Reloading 38spcl lswc

[PhilMc]

Have been loading 38spcl lately with 6.1 of Power Pistol under a 125gr XTP with good results.

Picked up some 158 gr LSWC bullets for a pretty good price. First time loading lead so I made up some dummy rounds to get everthing set right.

I have plenty of Titegroup so I'll be using some of it to make up these rounds.
On Hodgon's website they recommend starting loads of 3.2 grains and a max of 3.8 grains. I plan on starting about 3.3 grains and see how they act.

These rounds will be going into a Ruger Blackhawk 357 6.5" barrel. Anybody have any history with Titegroup in 38 spcl's

 

[il.bill]

You are on the right track working up your load. One of my favorite .38 special cartridges is a 158 grain LSWC over 3.5 grains of Titegroup. Works great in my 4" S&W Model 10's.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

I have a love-hate relationship with TG in 38 spl. Pushing 148 LWC I've had good results. Behind 158 LSWC the results have been less than spectacular. Every gun is different, so I hope you do better. The remainder of my 1 pounder will likely go in 9 mm.

 

[gonoles_1980]

I use 3.5gr of titegroup. Be very careful, its hard to see if you get a double charge. that's my current 158gr xtreme lswc 38spl load.

 

[rogerstg]

My best groups when testing 3.2, 3.4 and 3.6gr with LSWC from a S&W 14 was 3.4 at an avg of 836 fps. 3.2 gr was second best, and 3.6 a distant third.

YMMV, but you're on the right track working up a load.

 

[Onward Allusion]

3.2 gr of Titegroup & 158's will give you a traditional old-school cartridge - maybe a bit on the light side. I generally do 3.1 gr with 125's and it's a soft shooting round. And yes, very easy to double charge. I weigh after all cartridges are loaded & crimped as well - just for a sanity check.

 

[gunlaw]

If you can get some Bullseye, 4.0g with the 158g swc has worked great for me.

 

[mdi]

Jes wonderin'. what's wrong with Hogdon's recommended starting load? Is it too low for you?

 

[Sunray]

"...First time loading lead..." The only difference is that you cannot drive a cast bullet as fast as a jacketed. Lengths and everything else are the same. You do not need to crimp either.
3.2 is the starting load. Mind you, if you were to buy factory SWC's and use the manufacturer's data, it'd likely be different. One grain won't matter or be likely to be the accuracy load for your revolver. Might be though.

 

[oneounceload]

You do not need to crimp either.

Sorry, I'll disagree. You do crimp lead bullets, and on the LSWC there is a perfect spot for that

 

[earplug]

Speed Jacket verses Lead

A properly fit lead bullet will be capable of any velocity a 38 SPL +P can be safely loaded to without leading.
And you can down load a lead bullet to lower levels without sticking one in the barrel.
Push them 158 SWC

 

[PhilMc]

Going to load up some with the starting load of 3.2 with titegroup and see how they feel. Thanks for all the info gentlemen!

 

[RealGun]

You do not need to crimp either.

Sorry, I'll disagree. You do crimp lead bullets, and on the LSWC there is a perfect spot for that

First time loading lead, so expect that less crimp will be needed than on jacketed bullets, else the lead will mushroom at the case mouth and the cartridge will fail gauging. Check the shape of the crimp using a prepped case with no bullet in the crimp die. If the case mouth curls slightly inward, you're there...not the full roll used on jacketed.

Also know that bullet diameters are not always what the package and order description say. You may need a bullet sizer for each caliber, but it is inexpensive. Then you will need to relube.

 

[experimentor]

Have been loading 38spcl lately with 6.1 of Power Pistol under a 125gr XTP with good results.

Picked up some 158 gr LSWC bullets for a pretty good price. First time loading lead so I made up some dummy rounds to get everthing set right.

I have plenty of Titegroup so I'll be using some of it to make up these rounds.
On Hodgon's website they recommend starting loads of 3.2 grains and a max of 3.8 grains. I plan on starting about 3.3 grains and see how they act.

These rounds will be going into a Ruger Blackhawk 357 6.5" barrel. Anybody have any history with Titegroup in 38 spcl's

I wanted to load 38 special plus p with titegroup. Load data showed no loads for 158 grain lead cast flat nose. Starting load for 357 mag was 4.5 grains, 19300 cup which should be ok for 38 special plus p. Called Hogdon and tech says that is safe for 38 special. Loaded some and chrony says 850 fps. Warning This not published data. Would be too much for non plus p guns

 

[ljnowell]

Sorry, I'll disagree. You do crimp lead bullets, and on the LSWC there is a perfect spot for that

For light 38 special loads you don't need too. In fact with light loads if fast burning powder many people find the best accuracy without roll crimping.

I load many thousand of bullseye practice and match loads every year and none if them get any more than the case straightened out. The whole crimp groove gets seated into the case along with half of the forward driving band.

 

[Jim Watson]

Perhaps it is contributing to the delinquency of handloaders (Apologies to Col Cooper.) but you don't really need to tippy-toe up from a starting load for .38 Specials to be shot in a .357 Magnum revolver.

My default .38 load is the factory equivalent or the maximum standard pressure load if I can't get 800 fps with less. If I want less recoil, I shoot wadcutters.

I apply a pretty good roll crimp, eyeballed to factory style. It helps with a speedloader and my M52 auto needs the radius for good feeding.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Going to load up some with the starting load of 3.2 with titegroup and see how they feel. Thanks for all the info gentlemen!

Be careful you don't go too light and cause leading.

What are the bullets sized to? How hard are the bullets?

If the bullets are 18 BHN the pressure from that load will be too low to seal off the barrel and the hot gasses could melt the sides of the bullet causing terrible leading.

 

[ljnowell]

Be careful you don't go too light and cause leading.

What are the bullets sized to? How hard are the bullets?

If the bullets are 18 BHN the pressure from that load will be too low to seal off the barrel and the hot gasses could melt the sides of the bullet causing terrible leading.

When you get down low bullet fit becomes critical. I only keep one bullet for light 38 and full bore 357 mag, the Missouri bullet 357 Action (bhn18). Out of my smith and weapons I have no issues loading up either 14.5gr of 2400 or 3.5 grains of AA#2. I have seen a friends gun not behave well at all with the light loads though.

 

[Dudedog]

One grain won't matter

In my opinion ONE GRAIN will matter! 1/10 of grain is a different story. (but still matters)

This is .38 from Hodgdon
158 GR. CAST LSWC Hodgdon Titegroup .358" 1.475" 3.2 815 11,500 CUP 3.8 920 15,400 CUP

Looks to me like the spread is .6 (6/10s of a grain)

 

[ljnowell]

3.2 gr of Titegroup & 158's will give you a traditional old-school cartridge - maybe a bit on the light side. I generally do 3.1 gr with 125's and it's a soft shooting round. And yes, very easy to double charge. I weigh after all cartridges are loaded & crimped as well - just for a sanity check.

Weighing after loading is a waste of time. When loading charge weights so small the cases, bullets, primers, etc will vary so much as to make weighing them a waste of time.

 

[Stormin.40]

I have loaded .38 Special 158gr LSWC both Berry's Cast and Penn Bullets. I used Hodgson's data and like others ended up in the middle of the road per Hodgdon. I don't have my data in front of me so verify for yourself, I believe I found older data on Titegroup that showed +P data at 4.3gr.

I now use 4.4gr of W231 for .38 Special 158gr LSWC loads.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have loaded .38 Special 158gr LSWC both Berry's Cast and Penn Bullets. I used Hodgson's data and like others ended up in the middle of the road per Hodgdon. I don't have my data in front of me so verify for yourself, I believe I found older data on Titegroup that showed +P data at 4.3gr.

I now use 4.4gr of W231 for .38 Special 158gr LSWC loads.

I didn't want to mention another powder but I also use W231/HP-38 for most of my .38 Special ammo and for the 45 Auto too.

One of my 2 favorite .38 Special loads is 4.0gr W231 under a 158gr LSWC.

 

[PhilMc]

Rounds shot without incident except for a fair amount of gray cloud. Shot them at an indoor range, normally shoot outdoors when the weather permits. Loads were accurate given the skill of the operator.

Hornady 9th edition also lists w231 and Power Pistol for 158 grain lead. I have both of these powders so I will try each to see how they perform.

 

[Hondo 60]

Anybody have any history with Titegroup in 38 spcl's

I have loaded 10s of thousands of rounds of 38 Spl & titegroup.
{12,000 in 2013 alone)

The only advice I have is to make absolutely certain that you don't dbl charge.
With such a small charge its hard to see down into the case.

 

[RealGun]

I don't consider TiteGroup for a case this skinny and tall because of needing more bulk to spot the powder before inserting a bullet.