Light Loads for 38sp for "The Wife"

[Grub Master]

My wife wants to shoot my little Tarus 38sp Titanium. I am new to reloading but have a good stash of materials. I have some 125JHP some 158 gr lead round nose flat points and some 158 gr hp as well as some wadd cutters. I have Unique, Bullseye and a little Universal Clays.
Which bullet and powder would be a soft load?
My Lymans 49 suggest 125 gr HP 2.3 Bullseye for accuracy 565 Velocity and 10,200 Pressure.
Stupid question, but does less pressure equate to less recoil?
Thanks

 

[rfwobbly]

Go with the slowest powder at the minimum loads and try both bullets.

One big issue you may not be able to overcome is a tiny lightweight pistol is going to 1) transfer all the shock to her palms, and 2) not have much handgrip area to displace it over. I highly recommend you rent her something like a 4" Ruger GP100 at the range.

 

[MtnCreek]

I would try out the 125gr HP's. My wife uses the same weapon with 90gr projectiles on HP-38.

If hers is the same as my wife's, it's ported on top.

 

[Paladin38-40]

Powder puffs

For the148 grain HBWC I now use 2.2 grains of Bullseye for my wife who has developed arthritis in her wrist. She shoots an S&W model 15 which is 3 times the weight of the ultralight snubbies. Good to go with ultra light loads in an ultra light gun.

The problem remains that the recoil in those things is rather nasty with any reasonable load suited for self defense. So,

If you can get her interested in shooting by using ultra light loads, consider getting something heavier. The all steel S&W J-frames or Ruger 101 are heavy enough to shoot standard pressure .38 (or +P .38 for some)and still light enough to be practical to carry if concealment is an issue. If concealment is not an issue let her try a K-frame.

 

[Starter52]

I agree with Paladin. A wadcutter and 2.2 grains of Bullseye is as mild a load as you will find, unless you want to go with some REALLY mild loads like the Speer plastic bullet rounds.

 

[Grub Master]

I just bought a Colt 357 so she could practice until we find a good light load. It is not something she will be shooting a lot, she just wants to make sure she can shoot it if she needs to. She shoots my 1911s 45acp with no real problem. I don't really enjoy shooting the Taurus more than 10-15 rounds a time myself. I'll try your suggestions. Thanks

 

[joneb]

Are the sights adjustable for windage and elevation, or are the sights fixed ?

Oops, you are looking for a load for the Taurus not the Colt ?
Fixed sight handgun sights are regulated for a certain bullet weight, if a 158gr shoots to the point of aim the a 110gr bullet will shoot low.

 

[LiveLife]

When I was doing my Promo testing in 9/40/45, I test loaded some MBC 9mm 125 gr LRN with 3.5 gr of Promo at 1.45" OAL.

Shot them out of 2" 357 revolver and produced light recoil and fairly good accuracy (I got 3" DA shot groups at 10 yards).

For some reason, we just couldn't stop laughing while we were shooting them.

I have plans to test Promo with 148/158 ".38" bullets.

 

[kingmt]

"Tarus 38sp Titanium"

I have this gun & it stings the crap out of my hands with a hot +P load but it is quite pleasant with the 158gr .357 action that MB sales with 3.2gr of Bullseye OAL 1.361 so the load @ 2.2gr that was suggested sounds very light. If you want light recoil the faster powders give less recoil & report. That gun is loud with everything I've tried but slow powder will really ring some ears.

 

[Gik-tal]

I use a 148 grain DEWC over 2.8 grains of IMR-700X, this produces almost no recoil, is accurate out to 25 yards and burns clean.