Pressure question?

[Mtnfolk75]

Does anyone have any idea on pressure for the following?

.38 Special - 140 Grain Lee SWC

10.0 Grains 2400 - ?

10.5 Grains 2400 - ?

11.0 Grains 2400 - ?


I have a 16" Rossi 92 in Stainless & have found that using .38 Special versus .357 Magnum allows an extra round. I realize that using 13.5 in a .38 Special case is an old Keith Load for N frames, however I don't want to over stress my K frame .38's if one happens make it's way there ..... Thanx

BTW, am looking for 1000 - 1100 fps or so ......

[Larry Gibson]

As pressure tested by me with Oehler M43 using Contender test barrel;

Lyman 358477 (150 gr) of COWW +2 % tin/ Alliant 2400/R-P 38 SPL brass cases/ WSP primer/ 1.485" cartridge oal

10 gr; 15,000 psi(M43)

11 gr; 20,300 psi (M43)

12 gr; 24,800 psi(M43)

12.5 gr; 25,500 psi(M43)

13 gr; 27,100 psi(M43)

13.5 gr; 28,100 psi(M43)

On target accuracy at 25 yards and consistency of internal ballistics were not very good until 12 gr was used. With your lighter 140 gr cast bullet I would suspect 11 gr will not burn very efficiently. The psi of 11.5 - 12 gr 2400 should be close to max +P with your bullet. I suggest 5 - 5.5 gr of Unique would be a better load, probably more accurate in the rifle and K frame and will not tax the K frame 38s as the 5.5 gr load is mid range +P with the 140 gr cast.

Larry Gibson

[Mtnfolk75]

Thanx Larry Gibson, I have been shooting 5 grains of Unique behind a 158 Grain SWC for years. I didn't think I could make 1000 FPS with it, hadn't considered the difference in bullet weight. I'll try and get some assembled with Unique and chrono'd soon.

Thanx again ...

[tazman]

If you can find some CFE pistol, you might try some of that. I use it under a 150 grain boolit(358377) with excellent accuracy and get 950fps from a 5 inch barrel with a 5.0 grain load.
According to the Hodgdon data site, even heavier loads are available for the 38 special.

[fecmech]

BTW, am looking for 1000 - 1100 fps or so .....
If you are speaking of velocity out of the 92 the 5.0/unique/158 gr gives 1100 fps out of both my Rossi's.

[Mtnfolk75]

Thanx frcmech, haven't had much luck with finding pistol powder around these parts. I do have about 3 lbs of Unique and 1 lb each of Bullseye, SR-4756, AA#9 & 2400. FWIW, I was looking for 1000-1100 fps from a 4" revolver. I want to find a load for the LEE 140 Grain SWC for practice & plinking and then try and duplicate it with a 140 Grain Barnes DPX. We are stuck with this lead-free stuff while hunting around here and I have 100 of the Barnes projectiles. Barnes said the 140 DPX needs about 950 fps to perform as designed.

Thanx again .... :neutral:

[canyon-ghost]

Bullseye oughta do 38 and 357 readily. 2400 is good in about everything .

[Mtnfolk75]

I've used truckloads more of Unique than anything else, been burning powder & reloading since about 1974 ..... [smilie=w: