Trying to find lowest recoil 38 spl cb load

[kweidner]

+1 on the trail boss. Can't double charge virtually no report and recoil? as if !

[Dirty30]

please bro, 38 special really isnt more than a 22 for kick and just a little more noise.

.......BAH 3.6 gr of 2400 or 3 gr. of bullseye behind a 148gr. WC with a CCI 500 primer is a very wife friendly round. My wife practices with them in her cheif special. When she's travels it has speer gold dots in it and they will make a significantly nastier corps than a 22. Good job arming your wife with something she won't be afraid to shoot........bro.

[rsrocket1]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but some questions to ask are:
Is this your idea or her's to shoot the Airweight and is this supposed to be a SD gun or just a fun gun for the range?

I would guess that if this was supposed to be a fun gun for the range, you would have bought a .22LR so I assume this is more for self protection. Is this for daily carry or for the home?

If mainly for the home, you should have her try a bigger, heavier gun, maybe even a 357 magnum to shoot the 38's. She'd be surprised how much more a heavier gun absorbs the recoil of the same load.

If for daily carry, I guess you'd be constrained to a smaller, lighter frame. The problem is that a super light .38 load is hardly any better than a .380 or smaller and you have the disadvantage of the bulk from the cylinder.

If it's her idea to shoot and she is determined, then the recommended loads are good tools to work up to a full power defensive load. If not, then you might want to rethink your options.

[44magnum1979]

i am using the lee .360 round ball mold for some light plinker loads for my 38 special derringer they work quite nicely. about like shooting a 22lr

[Finster101]

Please don't take this the wrong way, but some questions to ask are:
Is this your idea or her's to shoot the Airweight and is this supposed to be a SD gun or just a fun gun for the range?

I would guess that if this was supposed to be a fun gun for the range, you would have bought a .22LR so I assume this is more for self protection. Is this for daily carry or for the home?

If mainly for the home, you should have her try a bigger, heavier gun, maybe even a 357 magnum to shoot the 38's. She'd be surprised how much more a heavier gun absorbs the recoil of the same load.

If for daily carry, I guess you'd be constrained to a smaller, lighter frame. The problem is that a super light .38 load is hardly any better than a .380 or smaller and you have the disadvantage of the bulk from the cylinder.

If it's her idea to shoot and she is determined, then the recommended loads are good tools to work up to a full power defensive load. If not, then you might want to rethink your options.

I'm not the OP, but my wife carries an SP-101 .357 she practices with some lighter .38 loads (105 swc or 158 wc what ever I have at the time) this gives her good sight picture and trigger practice. The last cylinder full when we leave the range is factory .357 loads so that she gets the feel for them as well. I am a firm believer that if you ever have to use your SD weapon that with the adrenaline you would never notice the recoil. Hope she or I never find out.

[dougader]

2.1 grains WW231 under a 148 grain hbwc is a gallery load that recoils like a 22lr; 2.5 grains WW231 under a 158 swc does about the same thing.

Caution, though, is warranted in selecting an area where the back stop is free from old tires or other such trash. My gf caught a 148 HBWC on her lip when one of her rounds hit an old tire and bounced right back at her. It didn't even break the skin, but it did swell a little and it hurt.

I also would be careful with long barreled revolvers because you might end up with a bullet stuck in the bore.

[QuickRick]

I will join those who have had success with the little Lee 105 SWC bullet. I taught my daughters how to shoot with this boolit ahead of 2.5 grns of 700-X. A very accurate combination with powder puff recoil. I now use the same bullet with 5.0 grns of 700-X as my favorite 38 Spec practice and small game load. From my 5 inch K frame Smith that load produces around 1,120 fps and nearly 300 foot pounds of ME. It is also available in the Lee 6 cavity mold which will produce a pile of boolits in no time....

[JohnnyFlake]

Trail Boss is excellent for working up light loads for cast/lead bullets.

[sigep749]

Going to give some of these a shot(pun intended) for my 6 year old.

[DerekP Houston]

3 gr. of bullseye behind a 148gr. WC

This is my standard plinking round, very easy to shoot.

[beechbum444]

3.5 gr of Universal under a 158 Gr lee TL lead bullet is a very light recoiling load.

[maclords]

125 grain and 2.5 red dot is a good load. No recoil in a 40 ounce gun.

[zomby woof]

I'm shooting a 125 boolit behind 2.7 WST at steel bowling pins. The crowd says they can see the boolits in flight. There is no recoil

[quilbilly]

I like Bullseye for light 38 SPL loads, 2.9-3.0 hrs accurate and recoil mild.

Me too

[therealhitman]

Switch to Bullseye and try 2.5 - 3 gr with that bullet...

Larry Gibson

I just keep remembering "2.7 and go to heaven".

[220]

Put a thread up a while back about light projectiles with very light powder charges in 38spl
works for me and I doubt you will find anything with less recoil

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...seated-boolits

[farmersamm]

K'kins (Kelly), practices with the Lee 105 SWC, atop 4.2gr HP-38. We use these in the little Taurus M85, Rossi 4", and rarely (if I'm out of mag rounds)in the GP100. These run around 800fps. Very good in the snubnose with a firm grip.

I don't like 38spl stuff in the GP because of sealing issues. Even +P loads seem to throw a lot of gas back around the case due to the dimensions of the chamber. Just my observation.

[farmersamm]

Dunno about "lady" rounds.

My "lady" works with me when it comes to handling the livestock, positioning steel for welding, and just about everything else around here. Between the two of us, we weigh a smidgeon less than about 5 sacks of feed. She's a very capable woman, with considerable strength, and drive. She handles it all.

Doesn't make sense to practice with stuff that isn't loaded in the house gun. Need to be able to hit with what's in the house.

But, then again...................... I figger anybody comes in the house at night better be wearing a white t-shirt, and give me time to get my glasses before the festivities begin Otherwise I just might hit the flat screen TV, and those things cost money.