Light Titegroup Load

[TRSmith]

So I am looking to create a 38 special (snubby), "mouse-fart" TITEGROUP load for some relaxed practice at a 30 foot target. I was told by someone at RimRock not to go below 3.1 grains for the 148 SWCs I bought from them. Well, I started testing at 3.0, as I only have Federal magnum primers, and today I was down to 2.6 grains. Even the 2.6s seem to have a fair amount of kick to them, and I am befuddled. How low might I go and still stay semi-accurate at 30 feet? Please advise...

[ShooterAZ]

Personally, I wouldn't go below the 2.6 gr. Do you own a chronograph? This might help you determine whether you're flirting with lodging a boolit in the barrel. 700-750 fps will likely give you the best accuracy, without fear of sticking a boolit.

[Hick]

My standard load for 148 WC's is 2.8 grains of Titegroup. That's in my S&W Model 64. I've never tried going lower because the 2.8 grain load is already pretty comfortable.

[Bmi48219]

I use 2.9 TG under a 148 plated HBWC. 750 fps out of a 5” barrel. Accurate and pleasant to shoot. When I was working up I loaded 10 each: 2.7, 2.8, etc up to 3.2gr. Accuracy was better at 2.9 than at lower weights. Accuracy didn’t improve above 2.9 so I stayed there.

[468]

I may be mistaken, but I thought it is recommended to initially reduce your powder charge by 10% when substituting a Magnum primer for a standard primer. If true, you may be able to further reduced your above load. Just bring your squib rod and hammer with you. It’s a snubbie, so shouldn’t have a problem.

Just my thoughts. I am no expert.

[poppy42]

I may be mistaken, but I thought it is recommended to initially reduce your powder charge by 10% when substituting a Magnum primer for a standard primer. If true, you may be able to further reduced your above load. Just bring your squib rod and hammer with you. It’s a snubbie, so shouldn’t have a problem.

Just my thoughts. I am no expert.

I believe it should be 10% below Max charge. Unfortunately I haven't been able to get small pistol primers for quite a while now and I've been substituting small pistol Magnum primers and I have seen no applicable difference whatsoever except maybe a little bit more muzzle flash. O P, I can't help you as far as a load using titegroup, but i have a lyman 358345 115 grn semi wadcutter loaded over 3.4 grns of sr7625 that shoots like a 22lr! Being as 7625 has been discontinued, I called Hodgen and asked what to use as a replacement. The Tech suggested tight group. I would suggest that you try a lighter boolet. I don't know what you are sizing your boolet to or if your gun shoots .356 boolets. You might try the Lee 124 grn rn boolet. Just my thoughts.

[rintinglen]

If they are in fact, 148 SWC's, and not full wadcutters, then 2.7 grains should be your bottom, assuming an OAL of about 1.5". If they are a full wadcutter, then 2.4 grains with an OAL of 1.15-1.2" would be your bottom. You can go lower, if you carefully experiment and check each round after discharge to assure the boolit has gone down range, but if you experience a stuck boolit, stop, and raise your load by at least .2 grains. There is an article about this practice in the NRA publication Handloading.

[gwpercle]

If they are in fact 148 gr. WC , the Hornady Manual # 8 shows a starting load of 1.9 grs. Titegroup @ 550 fps with a max. load of 3.0 grs. Titegroup @ 800 fps .

Your accuracy sweet spot is usually in the 700 fps range for the 38 special WC .
Since you are shooting at 30 feet ...try the 1.9 or 2.0 gr. load and see if the boolits are stabilized .

When fooling around with light light loads make sure each shot gets out of the barrel !

Gary

[Texas by God]

At $22 per lb., Tite group is the best powder deal I've seen lately.( Academy)

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[Good Cheer]

Did a quickie air weight test yesterday for a lady's practice load with a 167 grain SWC GC and three grains.
Wasn't loud. Minimal recoil.
And I hit the milk jug![smilie=w:

[45DUDE]

2.5 Titegroup works good in in my N.M. Colt 38 special with a 148 bnwc. Accurate at 25 yards. Don't use plated bullets with a light load.

[35remington]

When pursuing very light loads a wadcutter has significant advantage over conventional bullets. Ballistic consistency goes to pot unless the powder is positioned before the shot when using regular bullets.

[dimaprok]

When pursuing very light loads a wadcutter has significant advantage over conventional bullets. Ballistic consistency goes to pot unless the powder is positioned before the shot when using regular bullets.Titegroup is not position sensitive. I really like Lee 105gr semi-wadcutter for no recoil shooting. With heavy GP100 its like 22LR.

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[ABJ]

If they are in fact, 148 SWC's, and not full wadcutters, then 2.7 grains should be your bottom, assuming an OAL of about 1.5". If they are a full wadcutter, then 2.4 grains with an OAL of 1.15-1.2" would be your bottom. You can go lower, if you carefully experiment and check each round after discharge to assure the boolit has gone down range, but if you experience a stuck boolit, stop, and raise your load by at least .2 grains. There is an article about this practice in the NRA publication Handloading.

My question as well, 148 grains is usually a full wadcutter not a semi-wadcutter. Need to know which one.
Tony

[John Boy]

Smith, you want ‘light’ load. What fps do you want the reload to shoot. Light is not a word that is not equal to everyone
And if you don’t have a clue, time to buy a Lyman manual that identifies FPS by bullet weight and brand of powder charge that is low in the Burn Rate tables. In the meantime, do your homework on this reloading site ... http://www.reloadammo.com/

[35remington]

Having tested it very extensively I may assure you when light shallowly seated bullets at lower pressures are used, Titegroup is indeed position sensitive.

The “insensitive” label is to some degree propaganda. At best, under favorable loading conditions, it is better labeled less position sensitive rather than not position sensitive. Under less favorable conditions it is not all that great.

[bmortell]

I've loaded pure tumble lubed wadcutters in a snub everywhere between 0.5gr to 3.0gr TG. main issue is how dirty can you tolerate cases

[1006]

1.9 is the Minimum TG load for a 38Special 148HBWC IN MY Hornady Book.

A blazing 550fps in a 4 inch barrel.

[tazman]

Having tested it very extensively I may assure you when light shallowly seated bullets at lower pressures are used, Titegroup is indeed position sensitive.

The “insensitive” label is to some degree propaganda. At best, under favorable loading conditions, it is better labeled less position sensitive rather than not position sensitive. Under less favorable conditions it is not all that great.

35remington is correct about Titegroup being only less position sensitive than other powders rather than not sensitive at all. I also tested it in 38 special cases and found the same thing 35remington did. Compared to other powders, though, it is a real improvement.

[35remington]

The curious thing is that under the unfavorable conditions mentioned it is better than some powders but not one bit better than others.

Universal, which is absolutely horrible in that regard, fits in the former category. Bullseye and WST, for example, belong to the latter.