Need advice for light 38 special load for wife

[seabreeze133]

Wife has had some health issues (age 76) and has become somewhat recoil sensitive.

She has a Charter 38 special 2.5" that she likes (pink of course ))and I would like to load something in the 600 to700 fps range with 130gr TC cast for fam fire.

I have Unique, WSF, and HP38, Red Dot and some Bullseye. WST is available in my area.

She has some of the Hornady Lite 38 special loads for carry.

Sad news is she was a REALLY good shot just a few years ago.

Any advice would be appreciated.

seabreeze

[Kestrel4k]

Sounds like you've already decided on the 130's, but my first thought are those neat little 100gr wadcutters; they should make more of a difference for minimum recoil than powder choice; plus, that light of a projectile can get by with a lighter propellant charge.

Red Dot & Bullseye are natural powders for this; of your six powder choices I'd pass on the Unique & WSF.

Edit: I'm not a caster, so Penn is my bible:

.38 Caliber 100 Grain Double Bevel Base Wadcutter
A simple balanced design that generates ultra low recoil in .38's. and excellent accuracy. Originally designed for new women shooters who were getting into shooting for the first time for self defense. Since most self defense instructors would recommend a .38 revolver for novice shooters (remember the Lady Smith line from S&W?) they wanted a bullet that would generate the lowest recoil possible and this bullet delivers it. It wasn't too long after its introduction that competitive shooters in PPC (Police Practical Course) picked up on the bullet to lower their recoil and recovery time. There are some reloaders who have even double stacked these in .357 cases as a self defense round that generates double impact on the target. All in all a great little bullet.

[Outpost75]

My concern is that lighter bullets in revolvers usually shoot much lower in point of impact, and depending what your Charter Arms was targeted with a the factory, shot placement may not be acceptable at defense ranges.

I would suggest using ordinary 148-grain target wadcutters, as having moderate recoil, deep penetration and good crush characteristics which do not depend upon expansion. For low-recoil practice ammunition the powder charge can be reduced to as little as 2 grains of Bullseye or Titegroup and with the deeply seated, flush wadcutter bullet the free airspace in the case will not be objectionable and ballistic uniformity will not be impaired.

Overall I think this will be MUCH more satisfactory than trying to load lighter bullets with reduced powder charges resulting in large amounts of free airspace in the case.

[seabreeze133]

Thanks for the advice. I do have a lot of wadcutter bullets from previous toys.

seabreeze

[jcren]

I have used a lot of unique for reduced-very reduced 38 special. I will say that around 3 grains becomes squib country with standard primers, but mag primers are reliable down to 2.4 under a 125 grain rf that is a pop gun with enough grunt for yard critters.

[rintinglen]

I taught my daughters to shoot with 358-101 75 grain Wadcutters over 2.5 grains of Bullseye. Recoil doesn't get much lighter.
For your 130 grain boolit, I'd try 3 grains of Red Dot or Bullseye, or 3.3 grains of HP-38. Should deliver about 650-700 FPS but the cases might be a little sooty. Be sure to crimp well for a good burn.

[dverna]

2.7 gr of Clays is accurate in my pistols and rifles. You may want to try 2.9 gr of HP38

[ShooterAZ]

For powder puff loads for the wife or kids I use the LEE 38 105 SWC. 3.0 to 3.5 grains of most any fast burning pistol powder is just the ticket for light loads with that one. The LEE 38 148 WC is another good one for us. 2.5 to 3 grains of Bullseye works well and recoil is very light.

[Piedmont]

If the point of impact is OK with the 130s, remember you can turn any bullet around and deep seat it. Your TC cone shape would become a boat tailed wadcutter.

[reddog81]

I've used Bullseye for light loads with success. The biggest concern will be making sure the bullets leave the bore.

Using a magnum primer and moderate to heavy crimp might help ensure sufficient ignition.

I'm not familiar with the charter arms frame size but a larger gun might be easier to hold, shoot, and adsorb recoil better.

[rexherring]

I've loaded quite a few Lee 125 RNFP with Trail Boss for a friends wife and they are a joy to shoot. For my plinking load I load the same bullet with 3 grs of BE

[Hardcast416taylor]

Using the 148 gr. WC boolets and HP-38 powder with a 3.0 gr. charge is still an attention getter, if necessary yet fun to shoot.Robert

[Mauser48]

148 grain wadcutter and 2.4 grains of 700x.

[Lead Fred]

The Mrs here shoots 5gr Unique pushing a 158gr Elmer Keith hollow point.

[quilbilly]

I've loaded quite a few Lee 125 RNFP with Trail Boss for a friends wife and they are a joy to shoot. For my plinking load I load the same bullet with 3 grs of BE

Excellent load and boolit for the ladies not accustomed to shooting much or a fun practice load for anyone.

[Sean357]

My wife likes the lower recoil loads. When she had her Charter Undercover I loaded 155 gr WC over 700X and it shot really well out of that revolver. I adjusted the load for a 148 gr wadcutter out of Lyman's cast bullet manual. Can't remember the charge right now and not in state so can't look. But it was very low recoil and accurate.

Sent from my XT1030 using Tapatalk

[ohiochuck]

These may help you .
Jim
http://www.castbulletassoc.org/forum/view_topic.php?id=1383&forum_id=4

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-496743.html

http://shilohtv.com/?p=9430

[Moonie]

When my wife took her concealed carry class I loaded up some 125gr Lee RNFP boolits with a light load of Clays, she used my 6" stainless security six. She really liked shooting it.

[plainsman456]

I use 3.2 grains of red dot with my 158 grain boolits in my 38 spl.

My hand likes them.

[country gent]

The old NRA bullseye load for pitol matches was very soft recoil and extremely accurate and ran in the velocity range you want. It was a 148 grn hollow based wadcutter and 2.7 grns of bullseye. Vey accurate and soft shooting was accurate to 50 yds also. I would siuspect your 130 grn bullet over a similar charge would be as good.