Snubbie Loads

[Potsy]

I've got a Colt Detective Special that I've never loaded for.
I do have a 358429 mold, dies, brass, etc.

On hand, I've got H-Universal, H-Clays, and 2400 in terms of appropriate powders.

This load will be plinked with, carried, night stand, you name it and this load will have to cover it (assuming I can get it to shoot where and how I want it to) in other words, I don't want anything hot, but I don't want to softball it either.

What would be a good starting load and what kind of speed (roughly) should I look for out of the snubbie barrel.

Also, I've got Remington & Winchester Brass on hand. The Remington is cannelured. Is one brand better than the other?

[stubshaft]

Haven't used H-clays or H-universal but 2400 is a little slow for this cartridge. I used to use 4.5 Unique with this bullet for about 850fps.

[JIMinPHX]

Bullseye, W-231, Tightgroup & Unique would be my first choices. I agree about 2400 being bit too slow. I haven't used the others that you have on hand.

[waco]

3.2gr titegroup would be my first try....
my wifes 2 inch Lady Smith .357 loves this .38 load!

[leadman]

I have a j frame with a 3" barrel. Load the Lee 158gr. RFN with 3.4grs. of AA#2. Shoots to point of aim at about 800fps.
Might try one of your powders that is closest to the same burning speed.

2400 will work, but is loud and had a bright flash in my gun. More than what you need probably.

[Rocky Raab]

Rather than recommend something you don't have, I'll stick to your request.

I assume that bullet is a 158-gr (haven't looked it up).

Hodgdon data shows Universal at 3.5 to 4.5 (975 fps from a 7.7" barrel). Clays is 2.8 to 3.1 (870 fps)

They show no cast bullet loads under +P listing, but do show up to 4.7 of Universal for a 158 jacketed bullet. That is not a lot of extra powder, and it actually gets lower velocity, which is usual with jacketed bullets.

You can judge from those loads that Clays is just about identical to Bullseye/RedDot in application, and Universal matches Unique. Use that for rough approximation only, of course.

[NoDakJak]

I have used the 4.5 grain load ofUnique behind the 357429 boolit for forty five years with great satisfaction. Lately I have been testing 4.2 rains of PB as it measures better and burns cleaner. I have fired several hundred warm, 2400 loads through several Chief Specials in my younger, more foolish days. I didn't do any obvious damage to the revolvers nut I advise against using 2400 in these small frame guns now that I am older and more cautious. Accuracy was very good but there are several serious drawbacks. Accelerated wear is the first one but the nest two are even more important. Recoil can be very snappy in these little devils although custom grips can help alleviate this problem. Pachmyr Compacs are great. The worst problem is if you are forced to use the weapon for self defense, especially at night is the six foot fireball. There are better powders than 2400 for snubbies. Neil

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I have been loading 4 - 5 grains Unique in my "Snubbies" for only 20 years+... never found a need for any other powder. I normally load 4-4.5 with a 150 grain SWC for practice and the 5 grain for CC or night stand. My cast mix is near pure (40-1) for CC and whatever range mix for plinking.
My Rossi down here in Peru and various S&W´s up NORTH there never seen to mind.
I also have one to those "ultalight" S&W 357´s that gets loaded with mild 357 to = +P 38. This is a fine tool to tote about ....
Mike in Peru

[Kragshooter]

I use 5.0 of Unique in a 638 Smith, max load for me at least, but ok even for practice. 158gr swc is the bullet but am switching to 158 gr rfn tomorrow. Will cast a hundred and give em a try.

[Beerd]

The worst problem ..................... especially at night is the six foot fireball. There are better powders than 2400 for snubbies. Neil

So Unique is less of a "flash bang"? Any others?
..

[Old Ironsights]

I've got a Colt Detective Special that I've never loaded for.
I do have a 358429 mold, dies, brass, etc.

On hand, I've got H-Universal, H-Clays, and 2400 in terms of appropriate powders.

This load will be plinked with, carried, night stand, you name it and this load will have to cover it (assuming I can get it to shoot where and how I want it to) in other words, I don't want anything hot, but I don't want to softball it either.

What would be a good starting load and what kind of speed (roughly) should I look for out of the snubbie barrel.

Also, I've got Remington & Winchester Brass on hand. The Remington is cannelured. Is one brand better than the other?

My C358180RF/16gr LilGun loads do ok. I get 1200fps out of my 2.5" SP101... :twisted:

Actually, I like the 358156HP over 7.1 gr N340. Works out to right around 900fps. Basicly the same as the Win LSWCHP .38+P load.

[Rocky Raab]

Old Iron, that 16 LilGun load can't be for 38 Special, can it?

I'm pretty sure this thread is about 38s only. Let's not confuse grapes with grapefruit for safety sake.

[Old Ironsights]

Old Iron, that 16 LilGun load can't be for 38 Special, can it?

I'm pretty sure this thread is about 38s only. Let's not confuse grapes with grapefruit for safety sake.

OOP. My bad. You are right. I saw "snubby" loads and not "Detective Special" :drinks:

Of course, there is no way to get 16gr of LiLgun AND a 180gr bullet into a .38 case... :coffee:

OTOH, I think the 7.1 gr N340 load is still in the pressure specs (at least +P) ... I'll have to check my notes.

I believe 4.8gr is the "standard" 800fps 158gr .38 loading... can't remember off the top of my head...

[brianintheup]

I just worked up a load and chronographed it 158 gr lead bullet with 4.5 grs of bullseye 950 fps. That's 317 foot pounds of energy. I use the load for everything. Around 900 fps is a good goal to shoot for when loading for the .38.

[mooman76]

My snubbie wouldn't shoot that great. Not bad but I was hoping for better. Full WC did the best though. I used Unique and Clays medium loads.

[jdgabbard]

Here lately I've found my "Dead Nuts" load in my Model 65 Smith to be 4.2g Unique and a 158g Lee SWC-TL crimped in the top groove. In the smith it groups under a inch, and in my .38spl SP101 it does pretty good too, and well enough for defensive purposes. I must note that it hurts the hand in the SP101, which sports the 2 3/8" (?) barrel, and a pair of Hogue Rubber grips. For some reason this load seems to be at the upper levels of pressure limits. I shoot magnum loads often, and this load seems stout even in that tank of a pistol, the SP101.

[ddixie884]

I'd Try 4.5gr universal, then if that isn't warm enough, I would work my way toward 5.0gr. All the test data I've seen published shows universal to be very close to Unique with better metering, and a cleaner burn. It is slightly slower burning in the powder charts.

[lylejb]

i would avoid using any of the slower powders in a snub nose. think of it this way, the longer the barrel, the longer time the boolit takes to exit the barrel. Yes, it's a fraction of a second, but that counts when you consider how fast powder burns inside a cartridge. so then, the opposite is true also, a boolit will exit a short bbl. sooner than a long bbl. With a slow burning powder, like 2400, a larger percentage of the powder hasn't finished burning when the boolit exits the bbl. this is what produces the large muzzle flash. Also, all the powder that is burning off during this big flash is doing NOTHING to improve velocity, it's just burning in mid air. with a fast burning powder, like clays, most of the powder will have burnt, and so the muzzle flash will be smaller, and the energy from the powder will be more completely transfered to the bullet.