I've tried Berry's plated as well as Remington. The stuff you learn shooting 20,000 reloads (on top of thousands of rounds of factory ammo) can be pretty interesting and I feel that Ive got a very good picture of what the .38 Special. Enough that the range Officer at my range recognized them because the muzzle blast made a distinctive cat whisker pattern at 8 and 10, and 2 and 4 o clock. Clays, Universal, HP38, HS6 and H4895 are products of Hodgdon Powders. Load with 38 S&W data. JHP, 158 gr. Normal, mild .38 loads work fine with lead bullets. Robert Frost. Yeah no. BTW, I wish I had any one of those three revolvers today. A 4 inch barrel would be my choice as well. Lucky me. Use the lead bullet loads with the plated and you will be fine. was a breeze. Recoil was so nasty that I quit after five shots and saved the rest of the box for my 6 Model 19 .357. Josh Wayner is a Michigan native, active competitor, Grand Valley State University alumni, troublemaker, and fiction author. But its also worth considering that its pushing the same size and weight projectile at the same velocity as the standard Army revolver load during the Civil War. YMMV. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Hence I carry a semi-auto pistol chambered in .40 S&W. Bullseye is the classic pistol powder and the backbone of many pet loads. 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. 1995-2022. "Berry's Superior Plated Bullets are the finest bonded copper-jacketed bullets available today.." ?. Never ransom rested it, but held 10 ring off sandbags. I recently picked up a 396 Nightguard and am a convert to the 44 Special! . The load you use will be up to your gun. Shoots well in my K-38, 686, and a friend's K-38 at 50 yards in the Ransom rest. I use Bullseye powder but it's about the same burn rate. AA#2 is about the same burn rate, but burns much cleaner with less smoke in my guns. (For those who would. it seems awful confusing, but with time you will be able to interpolate the published data into something that will give you good starting points to work up your loads. The 38 Special Ball round was designed a long time ago to comply with specifications laid down for ammo that was : 1) Compliant with the Hague Accords of 1907 in regard to "unnecessarily" injurious ammunition. 158 gr. I can get away with using it as cast w/ alox. The .327 Fed Mag is IT! I am way shy of 70 years old and I love me some .38 Special. My Hornady book says for 158 gr L-SWC, Unique powder, CCI magnum primer the minimum listed (not sure if that's absolute minimum) is 4.3 and maximum is 4.7. I went from 2.7to 4.0 gr and nothing to speak of. I can usually keep 1.5" groups with it at 25 yards if I do my part. Oh, I practice with it. 10,870. I tried 10 shots of each: 2.2, 2.4, 2.5, 2.7. 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. 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. Shot placement is just as important if not more. Handload: 158 grain round nose lead /3.8 grains Bullseye MV 775 fps ME 210 ft./lbs. 2.) Alliant listed 3.6 gr Bullseye as maximum (15000 psi) in 38 Special and 3.8 as max in 38 Special PLUS P (17000 psi) with 158 LSWC bullets. 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. YOU WOULD BE WASTING YOUR TIME TRIMMING THE BRASS. I dont mind it at all, though others do and look to similar performing powders that address these things. Biggest problem I had was the lubricating cases for sizing and then cleaning them afterwards, I guess grit was somehow scratching the cases after getting stuck in the lube. RN, 158 gr. 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.) Thx so it seems like for the long line I need to get some sagged bullets. Traditionally, the max SAAMI pressures were: 38 S&W 14,500 I use CCI Snake shot for two and Buffalo Bore short Barrel 130 gr. These loads are for my wife's revolver. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. No more lead in the barrel or on my hands. The jump straight to relatively hot GI hardball challenged many students, and failure to meet standards meant being dropped from the course. You can fit 7.1gr of powder under the 125gn JHP bullet? When I finally got my hands on a pound of Bullseye, I naturally started with some of these loads. head I use 3.2gr. I went to the grocery store to buy a loath of bread.. How does WST compare to Bullseye powder? If you have a lightweight .38 or older gun, you may want to start with 10% less than max amounts listed above, and work up to the full loads. The gun has appeared on TTAG before and has remained unchanged as far as accessories. Reading the "WARNING" on the site, it states to not exceed the loads published and to start 10% below the loads shown and work up from there. ), I very much wanted to start with some tried-and-true Bullseye loads, but it took an epic scavenger hunt across many months to find a canister of the elusive classic. A longer case, with have a tighter crimp them a shorter one, what will lead to variations in pressure, and accuracy. Prefer to use the CT model 305 laser grips in lieu of S&W grips. Fifty yards of course is the preferred distance. Due to different barrel lengths, type of bullet, seating depth, primer type and other factors, you may not get near the FPS charted. 300 Blackout Fine-Tuning: Finding the Right Barrel Length for Your Rifle. hebyta 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. I have one that has been loaded about sixty times and it is still in use today. Not in that order. No offense sir but those charges look low for Unique. It will then fit in your 38 Special gun. Powders include IMR, Hodgdon, Alliant, Vihtavuori, Winchester, Accurate If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. 10 for a full cylinder. I like Bullseye in the 38 Special, and it was a consistent performer with the 125 grain bullets. Nitpicking is its own reward., I believe the correct spelling is loathe . .38 Special: What Ive Learned After 20,000 Rounds, Stacey Abrams Whopper: No one believes in eroding the Second Amendment, Scottsdale Home Owner Uses Shotgun to Stop Naked Home Invader Caught in His Childs Room [VIDEO], Liberty Ammunitions Innovative Personal Defense Rounds are Lighter, Go Faster, and Hit Harder. It seems to burn completely in the .38 and is not as critical as the faster powders like Bullseye. Powder Bul Weight C.O.L. JHP, 125 gr. I keep it under my seat in case I get an unwanted intruder and I cant get to my IWB semi auto. As for the load ya the 158gr will probably take a little more, but your gun will tell you how much more.. Bullseye is one of the oldest smokeless pistol powders and still one of the most popular. Send the cylinder out to get cut for moon clips and adapted to 9mm, so you can shoot both 38/357/9mm and use all on moon clips. Boolit Grand Master. Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue. You can post now and register later. Required fields are marked *. These two can cover the entire performance spectrum up to .38+P. You may end up with one "not" clearing the barrel. The beauty of shooting a .38 is that you can easily practice at the ranges youd fight at using basically any cheap bullet at minimal expense. 100 except where otherwise noted in "remarks" Be Alert: Publisher cannot be responsible for errors in published load data. The more serious concern for some loaders is that the small charges of fast-burning powder take up little room in the case, making it possible to double charge a cartridge and exceed safe pressure. I'm seating to what's in my loading manual. Im a big fan of .32 revolvers, I do think they are a superior choice for carrying and shooting than .38 is, but that doesnt mean I think .38 or .357 sucks, I just dont think theyre the best choices for a small frame revolver. 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 dunno. Read my very long thread about "DR loads that don't suck". And it isnt my first rodeo with a J-frame. 4.0 gr. Testing out some bullseye with 125 berry's bullets.. 4.) Bullseye is the classic pistol powder and the backbone of many pet loads. Youd just be risking ALOT firing it in a .38 framed revolver. Agree 100% since I reload and shoot it since years, lost count. Have a Tritium sight and laser on it to boot. If you have the means, I highly recommend you trying one out. Instead, Ive favored things like the K and L frame Smiths (5 screw pre-model 10 and 686 in my case) and Ruger revolvers for higher round count activities. Designed in 1898, the .38 Smith & Wesson Special cartridge went on . Magnum 44 S&W Special 45 Colt 45 Auto 45 G.A.P 9mm Luger 9x18mm Makarov 32 S&W Long (Cowboy Action) 32-20 Win. Thanks to all for the info. Reloading supplies and load recipes are available everywhere. I also find the LCR .357 enjoyable to shoot with all .38s and most .357s. For those folks shooting a lot of lead bullets, invest in a Lewis lead remover. 38 Special, all bullet weights Bullet Powder Weight Powder Velocity OAL Primer Source 110gr JHP! I carry 38 /357 every day have used them in real world shootings. I shoot a Glock 21, and had a great time shooting some poly coated 230 grain round noses today. Therefore, .38 Special +P ammo can be as much as 17.5 percent hotter than standard .38 Special. I bought a Ruger Alaskan in 454 Casull last year ahead of a hunt up in Wyoming. VV N320, N330 and N340 are products of VihtaVouri Oy Company In my time with the cartridge, I have come to appreciate the mid to low end of the power spectrum and thus have made extensive use of Trail Boss powder and bullets such as Hornadys .358 158gr SWC. Choosing a bullet I probably shoot more 38s than everything else put together but a Dillon 750 makes loading a lot faster. Load it using wadcutter specs, and seat the bullet flush, like a wadcutter. Congratulations on spelling loath right. This load is in the general velocity bracket with most generic or bulk box 115-grain loads and zings over my chronograph at 1,125 to 1,140 fps from a Glock 17, depending on bullet style. Regulator, SBSS #2255, Pawnee Station, Ro I & II. * All PLUS P loads for guns designed for it (20,000 PSI), (Cowboy loads shot in 7 1/2 bbl.revolver no need to reduce), ALL THESE LOADS ARE PLUS P, SPECIAL HOT 21,000 PSI. At 25 you can get away with a lighter load. The .38 Special remains very popular for personal protection and Michelle Hamilton shares her thoughts on the top loads for concealed carry, like this 158-grain SWCHP FBI Load, based on her testing. As I said I am not familiar with your frame and suspect it is one of the latest models out by Smith. 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. A Forum dedicated to the sport of Bullseye shooting, Bullseye-L Forum::Ammunition Discussion, byPacFltShooter Wed Oct 28, 2020 9:00 am, byPacFltShooter Wed Oct 28, 2020 5:36 pm, byPacFltShooter Wed Oct 28, 2020 6:46 pm, byPacFltShooter Wed Oct 28, 2020 8:45 pm, byPacFltShooter Wed Nov 04, 2020 4:50 pm. Starting being near 3gr - ish. No sh!t. What I have found most remarkable is how well some pistols that typically fling wide groups have clustered the semiwadcutters. When I finally took the plunge and started handloading (FIRST SHOTS WITH HANDLOADING: How Hard Can It Be? Don't know of any bullets like that. September 2015 S.W.A.T. So I expect recoil would be substantial and not very target-ish. I have found that some powder coated bullets which are the same weight as lead, feel quite punchy out of the gun. Larry Gibson "Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing." Nikola Tesla 01-30-2020, 01:43 PM #9 Mr_Flintstone Boolit Buddy Join Date Jan 2020 Location It is always higher when powder is next to primer. Generally, I'm looking for a load that produces accuracy from approx. (Inceptor) Diameter: 0.357" Powder: CFE Pistol (Hodgdon) Primer: WIN WSP Case: WIN Trim Length: 1.145" C.O.L. I use 3.2 gr Bullseye to push a 125 gr cast along at 750 - 775 fps in the 38 SPL from 5 and 6" barreled revolvers. You can always back off to the .32 S&W Long or .32 H&R Mag if you choose to. The .38 Special's MAP is 17,000 psi, whereas for the .38 Special +P it is 20,000 psi. My Lyman 49th has data for 125 gr JHP and 120 gr LRN. There really is a recently developed technology that prevents leading, while eliminating messy lubricants. Groups with these loads ranged from 1.25 inches to just under two inches at 25 yards across a handful of pistols. But you guys need to practice more. The manufacturing process of swaged bullets requires relatively soft lead for two reasons. Ethan Johns is a military professional with worldwide experience in specialized units. .38 will take care of nearly any critter that needs dispatching feral cats, raccoon, armadillo, even wait for it. 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. Components add up to far less than even generic grade factory ammo. Content . One cool load Im working on is two pellets of 000 Buck. This is good, because the snub takes a lot of practice to have a consistent capability. However recoil will be the limiting factor especially for the short line. The .44 spl. When using a 158 gr. Eventually somebody introduced me to tungsten carbide resizing dies, after which case life became near indefinite. 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. Anyway, you are probably right that the revolver guys trend towards the older end of the spectrum, but I think some of the younger guys are starting to catch on to the magic of wheel guns. SASS# 85224. Hornady What I learned after 50 years of shooting and reloading 38spl cases some where around 100 thousands rounds. 2.7 GR WST IS TOO LIGHT FOR THE 50 YD LINE. Dont know where #1 Buckshot can be found, but the Speer shot cups and UNIQUE powder currently easy enough to find. Ask your Dealer, or call Hodgdon), has a Cowboy Load section, (near the center fold), that lists data for about all SASS calibers. Bullseye is the best powder I have found for 38 special. You are spot on about Trail Boss, that stuff is magical with cast reloads. Your link has been automatically embedded. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. rattlesnake of a revolver made me bleed. Thanks very much to LarryinTX for that! I am loath to shoot several cylinders of standard pressure/velocity .38 Special 125 grain bullets out of a Smith and Wesson Model 642 revolver (or similar). If I do carry a revolver its my 642 with a laser grip in my right front pocket or my SW model 69 5 shot 44 mag. Depends on what kind of load you're after. Their biggest use is in making screws and small bolts. 148-grain wadcutter brings accuracy that begs the shooter to test their limits. Both have fed 100% in a variety of pistols and have shot very well. (Note: These are near maximum loads (in some cases ARE MAXIMUM), you should use 10%. One cool load Im working on is two pellets of 000 Buck.. It doesnt appear like there is much of an advantage in using WST with lighter weight bullets. VihtaVuori Oy Company, reloading booklet (1995) Numerous magazine articles on reloading special calibers and personal loads where noted. Start conservative if you wish. defensive ammo. The same volume of BE will weigh much more than than same volume of WST. And if youre doing that with a snub.let me know I wanna watch you shoot em. I did find a 145 grain Lead HP with a rounded ogive (like the last NyClad) on Gunbroker that opens really well if you get above 800 fps. I never really set my sights, in a manner of speaking, on the .38 cartridge like I did other rounds. 5 are good choices. head I use 3.2gr. Ive also switched from lead to Berrys Preferred copper plated bullets. The best part about this is that not only do you never really lose your fired cases, but you they are always in great condition. Here's what the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook says for cast 125g flatpoint for 38 in the powders you mentioned. Think a lot of people would find that a .44 special or .45 Colt, in a decent revolver, a viable alternate to a pistol. I'm planning to use Alliant's Unique powder to reload with 125 grain flat point jacketed bullets from Berry's and Winchester small pistol primers. If you havent taken a look at what the .38 Special offers, youre selling yourself short. A bullet with a copper gas check or copper plating is best for INDOOR ranges to keep lead vapors out of the air. Just look for a lead remover tool with bronze screens. Yes I do have a few of the older high quality classic revolvers not the current made Cast Iron garbage that is being vomited out today. Wadcutters are tailor made for lightweight snubbie practice, allowing shooters to enjoy shooting the pocket guns. I was hoping I could use this combo to make use of available components. I get okay accuracy with 4.4 of W-W 231 and 125s, depending on what bullet is used. Some people then claimed SAAMI raised the 357 Mag to 45,000. My other son fired one shot and handed it back. In the 1950s, 60s. It is also one of the most pleasurable loads a shooter can touch off. The powder charges used for .38 are forgiving. Clear editor. Most of these are at the upper end. Not as easy to find brass these days as it is not the most popular round anymore. I love a nice, full-size .357 Magnum on the range because it is so easy to train new shooters on. The 9mm Bullseye load is a good stand-in for either training or match ammo, with the velocity putting the power factor comfortably over the minimum for action sports without too much extra oomph. Winchesters 231 or WSL are also good powders for the .38 special. Of course, these will be used in a revolver. The 38 Special, practically snubnose 38 Specials, seem to do their best work with bullets right around the 155-160 grain range. Love my 642 for concealed carry, but have an SP101 (also a snubby) in .38 special (only) for use on the range. (Same issue found with a 12 oz. Speer shows 3.9 to 4.5 grains for a double end lead wadcutter but I'm thinking that may be a little strong for a plated bullet. And if youre doing that [shooting 158 grain bullets at 1200 fps muzzle velocity] with a snub.let me know I wanna watch you shoot em. @ Grumpy- I tried LOTS of grips on S&W revolvers. My Ruger LCR .357 Magnum is pleasant to shoot even with full pressure loads. I realized that I had hit a very special count for a very special cartridge: 20,000 rounds of .38 Special. If you can follow simple instructions, you can safely load this cartridge. 110gr JHP! The proof pressure MAP specified by SAAMI is 29,500 psi for both rounds. Magtech Sport Shooting, 38 Special, 125 Grain, Full Metal Jacket, Flat, 50 Round Box 38Q Something like the Ruger GP100 or S&W 686 yup, theyre the best caliber for those size revolvers. Maybe its just my age, but I may never shoot a 38 again after discovering the 32. I found the plated wadcutters to have NO accuracy. In several of the guns, the old standby couldnt quite duplicate the level of precision they exhibit with current production wadcutters from Black Hills or Winchester, but in each case, the load shot close to or right on the sights and nearly held the X ring. TITEGROUP AND 125GR 38 SPECIAL LOAD DATA Ammunition-Gunsmithing Reloading Forum Register Notices Consider Becoming A Supporting Member Click HERE For The Benefits Reloading All Reloading Topics Go Here Thread Tools Display Modes # 1 01-24-2016, 05:38 AM RONALD HENSLEY Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Waynesville NC Posts: 114 Likes: 12 110gr JHP! less to start.) butt 686 shipped w/ Hogue monogrips, discarded immediately due to pronounced finger grooves. Thinking of using it in NRA Action pistol or PPC. So if you find a "lead" load it is also a plated load. I only wish the brass was more available locally. Agree Problem with the J frame S&W is the grips. I found it to be a nice blend of accuracy, soft recoil, and sure functioning, with enough spice behind it to reliably topple steel targets. [ARCHIVED THREAD] - 5.0 gr unique with berry's 125gr = .38 Special squibs (solved ! I use Bullseye powder but it's about the same burn rate. The beauty of shooting a .38 is that you can easily practice at the ranges you'd fight at using basically any cheap bullet at minimal expense. Don't worry too much about lead/coated/plated/jacketed. If all you practice with is the easy comfortable stuff, its not really practice. Some use powders dispersed in liquids, some use electrostatic guns to spray dry powder on their bullets. My M60 came w/ factory banana grips- open back, long enough for pinkie rest but too small in girth behind the trigger guard. I favor the appearance of the C/T load and find it slightly easier to grab and orient in the loading process. 38 Special 125 gr XTP American Gunner Item #90324 | 25/Box The American Gunner line of ammunition is a collection of tried-and-true, versatile loads that are popular with shooters for their target shooting, hunting or self-defense needs. It is easy to load in progressive presses and has commercially available options from virtually all modern manufacturers. This would be for plinking for my wife's ~3" Rossi, so something light and fun to shoot would be great. 32 S&W Long 15,000 I completely understand the respect for the performance of the 327 Fed, but not being a big fan of the 357 Mag (or 38 SPL plus P for that matter) I havent been drawn to the 327. I think you will find since the .38 special is headspaced on the rim your case length is very important to achieve your best accuracy. As an old bullseye guy I've stuck with Bullseye powder for almost 30yearsusing lead bullets. I use 2.8-3.0 grains of Bullseye or AA#2 with 158 gr. Does anyone have any data. I have not loaded plated bullets in quite some time, since they are not useful for my accuracy needs. But I think I was still loading the cases from that first box when I quit loading 18 years later! Power Pistols works well in short auto cartridges and higher pressure cartridges but no so well with a 158 grain bullets in 38 Special. Paste as plain text instead, DISTINGUISHED LOADS SUCK - Distinguished Revolver loads that don't suck? THAT TIME IS BETTER SPENT LEARNING HOW TO SHOOT THE REVOLVER IN THE RAPID FIRE PORTION. Min Charge Max Charge Optimal Charge Bullet Make Bullet Type Primer Notes; Hodgdon - 700-X: 125 gr. Bullseye and NRA Distinguished Revolver Hehe, back before Nick skimmed down. Ok, will the bullet easily pass thru the cylinder throat, if so, you need the next larger size bullet dia. Bullseye 3.2gr / 763fps --> 4.2gr / 892fps (max), Unique 4.3gr / 773fps --> 5.3gr / 944fps (max), 231 3.9gr / 733fps --> 4.8gr / 896pfs (max). Ive been shooting them for 50 years. Also some WSF. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Pick up any current gun magazine and youll be inundated with images of sexy black rifles. 357 Magnum 35,000 I once rented a Ruger LCR in .38 Special. I started reloading 38 special as my first cartridge 8 years ago when I was 22, soooo.I have an old mans soul? Nickle cases look pretty but dont seem to take the number of resizings that plain brass cases do. 9.) I can shoot this load at speeds I cant normally reach with .45. is so simple. It has been many years since I used a Lee Loader and a wooden mallet to reload 8mm Mauser. These are the bullets I bought: 158 gr from Roze dist. (bullseyeforum.net). Would .44 Special be somewhat similar to .38, in terms of ease of reloading, case life, etc.? All the data says this should be an OK load , even "mid-range" for non +p. I thought the DR program was NRA, not CMP. Times across steel plate racks and many of my standard drills with the 200-grain SWCs rival my best easy-shooting 9mm results. It seems to burn completely in the .38 and is not as critical as the faster powders like Bullseye. 38 spl.s. Not all guns are created equal. Three in particular proved as good as their longstanding reputations would indicate. You will be, essentially, making 38 Short Colt. Dont get me wrong: I think the Smith and Wesson Model 642 Airweight revolver is an outstanding self-defense (concealed carry) revolver and you wont feel/care about how snappy/unpleasant the recoil may be in a real self-defense event. Bullseye is a little smoky, a lot sooty, and has a distinct odor. At one time or another, I also owned and shot a M38 Bodyguard (nka the 638), a M37 Chiefs Special (now the 637), a M60 (which is a tad heavier but no more user-friendly), and a couple of others. .38 special has got to be one of the best calibers there is . My hand ached for a week. If she had shot more, I would have probably bought another set of dies, to prevent the need for changing adjustments between the two. . I have tested lots and lots of different bullet and found them all to be great. Everyone here who has tried plated bullets including myself, have had disappointing results in accuracy. How can I tell if they are cast or swaged? We look at three classics: one each in .45 ACP, .38 Special, and 9mm. would also bridge the gap that the .38 versus .357 have in defensive loads. That isnt unique to Bullseye, but is certainly more pronounced with the relatively small charges required. 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. 38 special , bullseye, and 125 grain lead rnfp Handloading, Reloading, and Bullet Casting : The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > Handloading, Reloading, and . In half a dozen different sixguns, it ranged from accurate to spectacular. Winchester 231 is between Bullseye and Unique for the .38 special (see my personal load above). 2.9 of Clays is soft enough and dead accurate at 50yds. I routinely use only two powders: Trail Boss and Titegroup. (See note on Powders below or read all about various Powders.). Most starting .357 reloading powder levels will fall in this .38 +P+ type reload, and the powder being used can be selected (faster or slower) based on barrel length. Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 9 customer ratings. Some medium fast powders would work with lighter weight bullets. My grandkids think Im pulling their leg, when I tell them about the freedoms that NIMBYs took away. Its worth mentioning that loaders do all kinds of obsessive rituals to squeeze the groups down. 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. This is not loaded 9mm ammo. L6: 1.550 inch = 39.37 mm Barrel Length : 2.0 inch = 50.8 mm Powder : Hodgdon HP38 Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge, incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge. Also, too light loads don't allow the bullet to seal the gases causing problems. The only reason that my standard (everyday carry) self-defense handgun is not a .38 Special revolver is because I can conceal a semi-auto better (it isnt as fat as the cylinder on a revolver) and my semi-auto has 15 rounds of hard-hitting 180 grain bullets. 2.7 gr. Below, are three loaded rounds. The design of this modern revolver makes the SW guns seem archaic. 4.2 gr. My J frame S&Ws are all older models, and came with the small grips that are still on some models. This Cast Reloading Bullet feeds great in automatics and has excellent accuracy in both the 9mm and 38 Super. want me to write up an article about 3d printed .38 special bullets that Ive been working? 1.) Each of the classic loads is also economical. Super cheap and easy to make and would likely be a very effective defense ammo against wildlife that might be a threat to me as the two balls will spread an inch or two from each other at close range. You will find plenty of Red Dot loads there. These have a good profile- longer at the top where the middle finger rides, and shorter where the pinkie rests. I reached an interesting number the other day. This pistol uses the .38 Special with a Remington wadcutter bullet seated flush with the case mouth. Note the dark band of lube on the 3 lead bullets. 110gr JHP! Me too! Home About Partners Contact. I load a hard cast 125gn for my 38 special all the time. Most DNR (Do Not Reduce) loads are well over 900-fps. * With the powders you listed I would try Bullseye, 231, and Unique in that order. That being the case, I truly NEED as much ammunition as possible and the ability to defeat soft barriers such as auto windshields, sheet metal, drywall, doors, etc. With a charge of only 3.1 grains of Winchester 231 powder, velocities run around 750 to 800 fps with good accuracy and mild recoil. Soft shooting. . They have a large selection about the hard cast loads from 90 to 170 gains. The Bullseye powder pushed five into two inches flat for another 1911 that is typically a four-inch gun.