Best +P .38 snubbie loads?

[Blackwater]

Guys, I just acquired an old 2nd. model Colt Detective Special 2", and it's been a long time since I shot many .38's. I used to carry a M-60 Smith in an ankle holster, and used 7.6 gr. Blue Dot under a soft lead 158 gr. LSWCHP, and it was about the best load I've shot in a 2" .38. It's heavy, but I never intended to fire very many of these - just enough to get POI firmly established in single and double action. Thereafter, it was strictly a defensive load, with only occasional use to dispatch snakes, etc.

Data varies quite a bit for these loads, with an old Lyman manual REALLY showing some rather scary loads (at least for a guy like me who wants his gun to last a long, long time). HS-6 looks to be a good prospect for propellant, though I don't have any and can't find any in stock right now.

Who has used HS-6, and who has some real killer diller loads for the .38 snubbies? I'll be trying the old 142 gr. Lee HP (labeled 358-150-SWC), Lyman's 358156 in both solid and HP format, and the Lyman 358429. Thanks for any experience/insight you can provide. Please, only +P loads here only. Thanks.

[MarkP]

I have been loading NOE 360-180 HP's (173 gr) with Power Pistol for a S&W 637 & 642, 2" M-64

[Outpost75]

Unless your DS is one of the post 1975 models with short grip frame and full underlugged barrel it is not +P rated, and you will shoot it loose within about 500 rounds of factory +P loads.

More complete and authoritative info at this link: http://www.grantcunningham.com/coltammo.html

[HATCH]

I do 4.7 grains unique with a 125 boolit

[bruce drake]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?133352-what-load-for-38-special-200-gr-LRN

Slow and Heavy!!! I use a 4.1gr load of Unique for my 200gr RN 38 Special loads for the wife's home defense pistol when I am on the road. It will drop a bad guy quite well. It almost replicates some 200gr 45ACP loads I use in my 1911.

[MtGun44]

This one works well for me.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=52430&d=1307446037

The penetration in ballistic gelatin will be about 9.5"


Another good one is 6 gr of Power Pistol.

Bill

[fecmech]

A +1 on Power Pistol. I think it's tops for max speed at safe pressures in the .38 spl with the 158 SWC.

[Loudenboomer]

3.5 gr of bullseye under an upside down 148 gr hollow base wad cutter will work nicely for you.

[JeffinNZ]

Hey Bill! You can recycle the lube from your recovered bullet!

[Digital Dan]

3.5 gr of bullseye under an upside down 148 gr hollow base wad cutter will work nicely for you.

Yes it will. Never quite understood the fascination with +P hoohaw.

[MtGun44]

Jeff,

Until now, I had not noticed that. Good lube - NRA 50-50, no leading.

With the 6 gr of Power Pistol load, same boolit, the whole nose blew off but the
base penetrated real well. I think it would be a great load, too, but maybe needs
a bit harder alloy or smaller cavity.

Bill

[dubber123]

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh83/dubber123/IMG_3149.jpg (http://s254.photobucket.com/user/dubber123/media/IMG_3149.jpg.html) Similar to Bills load. but I use enough Bullseye to prompt 850+ fps. from a 1-7/8" barrel. The weights listed are recovered weights, they start at 162 IIRC.

[rintinglen]

I use the MP 359640 HP that casts about 150 grains over 4.6 grains WW-231 or 5.0 grains of Unique for defense. For practice, I use 3.9 grains of WW-231 or 4.4 grains of Unique. For best expansion, use soft metal. I have some Rotometals 30-1 Pb, Sn that works ok, but 40 -1 should be a little mo' better.

[243winxb]

I like 5.5 gr Unique in 38 special with a 158 gr Lswc @ 800 fps out of these two. http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n420/joe1944usa/Saved%20stuff-private/CarryGuns.jpg

[35remington]

With most more recent data 4.7 grains Unique is considered standard pressure with a 158 SWC. Anything more is rated Plus P.

[Bigslug]

Slow and Heavy!!!

What he said. Go with one of the heavy (165 and up) grain slugs with a SWC or WFN profile and drive it at a level you find comfortable. No reason at all to abuse the old gun with +P ratings in order to get the necessary terminal performance.

[CplOswald74]

a good bullet will do the job.

[Outpost75]

Good info here

http://www.hensleygibbs.com/edharris/articles/Revisiting%20The%20Double-End%20Wadcutter%20and%20the%20FBI%20Load.htm

[harley45]

I have the MP molds 358156 and use HS6 to get about 800FPS from my MP 340. cast from 50/50 ww-pure it gives good expansion and will penetrate 3-4 water filled milk jugs. I'm happy with it but it is not a shoot all day load. Controllable but not the most pleasant thing to shoot!

[Larry Gibson]

Blackwater

As mentioned your " old 2nd. model Colt Detective Special 2" is not +P rated. Whether to use minimal amounts of +P ammo in it is your choice IMHO. I have loaded 38 SPL +P duplicates of the Winchester and Federal 150 LHPSWC "FBI" loads for years and they work just as well terminally as the factory loads. I use a 358156 or 358477 cast of 40-1 or pure lead and load them over 5.5 gr of Unique. I HP them with the Forster 1/8" HP tool to the 1st drive band. I have pressure tested that load (M43 Oehler with Contender test barrel) and they equal the factory +P loads at 18-19,000 psi +/- which is the SAAMI top end for 38 SPL +P. Factory 158 gr psi's ran 14,500 - 16,500.

Larry Gibson

[chill45100]

[QUOTE=Loudenboomer;2494750]3.5 gof bullseye under an upside down 148 gr hollow base wad cutter will work nicely for you.[/QUOTE

+1for the hbswc load