how about the 38 special

[white eagle]

anyone load and cast for this?
I am going to pick up a used Smith and wanted to know what to try
like boolit weights and powders to look @

[Wally]

This caliber is seldom loaded anymore...few of us bother as we prefer the larger magnums, the 9mm and the .40 S & W..however for the sake of nostalgia, I have been know to load a few rounds with Bullseye or Unique powder using a Lee 105 SWC, 125 RNF & the 140 SWC. Many seem to like a a 148 WC, a 158 RN and/or a 158 SWC....probably few do so anymore.

[gunfan]

You make it sound as if the .38 S&W Special is obsolete. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is as effective, no, more effective today than it was in 1969. Then came Lee Jurras and his Super Vel ammunition (the original high velocity, jacketed hollow point ammunition).

Scott

[Shooter]

3 grains of Bullseye and a 158 grain semi-wadcutter worked in 1900, and still works.

[gmsharps]

I guess I'm just an old stick on the mud. I have a S&W 52 38spl that shoots better than I can and really enjoy my S&W 586 shooting 38spl's out of it. I load a 70gr WC for training new shooters till they are ready to move up. In the 586 I usually shoot a 158gr SWC. I also have Browning B92 in 357 that I shoot a 173gr SWC out if it to have the longer over all length to be able to feed through it. Due to my present location I do not recall the exact loads but I use Bullseye a lot. I have the magnums also but the 38spl has a very special place in my shooting.

[Dan Cash]

The .38 Special is very special and perhaps the most versatile cartridge ever developed. Little light weight bullets with tiny or hefty powder charges on one end of the spectrum through 148 and 158 grain bullets in the middle and 180 to 200 grainers on the upper end. They all work well and fill a particular niche. Would I want to take on bears and moose with one, no, but the cartridge has killed them. For personal defense, target shooting and just plain fun shooting the .38 Special has at least another 100 years to live.

[smoked turkey]

I have an old S&W K-38. Both of us, the K and me, like the .38 spl. One of the most versatile calibers I have found. I can enjoy it in the K-38 or rod it up a little bit in the M-28 Highway Patrolman. I have taken quite a few snakes and such with the shot loads I make. All in all I wouldn't want to be without one.

[Sasquatch-1]

This caliber is seldom loaded anymore...few of us bother as we prefer the larger magnums, the 9mm and the .40 S & W..however for the sake of nostalgia, I have been know to load a few rounds with Bullseye or Unique powder using a Lee 105 SWC, 125 RNF & the 140 SWC. Many seem to like a a 148 WC, a 158 RN and/or a 158 SWC....probably few do so anymore.

I would venture to say that if you did a poll of the members here that a good 50 to 60% would say they own a .38 spl and load for it. You might even have quite a few more who load .38 for their .357's.

I load a 158 grn SWC with about 4.5 grns of Unique right now.

[bruce drake]

My most favorite revolver cartridge is 38 Special. Its not obsolete and is very effective as a self-defense load as well.

358311 (160gr) round nose over 4.4gr of Unique is my preferred loading.

Bruce

[Jack Stanley]

I load it ... and sometimes a lot . Bullets for me start with the double ended wadcutter and a moderate charge of Bullseye . Continue with a hundred fifty-eight grain round nose or semi-wadcutter ( 358311 , 358477 ) and a plus "P" charge of Unique . Then on to a hundred eighty-five grain LBT FN style with Unique driving it .

I have a two hundred grain round nose that I intend to try out . But I have a cleanup project going on so it will take a little work to fit that testing into the schedule .

What will your gun like in powder and bullets ?? Hmmmmm .... Something faster than 2400 for powder and lighter than two twenty-five grain in bullets

Jack

[dragonrider]

I don't like to use 38 specials in my 357, so I do not load for it. But if I had, and I expect I will someday, a 38 special revolver I would load it.

[EMC45]

158gr. bullet over 3gr. Bullseye. Can shoot them by the bucket and not get tired of 'em.

[fecmech]

how about the 38 special
anyone load and cast for this?

Maybe 6-8K per year.

[MGySgt]

Lets see at last count- 2 Ruger LCR's, 2 Model 28's, 2 Ruger Security Six's, 1 S&W mod 60 (3 in with adjustable sites) - seems as if I am missing one or 2.

different loads for different reasons. Lyman 358311 (158 RN), 358477 (150gr SWC, multiple moulds for this one, SC, DC and 4C) , lee 158 RNFP, couple of other mould I forgot I had.

Powders - Unique, Bullseye, 231.

Have SC 358477 that I had Buckshot HP, I cast that one with 40-1 and load with Unique.

Load them by the thousands - shoot them that way to!

[x101airborne]

Ja.... 38 spl is my #1 loaded cartrige. I load probably 4 thousand a year. I use them in my 357's and my 38's. Anytime I am just plinking around, you can almost bet I am carrying a 38 of some sort. I think I have 5 dedicated 38 and two 357's.
I like my plainbase 158 grain flat point over a hefty charge of unique. I dont have to worry about over pressuring my model 10's and they shoot well in my 357's. I have taken hogs, coyotes, nuisance birds, rats, rabbits, squirrels, possums, skunks, coons, and even taken one butcher steer with a head shot. I would NEVER EVER have a gun safe without a 38 in it. Yes, it is marginal for some uses, but it covers such a wide variety of applications that it is truly indespensable.

[subsonic]

What's a .38 special? Some wildcatt based on the .357?

[Alan in Vermont]

What's a .38 special? Some wildcatt based on the .357?

You're joking, right?

Actually it is the tabbycat that the 357 was wildcatted from.

[Love Life]

What model smith? Try the following:

Lyman 358477
Lyman 358429
Lee 358-125-RF

I use a +p Charge of Unique in all of them. I seldom load 357 magnum anymore. The 38 special with the aproppriate bullet weight handles everything I need when roaming near the house.

[Char-Gar]

anyone load and cast for this?
I am going to pick up a used Smith and wanted to know what to try
like boolit weights and powders to look @

Posts like them force me to realize just how much this country has changed. I would have though asking a handgun reloader if he reloaded for the 38 Special would be about the same as asking if he wore pants.

1. Nominal bullet weight is 150-160 grains.
2. Lots of good SWC and RN bullets in that range.
3. My best accuracy comes from Lyman 358311
4. Favorte SWC is Cramer No. 12. It is out of print so Lyman 358477 is what I would buy today.
5. Favorite powders are Bullseye and Unique, but AA5 is very good also.
6. Serious target work: 2.7-2.9 Bullseye/148 HBWC or 358311 if clean holes are not important.
7. Small game: 3.5/Bullsye with any good solid base WC or SWC. Past 50 yards the SWC is the ticket.
8. Service and coyote size critters: 5 - 5.3 Unique

Notes:

1. I have 8 38 Special Smith and Colt sixguns
2. I have 6 Smith and Ruger 357 mag. sixguns
3. I shoot 38s in the .357s and have no problems or issues with doing so
4. It would take a lot of counting back over 50 years, but I have loaded and fired many hundreds of thousands of 38 Special rounds. I fired 100 rounds three days ago.
5. 97% of what we want a handgun to do, can be done with a properly loaded 38 Special.
6. Carbide sizing dies suck..they size too small and work the brass to much.

[Char-Gar]

[QUOTE=Wally;1726067]This caliber is seldom loaded anymore...few of us bother as we prefer the larger magnums, the 9mm and the .40 S & W..however for the sake of nostalgia, I have been know to load a few rounds with Bullseye or Unique powder using a Lee 105 SWC, 125 RNF & the 140 SWC. Many seem to like a a 148 WC, a 158 RN and/or a 158 SWC....probably few do so anymore.[/QUOT

You live in under a rock somewhere?