38 Blackout?

[finishman2000]

I have a Ruger 77/357 that I haven't shot much because of the really bad trigger. Well I finally got around to it and now I find it so much fun with 38 spl loads.
I just picked up a new in the box Saeco 8 cavity 200gr mold and thinking of making (lol) it into 38 Blackout. Cheaper and easier to load than 300 blackout.
Sooo I'm looking for loads in 38 spl for 200gr lead. Very little info on this and none using modern powers and guns.
Any ideas or help? If it works out a can may be next for the 77.

[CIC]

200 grain 38 special would be the old "super police" load. If you do a search using super police you should find something. I tried it from my 357 handi and was not impressed.

[Bzcraig]

Go to castpics and download some of the older load books, there are some of those loads.

[Joe K]

What powders do you have available? I have some older load books with data. I personally use 3.0 grains of red dot under Lee C358-200-RF in 38 spl. cases with standard primers. I have never checked velocity but, very accurate at 10 yards from ruger sp101.

[finishman2000]

i have most powders lol. I'm now thinking (3am ideas lol) trimming 357 mag brass down to the point the boolit will fit revolvers as well as the ruger 77 mag and load hotter than 38 spl. I want to be right at 1000fps out of the 18" barrel and 800 out of the revolver.
thanks for the replies, please keep them coming. thanks

[reddog81]

Load data for the Lyman 195 grain bullet isn't too hard to find. I imagine that it's a fairly similar bullet. I've used 3.8 grains unique and 11 grains 2400. I shoot these loads in .357's but do use 38 brass. Using .357 brass can result in chambering problems. I doubt these loads would harm a 38 special but I prefer the safety margin you get with using a GP100 or a S&W model 28.

[Landy88]

Check Accurate Powder's data, both current and past, for 200+ grain loads for bowling pin shooting. The old IMR brown paper loading guides have 200 grain data for both .38 and .357. Watch some of FortuneCookie45LC's video book on the Lee 358-200RF:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXrn3Tq9XDpd2jfkxkXRtakd3O2OACONG

[Scharfschuetze]

In the early 80s, I loaded the RCBS 35-200-FP rifle bullet into 38 Special cases and shot it out of a Model 65 for something to do. I don't recall the load anymore as I never planned to standardize it, but it was fun in an odd way. Accuracy was as good as anything else out of that particular handgun. If your magazine allows, you might try the RCBS design as it's a pretty accurate bullet in every rifle that I've ever shot it in.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/319002/rcbs-2-cavity-bullet-mold-35-200-fn-35-caliber-358-diameter-200-grain-flat-nose-gas-check

[finishman2000]

for the speed i'm planning to push these...under 1000fps i'm hoping i don't have to gas check. I cast some up this morning now running over to the guy who powder coates here in town and see if he'll sell me some of whatever he has leftover. After measuring everything I will be trimming down 357 mag brass to be shorter than 38 spl. i may even trim some 38 spl +p brass and try that. thx

[gpidaho]

finishman2000: I'm doing the same thing with my Ruger 77/357. I'm using the NOE RG2 mould and some left over Lee 200gr. FPs I have on hand. I have had good results with the NOE 200s over 4gr. Bullseye in 38spl cases. When I seat the bullet as deep as I can in the crimp groove it fits the 77/357s magazine but just. I have other 200gr loads for 38spl 200gr. If, when I find the page in my notes i'll pass them along. I'm going one step more in my long throated 357 Handi rifle and loading the 245gr. Saeco 352 27B in 357 brass over 4.5gr. Unique for the 357 "Blackout. Gp

[Kestrel4k]

I think the Lee 'Manual' has a number of entries for 200gr lead loads. OP, I can send a quick pic to your email addy if you'd like ?

Another thing; I have been doing some cast load development for my 77/357 and after trying .357Mag brass & .38Spl brass, I'm having better luck with the lighter / thinner-wall Wadcutter .38 brass (double canneleure).
Hope this helps.

BTW, I have also had good results with those crazy 230gr wadcutters, so really odd configs are certainly possible. :)

[finishman2000]

great minds think alike lol. the pics of info would be great, thanks
finishman2000@yahoo.com

[wonderwolf]

The only 200gr+ I've used in the 77/357 has been the 358627 rerun from NOE HP version which is around 215-225 depending on pins and alloy etc. It seats much deeper than the RCBS 200 of which I also have but have not cast with yet and thus tried.

From my 77 with the above 215gr Keith style bullet and 2.8gr of BULLSEYE I was getting 715 FPS on average and my groups were fist size at 50 yards. Accuracy really suffered I think due to the design of the bullet. I've discovered that bullets with no shoulder run a lot better in the 77 than those with shoulders (Keith styles etc).


Something regarding the specific bullet I used is that it really bulges cases when seated to "mag length" esp in .357 Mag cases....I switched from R-P cases to starline and could set the bullets to mag length without bulged brass!

8gr of 2400 in a 357 Mag starline case gave me right at 1035 FPS out of the 77 and 825 FPS out of a 5" revolver just for comparison.

I dunno about you guys but my 77 has to be cycled very sharply to load anything like a wadcutter or semi wadcutter. It loves the FPRN bullets to death but its picky if it has a shoulder.

[Texas by God]

I would think standard 158 gr starting loads would still be subsonic from the rifle. No extra steps, easy. My opinion only!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

[finishman2000]

158 aint 200.
thx everybody. i have some work to do

[Tracy]

I've loaded the 195 grain 358430 to ~820 fps out of my 2" Taurus M85, .38 Special. I used AL8, but 2400 would work just as well.
I've also loaded the 280 grain 358009 over about a grain of Bullseye in .38 Special cases for indoor shooting with my .357 Handi rifle.

[3leggedturtle]

Sounds like fun, heavy boolits at slow speed. I shoot 305 and 350gr boolits at 1000fps or so out of 45/70, Bullet impact seems louder than anything else. I use Unique and red dot for light loads. Todd/3leg

[robertbank]

Here are a few loadings I have used in 38spl cases with decent results. I use the Lyman 358430 bullet.

2.6 gr of Win 231 Avg Vel 569fps SD 6 Ruger GP - 100 4.2"
2.1 Gr of Universal Avg Vel 523 FPS SD 16 Ruger GP-100 4.2"
3.7 gr of Unique Avg Vel 751 fps SD SD 7 Ruger GP-100 4.2"
3 gr if Titegroup Avg Vel 703 fps SD 5 Ruger GP - 100 4.2"
9.5 Gr of IMR 4227 Avg Vel 822 fps SD 11 Ruger GP - 100 4.2"

All worked for me.

Take Care

Bob

[finishman2000]

well time for an update.
loaded 6 rds with AA#7 into 38 spl cases trimmed down to 1.00". tried 6.5grs to 8.0 in .5 steps. Shot out of my GP100 and the 77/357.
6.5grs H(handgun) 740 fps, R(rifle) 980 fps
7.0 H 820fps, R 1046 fps
7.5 H 890, R 1125
8.0 H 930, R 1178
none showed excessive pressure. I shot some 7.0's at my bowling pin match last Sunday and won with them, 5 hits and the pins were gone.
I benched the 7.0 at 50 yards and got 1 1/2" groups. I'm moving forward by getting the barrel cut to 16 1/2 and threaded. I have renamed my round the 38 Sucker Punch and having fun doing something different.