Fav 38 spec generic load

[Divil]

Right now I am becoming fond of 5.3gr. Of Unique under my 36-127-Q bullet. The bullet weights a nominal 128gr. with hardball alloy and is tumble lubed with LLA and Rooster jacket. My .38 Special only GP-100’s shoot them great. This may be a touch warm for an alloy framed revolver. It is responsible for the group pictured in my Avitar.

[bedbugbilly]

Mine is another vote for the traditional 3.5 grains of Bulls Eye under a 158 grain RN or SWC.

I use the Ideal/Lyman 358-311 or the Lee 158 grain tumble lubed SWC. I'm "low tech" - I cast out of range lead purchased from members here and tumble lube in Alox/paste wax.

Both shoot very well from my revolvers and when used in rifle.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I've got a 148 gr. TL full wc mold from Accurate. Going to try 3.1 of Bullseye and see how my 1956 K-38 likes it. Sized to .358 because that is what the throats are. Lubed with JPW and Alox. Maybe use just a hint of crimp in the first groove. I have little doubt it will be a good load. Nice when you get everything together for a revolver (bullet style, alloy, size, lube and powder) and can just crank out the rounds. Both my new to me SBH and 24-3 fell into line right off the bat. With winter coming it will be revolvers as opposed to auto loaders.


18 shots at 15 yds. offhand. Got no reason to shoot anything else out of this revolver. Zero leading. This alloy was half coww and half pure with some tin.

[Buckeyeguy]

I am another w231 guy, 4.0 grains and a 158 grain swc. I have shot thousands of this load in several revolvers and it always works well