38 special load advice

[newton]

I'm fixing to load a bunch of 38 special for some friends to shoot this weekend. I am using a lee 358-158 boolit. I'll be trying out Red Dot this time around with them also.

I do not plan to put checks on these, and they are just going to be shooting at targets and such. So I'm looking for a mild load. Also, an OAL if someone has found that a certain length is better than another.

Alliant says 3.4 grains max, but their OAL is based on the speer bullet. So any help here would be appreciated. Oh, the guns being used are a Ruger 442 airweight, it has less than a 2" barrel on it. And the other is a S&W, but not sure of the model. I'm thinking 4"-5" barrel.

Thanks for the help guys.

[Bonz]

According to my book...

158 Grain Lead Bullet - Red Dot - 3.0 gr (705 fps) - 3.4 gr (793 fps) with Min OAL 1.440

[FLINTNFIRE]

I am running 3.4 of promo , and it is a good load , promo being a weight for weight same as red dot , and I am using the 158 grain round nose and swc lee molds , however I am shooting them through S&W model 19 and ruger blackhawks

[MtGun44]

Ruger 442 airweight?????? You must mean a S&W 442 Airweight. In any case, if they
are recoild sensitive, a lighter boolit will help in addition to low powder charge.

Bill