I started loading .38s with a Lyman nut cracker and a home made measure for Bullseye over 65 years ago. Wife handled it with no problem, those 5 Super Vel had been in the gun probably over 5 years by then, she bought it to CARRY, not to shoot, if she needed to fire it to save her life it would be fine. Great gun. That being the case, I truly NEED as much ammunition as possible and the ability to defeat soft barriers such as auto windshields, sheet metal, drywall, doors, etc. There is one good reason to use WST. You have never indicated what barrel length or brand or frame size you may be using these in. I checked out Alliant's website-no data for flat point with the powders I have, but data for Gold Dot HPs for Bullseye and Unique. 2 and No. 38 special , bullseye, and 125 grain lead rnfp Handloading, Reloading, and Bullet Casting : The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > Handloading, Reloading, and . I always used mixed brass because it was all I had. A 158 SWCHP at 850-875 fps from a snub. is a good place to start. There really is a recently developed technology that prevents leading, while eliminating messy lubricants. But one classic target load is not far behind the .38 wadcutter in its own reputation with target shooters: a 200-grain semiwadcutter bottling up 4.6 grains of Bullseye. Posted March 2, 2013. Hence the lack of load data from just about anybody. Ive played with several that I like, but the classic in 9mm is 4.4 grains driving a 115-grain jacketed bullet. I started with a Lee Loader for my shiny new Python .357, because all the ammo I could find (in 1968) was lead semiwadcutters, loaded so hot they sloughed off the lead in the bore, so after a box you couldnt see any rifling, it looked like a smoothebore, and lord was it hard to clean!! of Bullseye with Lee's 125gr RN mold in a 38 special with so-so accuracy. My use of the term adequate means that Hodgdon has produced a workable result for the .38 Special, .38 Special +P, and .357 Magnum that may be used for 125 grain weight bullets having velocity limitations. This wire is then fed into a machine called a cold header. ( customer reviews) $ 10.69 - $ 246.00. You are spot on about Trail Boss, that stuff is magical with cast reloads. 110gr JHP! As you move up in loads, you at least need the gas check on the bottom of the bullet to prevent gas melting the lead and fouling the barrel. He has taught and been responsible for numerous advanced skills and weapons courses within multiple organizations. I have tried several different grips before finding the one that worked for me. With a charge of only 3.1 grains of Winchester 231 powder, velocities run around 750 to 800 fps with good accuracy and mild recoil. Data will be standard "book" .38 Special data and I'll not attempt to "hotrod" the loads. Ive done the majority of shooting in .38 Special in my Smith & Wesson 642. And if youre doing that [shooting 158 grain bullets at 1200 fps muzzle velocity] with a snub.let me know I wanna watch you shoot em. +P? have been factored in, but Looks like starting with roughly 4.2 of W231. Youre describing Remington Multiball ammunition (R357MB)- I used to carry that stuff decades ago. Upload or insert images from URL. I dont own anything in .38 special yet, but I have plans to buy a .357 magnum revolver in near future, so I already reloaded couple thousands of rounds in .38 and .357. So, I'm guessing the pressure curve isn't as severe as some of the faster burners. The other .38 Special is a 4 Colt Diamondback. I once rented a Ruger LCR in .38 Special. The reason I love the .38 SPL so much is because its so elastic in function. May 15, 2012. kc2za said: Hi All, I have been loading .38 spl with 2.7 gr. How Do I Choose Good Self-Defense Ammo For My Handgun? Winchester's website has data for W231 and a 125 gr LRNFP, but not plated. That sounds. Ready to load some Berry's148 gr plated DE wadcutters with Bullseye. Hornady This is my plink load for the kids. Based on this Id load some at 3.3 and 3.5 and see what you get, but Id never exceed 3.8 ever. I'm guessing they still go bang, and leave the gun to go downrange. I started reloading 38 special as my first cartridge 8 years ago when I was 22, soooo.I have an old mans soul? Maybe its just my age, but I may never shoot a 38 again after discovering the 32. Even better, is get some 38 S&W brass. I never really set my sights, in a manner of speaking, on the .38 cartridge like I did other rounds. I use CCI Snake shot for two and Buffalo Bore short Barrel 130 gr. Here's what the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook says for cast 125g flatpoint for 38 in the powders you mentioned. Classics go well together: circa 1909 S&W .38 Special and traditional 148-grain wadcutter load of 2.7 grains of Bullseye. * All PLUS P loads for guns designed for it (20,000 PSI), (Cowboy loads shot in 7 1/2 bbl.revolver no need to reduce), ALL THESE LOADS ARE PLUS P, SPECIAL HOT 21,000 PSI. I'm not looking to blow up my old model 10. We look at three classics: one each in .45 ACP, .38 Special, and 9mm. 38 special was also my first cartridge to reload, and one of my greatest loves for reloading to this day. Everyone here who has tried plated bullets including myself, have had disappointing results in accuracy. I reload a 3 CA Bulldog in .44 with 200 gr wadcutters, to recreate the Man Stopper loads of long ago. 5 are good choices. I dont miss lubing casescarbide is king! So I'd think you should find a decent load for short line at about 700 Fps and for the long line at about 800. IIRC, the NRA Action Pistol power floor is a "factor" of 125, which requires a full 1,000 fps for 125-gr bullets. 38 Special Loads for Bullseye by GerhardG Sun Jul 17, 2022 11:01 am Greetings, Looking for load suggestions for 38 special LSWC 158 grain SNS bullets, red coated based on the following powders; Bullseye, Unique, N310 and N320. Just shows the importance of trying/checking the feel of a gun and if possible, test firing it, before you buy it. WAP, WMR, WSF, WSL, 760, 748, 231 and 540 are products of Winchester, Components Div. 2.) (Cowboy Action) 38 Special (Cowboy Action) 38-40 Win. I prefer the slower burning Unique, and I also use it for .357 magnum, just more of it. Hodgdon's Basic Reloading Manual, (The free one, available for the asking. IT'S A COMBINATION TAPER AND ROLL CRIMP. Larry Gibson "Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing." Nikola Tesla 01-30-2020, 01:43 PM #9 Mr_Flintstone Boolit Buddy Join Date Jan 2020 Location Between that, some other info on other forums, Winchester's data for a lead flat point, and numbers from loaddata.com, I think I have some to start with. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Just want to state for the record, that with one of the more heavy duty Corbin presses it is possible to easily swage some hard cast bullets. Good thing I didn't go with the original powder charge I intended to use. I'm asking the above questions because I don't want to run too hot of a load, but wasn't sure if it was ok to drop down below 2.8 as far as 2.5. Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 9 customer ratings. 32 H&R Mag 21,000 I wanted a good carry gun that was light and reliable, so I decided that the .38 would fit and I just went with it. Thank you. As an old bullseye guy I've stuck with Bullseye powder for almost 30yearsusing lead bullets. Josh Wayner is a Michigan native, active competitor, Grand Valley State University alumni, troublemaker, and fiction author. What I learned after 50 years of shooting and reloading 38spl cases some where around 100 thousands rounds. I do this for my .357s but this article is about .38 Special loads. Therefore, your platform yields a lot of safety cushion with target loads. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Hence I carry a semi-auto pistol chambered in .40 S&W. Also some WSF. The .38 Special is the most popular of all centerfire revolver cartridges. I, like Spartacus, find the SAAMI recommendations an interesting spec for comparative purposes. Have you all found different seat depths to work better than what's in the manual? Like almost all pistol cartridges called ".38" the .38 Special actually takes .357" diameter bullets. CorBon Self Defense, 38 Special, 125 Grain, Jacketed Hollow Point, +P, 20 Round Box 38125 I have experimented with both of Hornadys 200-grain semiwadcutters in this load: the more button-nosed SWC and the longer Combat/Target (C/T) version. A GI surplus 1911 that puts most loads into dinner-plate sized groups cut 3.8 inches with the classic recipewhich is probably the only time Ive gotten excited about an almost four-inch group! 9.) No sh!t. It would seem that a 125 grain GDHP is of the same weight and would have a similar profile to what you want to use. You may find it will need to be faster for good 50 yd. NULLI SECUNDUS. A Forum dedicated to the sport of Bullseye shooting, Bullseye-L Forum::Ammunition Discussion, byPacFltShooter Wed Oct 28, 2020 9:00 am, byPacFltShooter Wed Oct 28, 2020 5:36 pm, byPacFltShooter Wed Oct 28, 2020 6:46 pm, byPacFltShooter Wed Oct 28, 2020 8:45 pm, byPacFltShooter Wed Nov 04, 2020 4:50 pm. WITH THE SWAGED BULLETS REDDING SELLS A PROFILE CRIMP DIE. IF YOU ARE USING SWAGED 158GR BULLETS 3.1 WILL WORK, IF USING HARD CAST 3.3 IS NEEDED. Reloading supplies and load recipes are available everywhere. Anything goes with bullets. 6.) I have a long way to go before I'm ready to compete, but enjoy plinking and hand loading. 4.) I was just trying to get a general consensus of what other guys were using. JHP (now discontinued) 5 rounds . Yes, I had no issues with the 38 SPL, but the 32 is just more FUN- especially when I get seven shots of it in a revolver the size of J frame! Unique was a sooty powder so Ive switched to W231. I recently picked up a 396 Nightguard and am a convert to the 44 Special! In the 1950s, 60s. head I use 3.2gr. The fast powders, W231, HP38, Bullseye would go over pressure very quickly with any slight changes, in seating depth or primer change. On my J frame S&W without the CT #305 Laser Grips, I swapped out to a Hoque set. References: Accurate Arms Co. 1996 Reloading booklet Alliant Powder Co. Reloaders Guide (1995) Hodgdons Basic Reloaders Manual (1996) Speer Reloading Manual, #12 Winchester Reloading Components Manual, 14th edition Lyman Piston & Revolver Reloading Handbook, 2nd edition. In fact, in the past I specifically sought out revolvers chambered in 38 SPL only, knowing I would never be putting a 357 Mag in it (I carried a 4 GP100 chambered in 38 SPL as a duty sidearm in the early 90s). They are low because of swaged bullets. Just depends on what kinds of loads you plan to shoot. Wadcutters are tailor made for lightweight snubbie practice, allowing shooters to enjoy shooting the pocket guns. 38 Special 125 gr XTP American Gunner Item #90324 | 25/Box The American Gunner line of ammunition is a collection of tried-and-true, versatile loads that are popular with shooters for their target shooting, hunting or self-defense needs. The 919 case is tapered and therefore wider at the base than the .38 special is. Alliant listed 3.6 gr Bullseye as maximum (15000 psi) in 38 Special and 3.8 as max in 38 Special PLUS P (17000 psi) with 158 LSWC bullets. Super cheap and easy to make and would likely be a very effective defense ammo against wildlife that might be a threat to me as the two balls will spread an inch or two from each other at close range. Most DNR (Do Not Reduce) loads are well over 900-fps. I like the smell of Bullseye, dont mind wiping the handguns down after a range day, and the dark soot that accumulates on my support hand when shooting wheelguns in particular just reminds me to wash up. For 3 that actually doesnt kick too badly. Winchester only published load for WST in 38 special using lead bullets if you look at the data for the 158 data the start load goes from 3.3 Gr and a max load of 3.7 Gr. Bullseye Select A Caliber or Gauge Below To View Recipes. Winchester's 231 or WSL are also good powders for the .38 special. If you can follow simple instructions, you can safely load this cartridge. 594/600 at the real distances of 24 rnds at 50 yds, 24 rnds at 25 yes, and 12 rnds at 7.5 yds. Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue. Bullseye 3.2gr / 763fps --> 4.2gr / 892fps (max), Unique 4.3gr / 773fps --> 5.3gr / 944fps (max), 231 3.9gr / 733fps --> 4.8gr / 896pfs (max). A revolver shooting .38 SPL only requires the power of your finger to make it fire and can thus be loaded with ammo that is extremely mild or hotter than hot. Ask your Dealer, or call Hodgdon), has a Cowboy Load section, (near the center fold), that lists data for about all SASS calibers. 4.2 gr. I guess its out of production now- I havent seen it (or heard of it) in years. I have tested both brass and nickel-plated cases using mild loadings and have not yet worn out a case. Just look for a lead remover tool with bronze screens. In a day you can make over 100,000 bullets. Javascript is required. I load it almost exclusively though with either a powder coated or plated 125 grn bullet. While I do have a GP100 in .357 magnum, I dont like shooting .38 special ammo out of it, because cleaning powder residue out of the longer chambers is a real bitch. Don't worry too much about lead/coated/plated/jacketed. My best group was .9 inch out of a Model 15. LRNFP - your load, with a plated bullet should be Very Similar, or slightly slower and safer. Bullseye is one of the oldest smokeless pistol powders and still one of the most popular. Im not a hoarder and I dont keep them, but I am detailed in my process. Would you like to react to this message? With the powders you listed I would try Bullseye, 231, and Unique in that order. The pistol or revolver of good quality is vital. When I finally got my hands on a pound of Bullseye, I naturally started with some of these loads. What sort of wildlife are you thinking would be a good application for this self-defense load? My point being is I used the resources I have, looked elsewhere (The High Road, The Firing Line), and wanted to try here. .38 Special (Using Hornady Bullets) reloading data with 353 loads. I once had to quote the South Carolina Supreme Court when they had spelled it loathe., Regards, Not all guns are created equal. But I think I was still loading the cases from that first box when I quit loading 18 years later! My son asked if I wanted him to help, then fired one shot and handed it back. Reduce by 10% to establish a starting charge weight. Not sure how that translates to Bullseye powder.