.38 spl pb boolits and 2400?

[samwithacolt]

So I'm running low on unique(pistol powder is non-existant in Canada it seems).
I'm saving my last pound of unique for my .40 cals. I have a couple of pounds of Alliant 2400, gonna use that for some other cartridges that I was using unique in.
I know it's more a .357 magnum powder, but what's your thoughts on reduced loads of 2400 in .38 spl? I'm planning on loading some 11 or 12 gr loads under my plain base 150 gr cast boolits. Will I go to hell? Will the sky fall in? I can't get unique or bullseye, so these are desperate times.
This is for a 6" taurus 66 .357.

[Outpost75]

You cannot load #2400 powder in the .38 Special without exceeding the industry standard maximum average pressure.

There are people who do so for .357 guns, and if your Taurus .357 is the only revolver you have in this caliber, you could cautiously load 10-11 grains under a 150-grain plainbased bullet, but be advised that pressure will exceed 20kpsi and that the practice is not generally recommended.

That being said, I use similar loads in my Ruger .38 Special revolvers with no issues, but I do not recommend that you do it in your Taurus, even though it may not be dangerous in a sturdy .357 gun. If you choose to do so you will be on your own nickel.

[fecmech]

The world won't end but do yourself a favor when you eject the empties and keep the muzzle up. This will keep all the unburned kernels of 2400 from getting under your extractor star and binding up the cylinder. 2400 does not burn clean in the 20KPSI range!

[samwithacolt]

Thanks guys. This might be a stupid question. If I am using a reduced load and 2400 likes higher pressure, would magnum primers help it burn cleanly or would they raise the pressure even more? I have a bunch of magnum primers.

[Larry Gibson]

Having pressure tested 2400 in the 38 SPL under the 150 gr 358477 I found 10.5 gr of 2400 produced the MAP of 17,000 psi for the 38 SPL. I used a WSP primer in R-P cases with a heavy crimp in the bullet's crimp groove for an OAL of 1.485". Using 11 gr put the psi into +P range. I did not find accuracy to be the best or even acceptable.

However, if one is using such loads with 38 SPL cases in a 38/44 or 357 Magnum handgun then the 358156 seated out to the second crimp groove over 14 gr of 2400 is an excellent load. The 358477 over 13.5 gr is also excellent. Both are definitely magnum level loads with psi's in the 28K - 30K+ range......definitely too much for .38 SPL revolvers.

Larry Gibson

[Slenk]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...mer-Keith-Load

[Char-Gar]

I have been around the track with the 38 Special a few time, and I would counsel you to save the 2400 for 357 Magnum loads and hunt up a more suitable powder for the 38 Special. I favor Bullseye, but 231, AA5 and Unique also do well. Probably some others I have not tried as well.

Powder is out there, although it takes some hunting. I picked up a couple of pounds of Bullseye at my local dealer two weeks ago.

[bhn22]

How is shotgun powder availability in Canada? Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious, but most shotgun marked powders do double duty as pistol powders.

[samwithacolt]

I have Titewad and Winchester 296. I had been using Unique for buckshot and slugs but I dumped what was left in my Loadall into my progressive .40 press.

[rintinglen]

3.3 grains of Titewad gave me a nice standard velocity 158 grain load with the 358-311 Lyman. It should easily fulfill most all of your 38 Special needs.
I have tried Titewad with good results in the 32 ACP 1.7 grains with a 70 grain Cast HP, the 32 S&W Long with 1.9 grains under a RCBS 32-98 boolit. 2.4 grains-2.7 grains of it give excellent results with a H&G 50 WC boolit in 38 special. This is the best purpose I have yet found for it; it meters well and gives results comparable to those obtained with WW231 and Bullseye. I have now shot several hundred of these with 2.5 grains and it works very well.
This powder heats up fast. The spread between ok and Whoa is not great. I absolutely do not recommend it for top end loads. It seems very similar to Clays in that respect.

[EdS]

As suggested earlier, many shotgun powders work well for reduced pressure loads with boolits. Several of my .38 Special and .357 Magnum revolvers shoot very accurately with 150 gr to 160 gr boolits ahead of 3.7 gr - 3.8 gr of 700X in .38 Special brass lit by WSP primers. I indicated a weight range because for volume loading I drop powder from a Redding measure with a "pistol" rotor. -Ed

[Low Budget Shooter]

Yes, use your Titewad! I'm near desperate for some 2400, can't get any around here right now, and was just about to burst into tears over two pounds of 2400 wasted on some .38 plinkers!!! LBS