Needing help with a load... 38spl 140gr sierra JHP with bullseye

[smokeu]

Needing help with a load... 38spl 140gr sierra JHP with bullseye, Im new to reloading this month and took the advice to try out Bullseye. Ive been using it with great sucess with a bulk box of 1000 LSWC 158gr. So today I wanted to make up some JHP rounds for self defense out of my jframe every day carry gun and picked up a box of sierra 140gr jhps, and now I am having trouble finding a load. I looked on alliants site and they didnt have a listing for a 140gr jhp. Safety first and i am not looking for scorched earth, I am wanting a verified load not a pet. And Im trying not buy more powder...lol I tried the BE because of the versatility.

Thanks

Mike

 

[oneounceload]

From an older Sierra manual, loads range from 4.5 to a max of 5.1.

If you are going to use a particular major maker's bullets, it would behoove you to buy their manual

 

[Mccarty]

No one can verify a load in your gun but you. Someone else's"verified" loads may to be safe for yours.
Read the manuals and work it up slow.

 

[oneounceload]

BTW, Unique or Universal Clays has greater versatility than BE

 

[smokeu]

Thanks for the input, it's much appreciated.

 

[rcmodel]

Buy a Lyman #49 load manual.
Best $19.95 you ever spent!

It says:
140 Speer JHP:
Bullseye Powder:

3.5 Start
4.3 MAX.

Bullets are bullets, Speer or Seirra, or anything else at 38 Special standard pressure in a modern .38 Special.

But the fact is, you can't get a 140 JHP going fast enough in a 2" .38 Spl at standard pressure to expand much at all.
At +Pessure it is more better.

You could get a little more velocity & more expansion out of a slightly slower powder like Unique or Power Pistol.

If you could find them?
IMO: The Speer 135 grain short-barrel Gold-Dot at +P pressure with Power Pistol powder is THE load in a snubby with jacketed bullets.

rc

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm not a fan of very fast powders in the .38 Special with jacketed bullets and Bullseye is a very fast powder. I use W231 and I'm not sure I would use it with those 140gr Sierra bullets unless you were staying within standard pressures. If you want to go in the +P side to ensure proper expansion fro the shorter barrel you might want to use a powder like HS-6, I do.

Like I said, you might not want to use such a fast powder with a 140gr JHP bullet in the .38 Special if you want any velocity over 700 fps. (IMO of course)

 

[ljnowell]

But the fact is, you can't get a 140 JHP going fast enough in a 2" .38 Spl at standard pressure to expand much at all.
At +Pessure it is more better.

I have taken a beating for saying this many times, but I am going to go ahead and say it again. IMO the only hollow point really worth taking the time to reload in a 38 special, specifically a snub nose 38, is the LSWC-HP. Dead soft lead, I prefer the hornady bullet.

If I am not loading that bullet in my 38 for "serious" business, then I would just assume have a 158gr LSWC. If its not going to expand I would just assume it punches a nice clean hole with that sharp leading edge on the driving band.

 

[oneounceload]

^^ agree, however the Sierra 140 JSP version is also a great bullet

 

[HighExpert]

I did a check with QuickLoad and it appears that the pressure would be in the +P range at 4.3gr. I would load 4.1 and see how it looks. I also agree that you aren't going to get expansion out of 2" barrel. I am seeing velocities of 600fps to about 640fps.. too week to espand anything but possibly a prefracmented round. Good shooting.