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Thread: 38 special

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
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    38 special

    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

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    J.D.R,

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

    Don
    NRA Certified Metallic Cartridge Reloading Instructor
    NRA Life Member

  3. #3
    Boolit Master hc18flyer's Avatar
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    I am working with HS-6 and CFE Pistol for some .38+P loads. I need to get my Chrony out. hc18flyer

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by hc18flyer View Post
    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.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master Char-Gar's Avatar
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    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
    Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.

  6. #6
    Boolit Bub
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    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

  7. #7
    Boolit Master



    Dieselhorses's Avatar
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    4 gr's of HP38 or W231 does the trick for me out of all my pistols.
    The unexamined life is not worth living....Socrates
    Pain, is just weakness leaving the body....USMC
    Fast is fine, but accuracy is FINAL!....Wyatt Earp

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master
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    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.
    Don Verna


  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by J. D. R View Post
    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
    NRA Certified Metallic Cartridge Reloading Instructor
    NRA Life Member

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by USSR View Post
    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.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    Has anyone done Ransom Rest studies on their loads and did you factor in hardness?

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Martin Luber View Post
    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
    NRA Certified Metallic Cartridge Reloading Instructor
    NRA Life Member

  13. #13
    Boolit Master


    fecmech's Avatar
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    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!
    "Masculine republics give way to feminine democracies, and feminine democracies give way to tyrannies.” Aristotle

  14. #14
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    zarrinvz24's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dieselhorses View Post
    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?

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by dverna View Post
    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.

  16. #16
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by J. D. R View Post
    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.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master



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    Quote Originally Posted by downzero View Post
    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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    The unexamined life is not worth living....Socrates
    Pain, is just weakness leaving the body....USMC
    Fast is fine, but accuracy is FINAL!....Wyatt Earp

  18. #18
    Boolit Master



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    38 special

    Quote Originally Posted by zarrinvz24 View Post
    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/By...al%20Loads.pdf

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    Last edited by Dieselhorses; 06-15-2021 at 01:25 AM.
    The unexamined life is not worth living....Socrates
    Pain, is just weakness leaving the body....USMC
    Fast is fine, but accuracy is FINAL!....Wyatt Earp

  19. #19
    Boolit Master smkummer's Avatar
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    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.

  20. #20
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    ddixie884's Avatar
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    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.......
    JMHO-YMMV
    dd884
    gary@2texastrucks.com
    Gary D. Peek

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check