358311 favorite powders?

[Kosh75287]

Depending on the power level sought, 3.0-4.0/Red Dot/158 gr. LSWC or LRNFP will give you almost anything you could reasonably want from a .38 Special.
The lighter charges tend to approximate the recoil of the 148 gr. HBWC loads. 3.5/Red Dot is very close to factory standard velocity. According to Alliant, 3.8/Red Dot/158 gr. develops +P pressures. Their old reloading data used to indicate that 4.0/Red Dot/158 gr. was +P, but they revised it downward. Since Since I own no .38 Spl. revolvers, I have just stuck with 4.0/Red Dot/158 gr. as my "general purpose" .38 Special load.

When it is time to buy propellant again, remember that Alliant Promo is basically Alliant Red Dot, without the red dots, and is somewhat less expensive when bought in the 8# jugs. You can reload enough .38 Special and .45 ACP to fill every bathtub in your neighborhood with 8 pounds of it. It is also quite useful in reduced velocity rifle loads, and of course, most shotgun gauges.

[jdgabbard]

They've done a lot of Red Dot loadings like that. The explanation I've read is that due to the new methods of measure pressure they've seen more very short pressure spikes than they were able to detect with the old methods. My 4.2gr Red Dot over 115gr FMJ for 9mm is a good example, this is a much heavier recoiling load than I experience with most factory loaded ammo.

[mainiac]

You can't go wrong with 231/Hp38 and a 358-311. Size .358, 3.8 grains, crimp in the crimp groove, and then just shoot 'em. That is a wonderful practice load that you can load for 10-14 cents a piece, even with today's 8-10 cent primers. This is one of the most accurate .38 Special bullets extant. At one time, I was using it at 50 yards for PPC competition where it seemed to do better than the 148 grain wadcutters, at least for me.

Hp38 3.2-3.4 grs,with 358311,,very accurate,,that ol 311 will outshoot a 148 wadcutter!!