circular nose that is equal to bore diameter and from the outside look like little lead beer cans. The bottom of the bullet has a big cavity and long, relatively thin sides. If you push these too hard, the cylindrical top half of the bullet can separate from the thin walls of the cavity and leave them behind in the bore.

 

[cfullgraf]

How can you blow the skirt off a lead boolit? If it has a skirt, then it a jacketed bullet.

HBWC otherwise known as hollow base wadcutters have a deep cavity in the base of the bullet. The pressure when fired will cause the skirt of the cavity to expand into the rifling of the bore improving accuracy. HBWC bullets are a favorite of the bullseye competition crowd.

These bullets are generally swaged soft lead (no jacket) and too much pressure can separate the skirt from the rest of the bullet causing an obstruction in the bore. Not a good thing.

Now that I do a bit more noodling around I see people saying they load as light as 3 grains with this particular bullet.

Be careful going too light with the load. While a 2" gun is a bit more forgiving due to the shorter barrel, a longer barreled gun could end up with a bullet stuck in the barrel.

I've been loading my wadcutters with Titegroup but when it is gone, I'll be moving to W231/HP-38. I had a rash of stuck bullets when I first got started with Titegroup starting at the minimum recommend charge weight.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Like some of the others here I charge 3.2gr W231 under a 148gr HBWC.

With a 148gr DEWC I up the charge slightly to 3.4gr W231.

Those are two of my three favorite .38 Special loads. The third is a 158gr LSWC over 4.0gr W231.

If you want a really accurate and soft shooting target round give that 3.2gr round a try.

 

[joneb]

I have loaded Speer 148 gr bevel base WC with 3.5gr of Bullseye with excellent results in a S&W m-10 and m-36
Not sure why Speer doesn't offer this bullet anymore, it was the bee's knees

 

[brewer12345]

Well they all went bang and no MacBook, but they were quite.a handful in the snub and not accurate in the 357 4 inch security six. I will drop the.charge to 3.2 grains of hp38 next time. Ok to shoot that load in the security six?

 

[Walkalong]

Should be fine, just double check each one until you are sure.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Precision Delta in their match winning, record setting factory new and reman .38spl 148gr HWC used to use 2.9gr for ~690fps from a 6"bbl. I believe about '03-04 Bobby switched powders to an IMI mfg powder, accuracy suffered... I now see a lot of folks shooting Zero or Atlanta Arms now.

Every 1490+ except one (2.7gr Bullseye) I ever shot was with a Precision Delta or Star 148gr HBWC over 2.9gr Win231/HP38, and every 240/240 at the 50yd line.

Just saying. YMMV

BTW; every time I blew the skirt off a HBWC, it was due to a double charge. Extra hole in target, or not enough (50yds). Never had a skirt stay in the barrel. Obstruction was due to round that DIDNT get the "extra" powder... But I have blown skirts off of HBWC. IT CAN happen.

 

[brewer12345]

Thanks, gg. I made up a bunch at 3.2 grains of hp38 and tried them yesterday. Much milder than the first bunch and more accurate. I was thinking they are still a bit snappy and will probably drop to 3 grains even when I make more.