Replicating FBI load in .38 S&W (NOT Special)
I apologize if I am posting this one in the wrong part of the forum, but I wasn't sure exactly where I should put this one. If there is a better place, Mods please move it there.
Okay, I am a huge fan of .38 S&W. And while I also like .38 Special, I really enjoy getting the most out of the older, shorter cartridge. And I should note, that this post is only about solid frame revolvers, not the cheap break top American ones. I have been having a lot of fun replicating the old .38 Special FBI loads with the soft Speer 158 grain LSWCHP bullets in my .38 Special guns. It shoots to the point of aim in many of my older, fixed-sight revolvers. But it got me to thinking. These bullets are really, really soft. And they even expand when fired from a 2" barrel. The original load for many of the older .38 S&W guns is a 146 to 148 grain lead bullet. Has anybody else tried loading the 158 grain LSWCHP bullets in .38 S&W cases before? If so, what were your results like. I usually use a 200 grain bullet to replicate the .38-200 British military load, or the .38 Colt Super Police load, and that works reasonably well. Especially in guns that have the sights regulated for them. But how close do you think I can get to the FBI load? It is obviously going to have to be moving slower to stay within the pressure range of the cartridge. However, with a 4 to 5 inch barrel, do you think I can come reasonably close?
-Mb