Looking for a good, preferably jacketed, bullet for 38 Special.

[mcb]

Found it.
Ultimate defense 38 +p available at Midway.

Thanks you!

 

[mcb]

So my 148gr and 158 gr lead HP showed up. I am working up a load. I was wondering if anyone had any chronograph data for either a 148 gr or 158 gr lead bullet pushed by Bullseye? Alliant Publishes the following:

38 Special
158 gr SWC
3.5 gr
814 fps

38 Special +P
158gr
3.9 gr
874 fps

I have found published 38 Special data is often optimistic in the velocity range. Can anyone share there own results with Bullseye and 38 Special.

-thanks

 

[mcb]

First sample batch is loaded, I started with the 148 gr, Not much data on a bullet like this. Seem most 148gr bullets are hollow base or double ended wad cutters. So looking at a bunch of data and playing with Quickloads here is were I am going to start.

Bullet: Matt's Bullets 148gr RF HP lead bullet.
Primer: Win Small Pistol
Brass: Random mixed head stamps
OAL: The crimp grove set the OAL at 1.490 inch
Powder: Bullseye
Charge: will be 3.9 gr, 4.1 gr, & 4.3 gr

Hopefully that will get me in the mid to high 800 fps.



ETA: Forgot to add, I did a quick test on my current load. 158gr XTP going ~860 fps. I set up three 1-gallon milk jugs full of water and shot them at about 15 ft. I really thought I would catch the bullet in the third but alas the bullet exited hit a junk of chert on the back stop and skipped rather than embedding in the berm. All evidence on the jugs entrance/exits is the bullet did not expand and did not even start to yaw until in the third jug.

 

[Shivahasagun]

ETA: Forgot to add, I did a quick test on my current load. 158gr XTP going ~860 fps. I set up three 1-gallon milk jugs full of water and shot them at about 15 ft. I really thought I would catch the bullet in the third but alas the bullet exited hit a junk of chert on the back stop and skipped rather than embedding in the berm. All evidence on the jugs entrance/exits is the bullet did not expand and did not even start to yaw until in the third jug.

Yup. Those 158 gr XTP JHP's need about 1050 fps to open up. But they do well above that, too. Good bullet for 4 inch + .357 magnum revolvers and rifles.

 

[Shivahasagun]

I have loaded up GT Bullets 158 gr LHP in .38 special with Titegroup after lackluster results with CFEP but haven't tested them yet.

Have some GT Bullets 145 gr LHPSWC ordered.

I'm probably going to down to the 135-145 gr weight in LFN and HP to reduce recoil and bring the POI down just a little in my fairly light New model Colt King Cobra. The 135's I can load in my .38 Colt Short cases and not have to seat them shallow and away from the crimp groove like I do 158 gr bullets.

 

[jmorris]

I started with the 148 gr, Not much data on a bullet like this. Seem most 148gr bullets are hollow base or double ended wad cutters.

Your going to have a lot more room in the case than what would be left with a properly seated WC. 158 gn “regular” lead data is probably closer.

10 grains bullet weight isn’t a huge difference bullets from the same mold can vary more than that with just a different alloy mixture.

 

[mcb]

Your going to have a lot more room in the case than what would be left with a properly seated WC. 158 gn “regular” lead data is probably closer.

10 grains bullet weight isn’t a huge difference bullets from the same mold can vary more than that with just a different alloy mixture.

Disclaimer: This is what I do, but I am not necessarily saying you should do the same, be safe don't work outside your comfort zone.

When I can't find exact data for a particular bullet I will tune up Quickloads using publish data based on the same powder I want to use and bullets as similar as I can find with good data associated (reputable source, preferable with both pressure, velocity and barrel length data). After QL is tuned up then I make the change to the actual bullet I want to use and see where it goes as far as the velocity I want. In this specific case I used several published loads for various lead 158/160 grain bullets to get Quickloads tuned up to agree reasonable well with those load's published pressure and velocity. I then substitute in Matt's 148gr RF HP bullet.

In this case due to the reduction is weight and increased usable case volume I was ~0.2-0.3 gr above the max for most of the published 158/160 gr bullet as published by Lyman 49th and Alliant. QL is showing 3.9 gr, 4.1 gr, & 4.3 gr under that 148gr bullet with pressures at or below MAP for 38 Special and the model 10 I am loading for is new enough that it is safe with 38 Special +P so I have some margin for error.

The next step is shooting these over a chrono, low to high and as long as the velocity is not dramatically different than expect I will shoot all three charges and use that data to fine tune QL and then I can usually get to the exact load I want/need pretty quick after that.

 

[mcb]

Finally test these loads yesterday. Much to my surprise I got higher velocities by about~50fps that I expected from published/QL data.

The tested loads were:

Bullet: Matts Bullets 148 Grain Round Flat Hollow Point
Case: Mixed
Primer: Winchester Small Pistol
Power: Bullseye
Charges: 3.9 gr, 4.1 gr, 4.3 gr
Velocities: 838.7 fps, 872.4 fps, 895.7 fps
6 round averages

Bullet: Matts Bullets 158 Grain Semi-Wadcutter Hollow Point
Case: Mixed
Primer: Winchester Small Pistol
Power: Bullseye
Charges: 3.7 gr, 3.9 gr, 4.1 gr
Velocities: 820.6 fps, 855.6 fps, 890** fps
6 round averages
** fat finger chrono and did not write down all the details but from watching it during shooting that is a guess at an average.


The best shooting load from and accuracy point of view for either bullet seemed to be 4.1 gr.

The thing that made me most happy was the 148 gr with 4.1 gr. Shot to point of aim (a touch left but most good ammo does in that fixed site model 10) and the bullet expends at these modest 38 Special velocity.



This bullet was the starting charge of 3.9gr and was doing ~840 fps. fired into milk jugs full or water. The bullet went through the first, into the second striking the back of the second water jug hard enough to leave a stretch mark in the plastic but the bullet was in the bottom of the second jug. It was beautifully mushroomed for a 38 Special.

The 158 gr SWCHP bullet penetrated more and I did not recover the bullet but from the looks of the exits in the jugs it did not expand much if at all.

I believe the 148 gr bullet is going to be my new woods carry load in the old Model 10 for the foreseeable future.

 

[AJC1]

First sample batch is loaded, I started with the 148 gr, Not much data on a bullet like this. Seem most 148gr bullets are hollow base or double ended wad cutters. So looking at a bunch of data and playing with Quickloads here is were I am going to start.

Bullet: Matt's Bullets 148gr RF HP lead bullet.
Primer: Win Small Pistol
Brass: Random mixed head stamps
OAL: The crimp grove set the OAL at 1.490 inch
Powder: Bullseye
Charge: will be 3.9 gr, 4.1 gr, & 4.3 gr

Hopefully that will get me in the mid to high 800 fps.

View attachment 1096631

ETA: Forgot to add, I did a quick test on my current load. 158gr XTP going ~860 fps. I set up three 1-gallon milk jugs full of water and shot them at about 15 ft. I really thought I would catch the bullet in the third but alas the bullet exited hit a junk of chert on the back stop and skipped rather than embedding in the berm. All evidence on the jugs entrance/exits is the bullet did not expand and did not even start to yaw until in the third jug.

Those are some nice looking rounds, and it appears the design and hardnesses worked out well for good performance. Nice.....