Lyman 358430 Snubby loads (700-750fps) in .38 special?

[Thomas Traddles]

I'm interested in hearing from those with experience with this bullet if it is possible to achieve the velocities posted in the title in a 2" bbl snub. The velocity data I have seen on this bullet are measurements from longer barrels. I don't have a chrony myself, but perhaps someone here has messed around enough with these loads to know. I'd be interested in the powders you used if you did (I'm fiddling with Red Dot, Green Dot, Blue Dot, Unique, and Titegroup.)

Thanks.

[Larry Gibson]

358430 came in 2 weights; 150 and 200 gr.....which do you have?

Larry Gibson

[Thomas Traddles]

Larry, I have the 200 grn bullet.

[Outpost75]

Larry, I have the 200 grn bullet.

For standard pressure, not +P with the powders you list, 2.8 grains of TiteGroup, Red Dot or Bullseye, not to exceed 3 grains.

3 grains of Green Dot or 3.5 of Unique.

Blue Dot in my experience doesn't ignite and burn uniformly in standard pressure loads.

I would not attempt +P in .38 Special with Blue Dot in the absence of pressure tested data because it acts "funny" in certain applications and is less predictable.

I had the heck scared out of me with Blue Dot and poured all of mine on the lawn as fertilizer years ago...

[Thomas Traddles]

Thank you, Outpost75!

[Outpost75]

Please come back and report your results. Independent validation is always useful!

[Larry Gibson]

Outpost75 has given some good loads. For standard 38 SPL psi's Unique is your best bet with 3.6 gr being max. Start at 3.2 and work up. I've not tested it in a short barrel but it might make it into the low 700 fps. Only takes a couple more tenths of a grain and your into +P territory so be careful, not a lot of room for error with powder charges.

Larry Gibson

[Thomas Traddles]

Thanks, Larry!

[Thomas Traddles]

No, chrony data, but I shot about 150 rounds of Lyman 358430 over 2.9 grains of Red Dot out of a Ruger LCR 38+P and Charter Arms Mag Pug (PMC, Magtech, and Federal cartridges sparked by a CCI500 primer). A very accurate load. The centers of the targets at 7 yards were one ragged hole. This load was more accurate than the 3.6 grains of Unique load(although it has been a year since I've tested this and will have to revisit it) and about as accurate as 5.3 grains of Blue Dot load I tend to favor. The Red Dot load is less snappy than the Blue Dot load, but reloading data suggests that the Red Dot load is travelling 100 fps or so less than the Blue Dot load. I had made up some Blue Dot loads of 5.5 grains (+P), and these were good ones, but not as accurate as the two previous loads. I'm going to try 3.2 grains of Green Dot and see how those work in these two snubbies. Did I mention that I like this bullet?