Powder puff .38spcl loads for a LCR

[MtnCreek]

I went through this several years ago with my wife. I loaded light (I think 125gr) bullets with a little lower than book starting charge of HP38. It didn't take too long for her to get her grip a little better and she moved up in charge weight.

I think heavy bullet / fast powder is the answer if you're trying to meet a power factor. Just getting a bullet out the barrel and to the target I think the lighter bullet is the softer shooter.

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Read my original post. This is her carry weapon and she wants to practice with it. If that is her will, then I can load some ammo to help her do so. I have plenty of other .38's, this is the gun she chooses to shoot.

I read your post. I'm saying its not the best gun to practice with and if she insist on keeping it she better off practicing with another revolver. But if she doesn't want to, those lighter loads wont do it alone.

I've seen this a 1000 times before and more often that not that person got discouraged and trade guns or stopped shooting.

I'm trying to help more than you know. But your welcome to not use the advise. I just hope that it turns out for the best. Just from experience it doesn't.

The problem from the beginning was that if you guide people down a path with guidelines when asking for helpful advise is that they will try to help in the parameters you gave them and when those parameters lead to no good results the effort is fruitless in nature.


Don't get me wrong i understand what your facing. You have to let her choose the weapon. Also in order for her to be happy and use it in practice your trying to make it a pleasant experience. Problem is she chose the wrong gun for her without knowing it. I was just pointing out the obvious.

 

[SARuger]

She grew up shooting a .357 Blackhawk. She still has that gun, she likes the LCR better.

Practicing with what you carry is never a bad thing and that's why I'm not discouraging her

 

[SARuger]

Life has gotten in the way of reloading lately but I took a much needed day off work today and loaded some powder puff 38's for my fiance's LCR.

I used Hodgdons Trail Boss data for the 158g LSWC MBC bullets that I had on hand. They are telling me 2.7-4.2 for the 158's

I started at 3g, loaded 10, then 10 with 3.3, then 10 with 3.8

3.0g is nice, about the same kick as a 22WMR, maybe slightly more.
3.3g, still not bad but starting to feel like a .380 pocket gun
3.8g was feeling about like a low load of Unique in the 38spcl.

accuracy was the best at 3.3g but 3.0g wasn't bad and of course it was easy to keep on target.

3.8g was more erratic but still not terrible.

All burnt clean.

So its time to load her up a bunch of powder puffs! I'm thinking I might bump the load to 3.1g and leave it there.

 

[RPegram]

Shooting a snubby 38 is one of my favorite type pistols. I actually prefer shorter barrels in many calibers as it is more of a challenge and takes more concentration to focus on aiming to hit the target. One of my snubbies is an airweight, and it is light. I have found a round I can shoot a 100 or more in a range session and not come back with my hand hurting. It is a 125gr rnfp hi-tek coated bullet over 5.6gr CFE-Pistol. It is very accurate, a little bit of kick, but not painful and fun to shoot a lot of. It no where near fills the case like Trail Boss, but it is so much easier to find on the shelves.