7, No. Does anyone have any luck with Jacked Bullets. 125: 125: 130: 135: 140: 140: 146: 148: 158: 158: 158: 170 _____ Quick Links Home Load Data Bullet Points: BE SURE TO CHECK OUT & FOLLOW MY INSTAGRAM FEED CONNECT WITH THE 1895GUNNER.COM COMMUNITY . 8.) 7.8 gr Blue Dot 1,170 fps 1.43" Fed 100 Alliant Suggested starting load: 7.0 gr Pressure: 15,700 4.5 gr Bullseye 1,085 fps 1.43" Fed 100 Alliant Suggested starting load: 4.1 gr Pressure: 14,900 Your email address will not be published. Dennis, I dont reload and Im only 72, but shooting the .38Spl in my 6 S&W 586 is a sublime experience. Also some WSF. So I expect recoil would be substantial and not very target-ish. The .38 Special's MAP is 17,000 psi, whereas for the .38 Special +P it is 20,000 psi. The fast powders, W231, HP38, Bullseye would go over pressure very quickly with any slight changes, in seating depth or primer change. Don't worry too much about lead/coated/plated/jacketed. Load it using wadcutter specs, and seat the bullet flush, like a wadcutter. Hmm. I had enough, The Model 1911 pistol will officially turn 100 years old on May 5, 2011. Do you folks think a start at 3.0 gr and work up from there with a 125 gr bullet would be a safe load. You will find plenty of Red Dot loads there. Normal, mild .38 loads work fine with lead bullets. While I wish I could carry a 5 .45 WITNESS with several 10 round mags, as a senior citizen, the S&W J frame is my user friendly alternate. is a good place to start. https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t2221-distinguished-revolver-loads-that-don-t-suck. My Lyman 49th has data for 125 gr JHP and 120 gr LRN. Only need cast when driving up to 1200 fps or so. swatmag.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Seems like everyone is all orgasmic about bigger, faster, more of, etc. Since we are working with a gun that doesnt have a magazine, we can afford to mess with this dimension at will. Case life is excellent, especially for mild loads. Compac for my little finger to wrap around under the butt. Yes, I had no issues with the 38 SPL, but the 32 is just more FUN- especially when I get seven shots of it in a revolver the size of J frame! Also, too light loads don't allow the bullet to seal the gases causing problems. Lord only knows how many cartridge cases I hammered with a plastic mallet into that Lee, it had to be thousands. Me too! Never ransom rested it, but held 10 ring off sandbags. But one classic target load is not far behind the .38 wadcutter in its own reputation with target shooters: a 200-grain semiwadcutter bottling up 4.6 grains of Bullseye. Very little recoil, and grouped acceptably out to 15 yards or so. When I teach other people the basics of reloading, I teach them on the .38 SPL. Bullseye, Unique and 2400 are products of Alliant (formerly Hercules) Powders. In 38/357 they don't list 105 gr bullets, but the do list 90's and 125's. Easy enough to extrapolate for a 105 grain . I just bought some 158 gr SWC bullets that are pure lead. I thought the DR program was NRA, not CMP. Depends on what kind of load you're after. That for just a nice shooting load one cant beat 148gr wad-cutter for pure fun. A cold header, at their basic level, are multi ton power presses laying down on their side. Bullseye and NRA Distinguished Revolver It is less of an issue on a progressive press, but still requires attention. (Same issue found with a 12 oz. Ive long since changed to a press, but that Lee Loader in its cardboard box is still in a storage box for obsolescent reloading gear. I have a long way to go before I'm ready to compete, but enjoy plinking and hand loading. I use Bullseye powder but it's about the same burn rate. http://www.adi-powders.com.au/handloaders-guide/equivalents.asp. A light target load, which tends to be very accurate, is about 3.1 grains, with a 158 grain bullet.
38 Special Pet Loads - 24hourcampfire My more serious RN is the 358311 that drops @150 gr. They are reliable accurate and deadly. Bullseye is the classic pistol powder and the backbone of many pet loads. Heck, 38s in a J frame arent fun- theres no way a 327 Mag isnt worse. Clays, Universal, HP38, HS6 and H4895 are products of Hodgdon Powders. Despite being well over one hundred years old, it still has perfect relevance for todays shooters, both novice and advanced. I simply took mixed brass and ran em through the Hornady Lock-N-Load AP press with the bare minimum preparation. All right are Reserved Reload Ammo, Reloading The .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol), hi=849 lo=728 ES=122 (powder up and down), hi=821 lo=684 ES=137 (powder up and down), hi=815 lo=637 ES=178 (powder in normal positions), hi=714 lo=549 ES=165 (powder up and down), hi=758 lo=693 ES=65 (powder up and down)(DO NOT USE LESS), Hi=886, Lo=861, ES=25 (This is a Carolina Cast bullet SWC-great cowboy load), hi=859 lo=743 ES=116 *(my personal medium load), hi=875 lo=685 ES=190.2(powder up and down), hi=710 lo=497 ES=213 (powder up and down), hi=791 lo=625 ES=166 (Powder up and down), hi=785 lo=670 ES=115 (powder up and down), hi=801, low=766 ES=35.32 in Contender 14 bbl. Not as easy to find brass these days as it is not the most popular round anymore. ( customer reviews) $ 10.69 - $ 246.00. On my J frame S&W without the CT #305 Laser Grips, I swapped out to a Hoque set. All the data says this should be an OK load , even "mid-range" for non +p. With the powders you listed I would try Bullseye, 231, and Unique in that order. Maybe its just me, but having that tiny bit of extra length and weight in the cylinder that I was never going to use just kinda bothered me.
Loading the .38 Spl. & .357 Mag. - An Official Journal Of The NRA Some medium fast powders would work with lighter weight bullets. As anyone learns quickly, first thing that needs to be done is to replace the small factory S&W grips (I use Hogue) so you can hold onto the gun. would also bridge the gap that the .38 versus .357 have in defensive loads. You are absolutely correct. Since it hit the market 103 years ago, it has been a staple for most handloaders and the backbone of most accuracy loads in the popular calibers. My best group was .9 inch out of a Model 15. Recoil is mild enough that for many years it was the golden choice for the next introductory step for young or new shooters after rimfire. In terms of the best stopping power for .38 Special, I personally like 150 grain full wadcutters or 158 grain hollowpoint semi-wadcutters. I dont see much conversation on these specifics but I think Its all about the size of the explosion in the chamber. : 13,300 16,800 Starting Powder: 6.0 gr Starting Velocity: 1,266 Reloading for it came next and it has since become my favorite pistol cartridge. Accurate's No. .38 brass isnt as common as 9, .40, or .45 brass at the range, but of all the revolver brass you can find its the most plentiful. Ive also switched from lead to Berrys Preferred copper plated bullets. Years back, for indoor matches I teamed the heavier S&W Model 28 with 3.4 grains of the same powder and bullet in . accuracy. 2) Ammo that would work in the Air Force's Air Crewman Colt's and Smith and Wesson revolvers that had weak alloy cylinders. I'm guessing they still go bang, and leave the gun to go downrange. Its just two lubed balls on top of each other with the top ball roll crimped just past the hemisphere. Bullseye is primarily associated with .38 and .45after all, it says right on the bottle: Great for .38 Special and .45 Auto target loads. But it is equally at home in high-velocity auto loads. I, like Spartacus, find the SAAMI recommendations an interesting spec for comparative purposes. If she had shot more, I would have probably bought another set of dies, to prevent the need for changing adjustments between the two. 5, #2230, and #2460 are products of Accurate Arms Company .38 J frame.) Great to get the Mrs out there! It seems to burn completely in the .38 and is not as critical as the faster powders like Bullseye. BTW, I wish I had any one of those three revolvers today. For those folks shooting a lot of lead bullets, invest in a Lewis lead remover. And for 99% of the actual real world needs of a citizen for self defense it will work just fine. Accurates No.
The All-American .38 Special | Load Data Article No matter where you look, the first mention in classic loads for the .38 Special is a 148-grain wadcutter over 2.7 grains of Bullseye. The 357 magnum about 45,000 psi and the std 38 special about 17,000 psi. I have some W231 that I use for my .38 super. Powder Bul Weight C.O.L. Nickle cases look pretty but dont seem to take the number of resizings that plain brass cases do.
That one Ill keep. Last time we took it to the range, I was trying to cycle the old +P ammo to load standard Lehigh ammo, I fired one shot, put the gun down and cursed while shaking my hand. People who prepare usually tend to focus on the survival basics: security/self-defense, water, food, first aid, sanitation/hygiene, knowing when to get out and when to stay put. Just dont shoot a rabbit with this load if you want to be able to eat any of it. Powder Bul Weight C.O.L.
Notes: primer: CCI 500; case: Speer; NOTE: All loads are maximum. Plated bullets are to be loaded as lead bullets. They are low because of swaged bullets. My grandkids think Im pulling their leg, when I tell them about the freedoms that NIMBYs took away. 357 Magnum 35,000
You are being redirected - Shooters' Forum In one or two strokes, the bullet is formed ready for dip lubing. Oh, I practice with it. Just got back into reloading 38 special again after a long hiatus with no revolver, and was instantly reminded of what a joy it is to reload. Anyone that uses a J frame S&W should seriously think about swapping grips, and finding which set works for them. Left to right:148 gr. Wow I learned something vital from this topic. The bullets are seated flush in the case. I can usually keep 1.5" groups with it at 25 yards if I do my part. This is an easy-shooting load that can cause some power-philes to tusk-tusk and comment. Yeah, my wifes last gun, with +P it actually HURTS! Hence I carry a semi-auto pistol chambered in .40 S&W. The Speer #8 lists a max of 7.5 grs Unique with a 125 gr Jacketed SP This would be for plinking for my wife's ~3" Rossi, so something light and fun to shoot would be great.All three of those powders have published load data for that weight bullet in .38 Special.All three of those powders have published load data for that weight bullet in .38 . The key to those rounds, in spite of their paltry muzzle velocity of something like 825 feet per second out of a snubbie, is their diameter and mass: they will make significant diameter holes and penetrate respectably in attackers. Like the author said, I consider it a garbage disposal round as you can load it with almost anything with good results. Many of these men had no real experience with the handgun, and we had but a few weeks to get them up to very high standards that most shooters will never reach.
Loading 38 special for best accuracy - Revolver Forum - Brian Enos's Ask your Dealer, or call Hodgdon), has a Cowboy Load section, (near the center fold), that lists data for about all SASS calibers. The Model 19 is fine with .38s but mildly uncomfortable with .357s. Shot placement is just as important if not more. Pasted as rich text. have been factored in, but Looks like starting with roughly 4.2 of W231. I'm asking the above questions because I don't want to run too hot of a load, but wasn't sure if it was ok to drop down below 2.8 as far as 2.5.
Taurus model 66 38 special/Bullseye/125 berry's bullets load test You have entered an incorrect email address! Nitpicking is its own reward., I believe the correct spelling is loathe . As I said I am not familiar with your frame and suspect it is one of the latest models out by Smith. +P? If youre recoil averse (and dont have a disability of some kind), its because you havent shot it enough. Winchester 231 is between Bullseye and Unique for the .38 special (see my personal load above). Alliant Pistol/Revolver Load Data: Be Alert: Publisher cannot be responsible for errors in published load data. Eventually somebody introduced me to tungsten carbide resizing dies, after which case life became near indefinite. SWC+GC, It is just a guide and the reason you should start under these charges and work up. A GI surplus 1911 that puts most loads into dinner-plate sized groups cut 3.8 inches with the classic recipewhich is probably the only time Ive gotten excited about an almost four-inch group! Depending on the drill, 200-grain .45s let shooter push faster or use available time to shoot better, with significantly less recoil than hardball. Load cut these cards at five yards out of this Model 15. Thats what the Cavalry Board asked for over a century ago, and thats what weve got. Traditionally, the max SAAMI pressures were: 38 S&W 14,500 Would you like to react to this message? I cannot begin to fathom shooting 20,000 rounds out of that revolver! Word to the wise: all handgun cartridges (with the likely exception of .44 Magnum and maybe even .357 Magnum) are underpowered for self-defense. Only if you see more than one load, is it less than maximum.
.38 Special - CHUCKHAWKS.COM 38 Special Load Data.. - Intoku.net - YUMPU Many people tend to poo-poo .38 Special (standard pressure) for self-defense as being somehow underpowered. Bullseye is one of the oldest smokeless pistol powders and still one of the most popular. For 3 that actually doesnt kick too badly. This too is useful information. That's usually +P power level in .38 Special. A 4 inch barrel would be my choice as well.
Reloading Data for .38 Special - Load Data - 1895Gunner WST for .38 special 125 gr plated bullets, Re: WST for .38 special 125 gr plated bullets. (See note on Powders below or read all about various Powders.).
New to Reloading-Unique powder recipes for .38 special If I get to see him shoot those loads, it would be worth the price of a new keyboard! S&W M637-2 2" barrel 2.) 32 H&R Mag 21,000
Shooter's Reference Load Data for .38 Special Think a lot of people would find that a .44 special or .45 Colt, in a decent revolver, a viable alternate to a pistol. Testing out some bullseye with 125 berry's bullets.. Based on this Id load some at 3.3 and 3.5 and see what you get, but Id never exceed 3.8 ever. Berry says load plated bullets to mid-range jacketed bullets of same profile and weight or equal to hard cast. Power Pistols works well in short auto cartridges and higher pressure cartridges but no so well with a 158 grain bullets in 38 Special. I have a few 30-30 cases modified to shoot singles with a very light load. September 2015 S.W.A.T. Ive been looking for a reason to get into reloading, and am particularly intrigued by the extremely long case life of .38 Special. And yes I appreciate them for a hunting gun because of their fine accuracy and find trigger pulls (older classic guns). Even better, is get some 38 S&W brass. I buy 158 SWCHP all the time.my main bullet. The flyers tend to be severe. But not too tough.
.38 Special Chronograph Test | Perfect Union Congratulations on spelling loath right. I still think highly of the LCR but would shoot only 148 grain wadcutters in .38 Special or .32 H&R Magnums in the .327 Magnum model. Similarly on drills with set times such as firing five shots in five seconds onto a bull at ten yards, the Bullseye load allows a little more time per shot to take advantage of a great 1911 trigger and lets the shooter nearly push shots into the same hole. CorBon Self Defense, 38 Special, 125 Grain, Jacketed Hollow Point, +P, 20 Round Box 38125 My M60 came w/ factory banana grips- open back, long enough for pinkie rest but too small in girth behind the trigger guard. I started with a Lee Loader for my shiny new Python .357, because all the ammo I could find (in 1968) was lead semiwadcutters, loaded so hot they sloughed off the lead in the bore, so after a box you couldnt see any rifling, it looked like a smoothebore, and lord was it hard to clean!! 11/2/2022. So I'd think you should find a decent load for short line at about 700 Fps and for the long line at about 800. Due to different barrel lengths, type of bullet, seating depth, primer type and other factors, you may not get near the FPS charted. In a day you can make over 100,000 bullets. I find the Pachmayr Compac grips on my 640 reduce the slap of full-boat .357 to less than that on my 3 M65 (w/ wood Altamont grips) or my 4 686 (Pachmayr Gripper Professional grips.) Also internet references 2009, Copyright. Interesting. (Note H110 & W296 are the same as of 2008 as is HP-38 & W231), (IMR 4227 is same as H-4227 if made in Australia), * Blackhorn 209 is a black powder substitute with smokeless like qualities. Good job on you! I wanted a good carry gun that was light and reliable, so I decided that the .38 would fit and I just went with it. Hi. This wire is then fed into a machine called a cold header.
Unique or Bulseye for .38 special / .357 mag - Cast Bullet Forum It seems to burn completely in the .38 and is not as critical as the faster powders like Bullseye. Jack it up a notch and go with .327 Federal Magnum. Three in particular proved as good as their longstanding reputations would indicate.
The swaged bullets are soft enough that they expand even at mild velocities where a JHP or hard cast cant. Times across steel plate racks and many of my standard drills with the 200-grain SWCs rival my best easy-shooting 9mm results. However recoil will be the limiting factor especially for the short line. .
Read my very long thread about "DR loads that don't suck". You cannot paste images directly. The 158 gr cast plain base accuracy load was 4.0 gr 231 which gave 837 Fps and 15,900 psi. 38 special is a great cartridge. True enough that it doesnt make power factor for Custom Defensive Pistol in IDPA or major in USPSA competition. This is not loaded 9mm ammo. And if youre doing that with a snub.let me know I wanna watch you shoot em. A Tyler T grip would have helped here, but is incompatible w/ factory grips. Or does the CMP make the rules for DR, and the NRA admins it? Most people have one general power level for their semi-autos due to the fact that the guns wont function with ammo thats not energetic enough to cycle the slide. Soft shooting. But I would only be caught dead with one in my hands if I had to use one for self defense (pun intended). ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. It also shows that the loads were established using a 6" barrel, so regardless of what any published data shows, the chances of ever finding published data for the exact projectile and barrel length you are using, as well as the exact conditions you will be shooting in, would be nearly impossible. That isnt unique to Bullseye, but is certainly more pronounced with the relatively small charges required. Bullets are .357 for jacketed and .358 for lead in diameter. You gotta try the S&W M342 Airlight TI. Initially I shot them out of my Dads prized Smith & Wesson 686 and learned a great deal about double-action shooting and what a truly accurate handgun can do with a wadcutter. These are the bullets I bought: 158 gr from Roze dist. The mild recoil of the mid-range load is a perfect mate to the .38s that most shooters own these daysthe airweight J-Frame or equivalent. Zero 158 grain swaged SWC, Starline brass, Winchester or Federal primer, 2.8 grains of Bullseye, roll crimp. 1.455 in. Sorry I can't be of more help, but I use 158 grain coated RNFP and don't use any of those powders that you list. I bought a Ruger Alaskan in 454 Casull last year ahead of a hunt up in Wyoming.
favorite cowboy load (38 spl) - SASS Wire - SASS Wire Forum Enter 38 Special. Be careful !!!! Just look for a lead remover tool with bronze screens.
Give me a .38 Special Recipe Please | Ruger Forum It would seem that a 125 grain GDHP is of the same weight and would have a similar profile to what you want to use. The instructors worked magic in many cases, but having a load like this to gradually work shooters onto full-strength loads would have been a great tool. Posted March 19, 2015. Easiest way is casting lines and a sprue mark on nose or base. Groups with these loads ranged from 1.25 inches to just under two inches at 25 yards across a handful of pistols. It would have been too hot. But, with jacketed bullets that doesn't seen to be working. JHP, (WC= WadCutter, SWC= Semi-WadCutter, HP= Hollow Point, RN= Round Nose), (JHP= Jacketed Hollow Point and if GC indicated, means Gas Check at bottom of lead bullet). looks like today. Stylish But Serious: Kimber Super Carry Pro, Survival Savvy: Gearing Up for the Next Level, Force Multiplier: Knife and Gun Integration. Bonus is that dont need magnum Primers for these reloads. I agree with your .38 Special assessment points for the very same reasons. I was just trying to get a general consensus of what other guys were using. And Vihtavouris N320 and N321 fall in this range for burning times. We look at three classics: one each in .45 ACP, .38 Special, and 9mm. I use CCI Snake shot for two and Buffalo Bore short Barrel 130 gr. Speer .38 shot cup, 5 grains of UNIQUE, and (3) #1 Buckshot pellets dates back to the 70s as a Junk Yard Dog load. An early Les Baer .45 knotted a group of the lead SWCs into a tight 1.3-inch group, while an M&P .45 did 1.25 inches. June 13, 2016 in 9mm/38 Caliber. These are hand loads.. load data was published in Lyman 50th edition.. And it isnt my first rodeo with a J-frame. I don't completely understand the physics behind it. I would say I completely disagree with you on ever even contemplating using a revolver for self defense unless you are a person that has never owned a gun and not likely ever to practice with it. Fifty yards of course is the preferred distance. The average street punk today has more firepower than the Russian Army did in WWII and trying to re-load a revolver in a fire fight is the best way to commit suicide that I could ever think of.