.38 special cast loads, a different type of powder

[Evoken]

I like to try different powders because, well you never know until you try one. A few years ago I bought some cfe pistol to try, supposed to be nice for fmj auto loaders and I like cfe223 because of the way it meters and it's pretty stable.
Well I could not get a load that any of the auto loaders really liked. I mean it is ok in 9mm, and 45, but just ok not spectacular and not exceptionally accurate.
I also like to use some of the powder companies websites, I mean they make and test the powders so they have good data.
I was looking at Hodgdon's page for a load for 38 special for some hornady cast boolits I bought. 158grain SWC hollow point, they have kind of like a chain link pattern around the lube area and have a thin wax on them.
Anyway hodgdon give a load for cfepistol and lswc 158gr. Starting load of 4.8gr at 960fps (from a 7.7") barrel, pretty stout out of a lowly 38.
This is THE most accurate powder charge I have ever tried for a lead boolit in the .38. So far it has also shown exceptional accuracy with the lee 358-158 2r tumble lube boolit as well.
For what it's worth I am shooting this out of my 4" s&w 66-7. This may be the most accurate load I have found for this pistol.

For those of you that use or have some of this powder, try it in a 38 boolit. You may like it.

[tazman]

I have been using CFE Pistol since it became available.
It likes higher pressure loads for cleaner burning. Light loads will leave some dirty/unburned residue.
I have used it in 38 Special for near full power loads and it works well in my revolvers. Both powerful and accurate. I load 5.0 grains with 158 grain cast boolits.
I have also used it in 9mm and 45 ACP with good results. I have used it in 357 loads for a midrange load.

[gwpercle]

Thanks for the heads up on CFE Pistol !
You don't see a whole lot of info on this powder and good to know what it can do in these days of having to buy whatever is available .
I'll add this one to my list of useful powders ..." buy it if you see it" .
One thing I can say about these powder shortages is it's made me try other powders ... I was in a rut ...for 40 years it was : Bullseye - Unique - 2400 ... those 3 did it all ... how boring was that !
Gary

[USSR]

...I was in a rut ...for 40 years it was : Bullseye - Unique - 2400 ... those 3 did it all ... how boring was that !
Gary

Give me boring any day.;)

Don

[swheeler]

: Bullseye - Unique - 2400 ... those 3 did it all ... how boring was that ! Change the Bullseye to Red Dot and you've got the Holy trinity, or it was for me for many years.

[Evoken]

Boring is fine as there are so many time tested loads. Many of which I use.
I just like to mix it up to see what works well in different guns and applications.
I think I may have 10 or 12 different pistol powders alone in the cabinet. I try recipes for every powder out of all the calipers I load for, from reputable sources like the manuals and manufacturer's websites of course.
I think I've got close to 20 different rifle.powders.

[oldsalt444]

Being a bullseye competitor, I'm always searching for the most accurate load. Can you tell me what you consider accurate? For me, 1" - 1.25" @ 25 yards and under 3" @ 50 yards. How do you test your loads - Ransom rest, sandbags? What distance? Generally speaking, cast bullets do better at lower velocities. Hornady lead bullets are swaged from soft lead, so watch for leading up the barrel at those velocities.

As for me, I use WST for lead boolits and VV N310 for j-words. Bullseye is also a great choice. It's been around over 100 years which says a lot.

Sorry, I don't mean to be an accuracy snob here and I'm glad your CFE load is working well for you.

[tazman]

Old salt——you have no idea how much I would like to be able to consider 3 inches at 50 yards remotely achievable. I feel like I had a good day when I get 3 inch groups at 12 yards.

[oldhenry]

oldsalt444,
I'm not a bullseye shooter: however, I have a profound respect for the discipline & those that shoot it. At 81 my game is IHMSA chickens @ 50 yds. with a 2 hand hold off-hand. I'm fortunate to have my own range about 100 yds. from my front porch. Over 50% of this shooting is with either of my Ruger .357 BHs normally with .38 spec. and my cast boolits (358429, MP "Hammer" or Arsenal 162 WFN) and WST or HP-38. Occasionally I'll use .357 empties with the same boolits, but when my supply of AL-8 ran out my .357 shooting slowed considerably.

If I do my part they will tip over the chickens. As far as groups: I don't know, but I'm sure they wouldn't be 3".

[Evoken]

Being a bullseye competitor, I'm always searching for the most accurate load. Can you tell me what you consider accurate? For me, 1" - 1.25" @ 25 yards and under 3" @ 50 yards. How do you test your loads - Ransom rest, sandbags? What distance? Generally speaking, cast bullets do better at lower velocities. Hornady lead bullets are swaged from soft lead, so watch for leading up the barrel at those velocities.

As for me, I use WST for lead boolits and VV N310 for j-words. Bullseye is also a great choice. It's been around over 100 years which says a lot.

Sorry, I don't mean to be an accuracy snob here and I'm glad your CFE load is working well for you.

Old salt, no worries about being a snob. I am merely a hoopy farm boy that built a range behind my cattle pasture.
As far as accuracy, I am getting a 2" group at 25yds consistently, sometimes tighter. I only have 1 358 mold so far and it is a lee 358-158 2r tumble lube. I haven't cast many 38 cal boolits yet as my current focus is on 44 mag. The ones I have made so far are a 20:1 alloy and do not seem to produce any leading. This seems to be the case so far in some low to.mid level magnum loads as well. I eventually hope to get a few more 38 molds, but as i said I'm focusing on the 44 right now.

I'm still new to casting so I will get there. I've only been pouring lead for 3 months or so and have gathered 8 molds up so far, 3 of them in .44.

I am shooting of a caldwell collapsible shooting bench with canvas bag rests. Free hand standing my best shots with this combination are 2" patterns, most are closer to 3". Either way, this is a heck of a shot for myself.

[onelight]

Old salt——you have no idea how much I would like to be able to consider 3 inches at 50 yards remotely achievable. I feel like I had a good day when I get 3 inch groups at 12 yards.
[smilie=l:
You and me both , I have shot a few groups at 25 under 2" off a rest but I sure can't do it every day.
Off hand with iron sights I would be thrilled with 3" groups at 25 . We do our best :)

[tazman]

[smilie=l:
You and me both , I have shot a few groups at 25 under 2" off a rest but I sure can't do it every day.
Off hand with iron sights I would be thrilled with 3" groups at 25 . We do our best :)

My best group was 2 inches at 25 yards from a rest using an optic. I am simply not capable of better.
My guns are though. Other people have shot them and done much better. Just my limitations.

[GasGuzzler]

I didn't know anyone ever tried those commercial weird looking Hornady bullets. I might have some CFE-P but not sure I have any need to load any .38 Special...but if I do I might try some.

[Evoken]

I didn't know anyone ever tried those commercial weird looking Hornady bullets. I might have some CFE-P but not sure I have any need to load any .38 Special...but if I do I might try some.

I bought these before I started casting as a cheap blinker load. They were on the clearance rack at my lgs, so perhaps you are right haha.
They are actually not bad.

[robg]

ramshot true blue is good for 38 and meters very well

[PhatForrest]

Scored 16 pounds of IMR Red. Listed loads for all sorts of boolits and j words in 38 and 45acp.

It's more powder than I'll ever use for the rest of my life for either, but I like having the surplus.

[Evoken]

I have been working on a load for 45colt with imr red. It shows promise