38 special

[J. D. R]

I am getting ready to load 5000 rounds of 38 special on one of 6 dillon rl1000 progressive reloading presses and thought I would share loads which I am certain everyone already uses.

Normal factory duplicate load

158 grain swc lead
Mixed cases
Federal small pistol
4 grains winchester 231

+p 38 special

158 grain lead swc
Mixed cases
5 grain unique
Federal small pistol primers

[USSR]

J.D.R,

Try HS-6 for the 158gr +P loads. Much better velocity than Unique.

Don

[hc18flyer]

I am working with HS-6 and CFE Pistol for some .38+P loads. I need to get my Chrony out. hc18flyer

[tazman]

I am working with HS-6 and CFE Pistol for some .38+P loads. I need to get my Chrony out. hc18flyer

Both of these powders work well in standard loads as well as +P. I really like CFE Pistol in a lot of handgun cartridges.

[Char-Gar]

With a 150-160 grain cast bullet, I only need one powder Bullseye.

3.0 - Range load
3.5 - Field Load
4.0 - +P load

[J. D. R]

I like the unique load for accuracy and steel plate tumbling power, what I don't like is the inconsistency of metering that plagues all flake powder.

I have found true blue powder to be a perfect ball powder that duplicate the performance of unique

[Dieselhorses]

4 gr's of HP38 or W231 does the trick for me out of all my pistols.

[dverna]

One of the nice attractions of the .38 Spl is that nearly any "fast" powder will work. I once bought 30 lb of powder I had never used (CleanShot) as the price was too good to pass up ($15/lb delivered). I have at least another 60 lbs of shotshell powders that I can load .38's with if I need to. Those powders work in 9mm. 40 and .45 ACP as well...sure makes life simpler.

[USSR]

I like the unique load for accuracy and steel plate tumbling power, what I don't like is the inconsistency of metering that plagues all flake powder.

I have found true blue powder to be a perfect ball powder that duplicate the performance of unique

What I am telling you is, HS-6 will EXCEED the performance of Unique. Plus, it's a ball powder with good metering.

Don

[lotech]

What I am telling you is, HS-6 will EXCEED the performance of Unique. Plus, it's a ball powder with good metering.

Don

You can get more velocity with HS-6 in comparison with Unique, but compare accuracy (if that's important) of the two loads before you settle on HS-6.

[Martin Luber]

Has anyone done Ransom Rest studies on their loads and did you factor in hardness?

[USSR]

Has anyone done Ransom Rest studies on their loads and did you factor in hardness?

While I have a Ransom Rest, I have not done work with these loads.

Don

[fecmech]

With a 150-160 grain cast bullet, I only need one powder Bullseye.

3.0 - Range load
3.5 - Field Load
4.0 - +P load

Amen! Only difference is I just use 4.2BE and use Lee 125RF and 158TLSWC. A couple years back I posted three 6 shot hundred yd groups (2.5,3,3.5") with the H&G#39RN 158gr and this load. Bullseye and the .38spl are like bread and butter!

[zarrinvz24]

4 gr's of HP38 or W231 does the trick for me out of all my pistols.

4gr 231 seems a bit light for 38 special. That'd put the velocity around 775?

[downzero]

One of the nice attractions of the .38 Spl is that nearly any "fast" powder will work. I once bought 30 lb of powder I had never used (CleanShot) as the price was too good to pass up ($15/lb delivered). I have at least another 60 lbs of shotshell powders that I can load .38's with if I need to. Those powders work in 9mm. 40 and .45 ACP as well...sure makes life simpler.

I was going to say the same thing. It's pretty hard to go wrong with almost any pistol powder between Red Dot/Clays and Blue Dot on the slow end. I use Clays for my cowboy stuff and CFE Pistol right now for my self defense type loads but the list of powders I've tried is long and they will all do the job.

[meh]

I have found true blue powder to be a perfect ball powder that duplicate the performance of unique

I have not tried TB nor seen it close up, but from what I've gathered "perfect ball powder" could be interpreted in two ways, since the powder appears to be composed of perfect little balls between 0.2mm and 0.4mm in diameter, not flattened. I didn't put it under a microscope, but it seemed to me that Shooter's World Clean Shot is like that. The way it meters is a joy.

[Dieselhorses]

I was going to say the same thing. It's pretty hard to go wrong with almost any pistol powder between Red Dot/Clays and Blue Dot on the slow end. I use Clays for my cowboy stuff and CFE Pistol right now for my self defense type loads but the list of powders I've tried is long and they will all do the job.

^^^...What he said...^^^ (thumbs up)


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[Dieselhorses]

4gr 231 seems a bit light for 38 special. That'd put the velocity around 775?

Not really, depends on diameter your barrel likes, seating depth and crimp. My 686 6 inch was chrono’d at almost 900 fps with this load.

Found this...

https://www.castpics.net/subsite2/ByCaliber/High%20Speed%20.38%20Special%20Loads.pdf

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[smkummer]

I used to load a tad bit more of unique for my plus P load. It worked fine but I came into a vintage stash of Win. 540 ( same as HS6) and it’s a wonderful plusP lead bullet powder. My standard pressure 38 158 lead has a bit more 231 in it. The ball or flattened ball powders meter so nice in the Lee 1000. Good old bullseye is my target and cowboy powder at 2.8-3.0 grains. Very consistent.

[ddixie884]

I have been using a variety of powders for the last coupla years but I have loaded more rounds of .38spl with 158 to 170gr swc on 5.0 Unique with a standard primer than any other combination.......

[Carrier]

Not as high as some are posting but 6 grains of HS6 with the Speer lead SWC with a magnum primer in 38 special is an absolute tack driver out of any of the 38 or 357 revolvers I have and was just under and over 900 fps depending on barrel length. The ones I loaded hotter to get close to 1000 fps did not have the accuracy and started leading barrel. The best accuracy and highest fps came from a 14-3 with a 8 inch barrel.
I couldn’t get 231 or Unique to give the performance that I got with HS6 though there are many other powders that others have.

[Outpost75]

I use mostly Bullseye or 452AA, which I still have multiple 8-lb. caddies leftover from my bullseye competition days.

My loads with each powder mimmick CharGars.

I don't use a Ransom Rest, but do check loads in a bull-barreled BSA-Martini with 10X Unertl scope and also from several Colt New Service, Official Police and Officer's Model Match revolvers, as well as S&W .38-44 Heavy Duty off sandbags. Lately a tricked out Ruger New Model Blackhawk has been factored into the mix because it was the only recent production revolver I had which would hold its own against the older Colts.

Best loads should produce sub-2-inch six-shot 50-yard groups from the revolvers on demand, anytime.

From the bull barrelled BSA-Martini and Unertl scope sub-two inches average over a series of fifty continuous rounds, excluding none, firing five consecutive ten-shot groups at fifty yards.

Take-aways:

Soft bullets 8-10 BHN,
FAT diameter .360"+
Redding Profile Crimp
Remington primers seated in a clean pocket.
New Starline cases best
Or older W-W, R-P or Federal WADCUTTER brass having mouth wall thickness not exceeding 0.010" for a 1/2" distance below the case mouth, with cases being trimmed 100% to eliminate any long ones, so all are 1.150-1.155".

"Short" cases under 1.150" are sorted out and lotted up separately and bullets in those seated out to achieve a snug push fit in the cylinder charge holes, mated to the specific gun.

With factory 148-grain Winchester or Remington HBWCs, I load 3.0 grains Bullseye or 452AA at 1.20" OAL.

With Saeco #348 146-grain DEWC I load 3.5 grains of Bullseye or 452AA at 1.25" OAL with the sprue cut oriented forward.

[shtur]

With factory 148-grain Winchester or Remington HBWCs, I load 3.0 grains Bullseye or 452AA at 1.20" OAL.

With Saeco #348 146-grain DEWC I load 3.5 grains of Bullseye or 452AA at 1.25" OAL with the sprue cut oriented forward.

What do you put behind a 158 grain bullet?