Joe4d Posted August 4, 2023 Share Posted August 4, 2023 Fixing to gear up for 38 short colt, 4" 627, 125 pf.. Bullets are 147 coated. Looking at powder MFG web sight data for 38 spc and 9mm and see much higher pressure for 9mm. I am actually thinking of going with slower powder to keep pressure down. On hand is BE86. probably work great but like to save the 2 lbs I have for full power 357 and 45 acp . Stuff is awsome for pin loads. American Select... doesnt meter so well in a Dillon.... have little other use for it unless I get another 45 and want some basic blasting ammo. Tightgroup,,, published data looks ok,, but cylinders get super hot and I know it smoked with old school moly,, no idea on the new coatings. No published data on WST,,, might be too fast. and spike pressure befrore I hit power factor. AA a bunch on hand, but IAW Hodgdon page pressure seems to get real high, real fast in 9mm... Loading in a 627 so 1.150 I am guessing,,, got WIn , Wolff, and CCI sp and federal SPM AAny thoughts ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mcfoto Posted August 4, 2023 Share Posted August 4, 2023 I load 147 gr at 1.2 oal. American Select works well for me too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superdude Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 Maybe something useful here: https://www.ssusa.org/content/handloading-the-38-short-colt-for-competition/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe4d Posted August 5, 2023 Author Share Posted August 5, 2023 (edited) thanks good article.. Probably going with AA#2 as I have a bunch,, and IAW most of the burn rate charts its slower than Tight group and WST... although WST seems to move around the charts. Ideally I would go with BE86 and I bet it would really work well but I like it for more full power stuff and only have a couple lbs... Gonna use up my AMerican select in 38 special cases with truncated cone bullets I have left with the old Precision Moly coated bullets. I picked up a one off 38 special sizer, 9mm seat and taper crimp in the bins at the gun show... but forgot I need the powder expander (Dillon 550),,, I THINK I have a 38 super conversion kit buried some where with one in it... If not have to take apart my 9mm tool head. Anyone with clean shot or #2 chrono results ? Edited August 5, 2023 by Joe4d Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe4d Posted August 11, 2023 Author Share Posted August 11, 2023 Annnnnnd my 9mm set has a Seat/crimp,,, vs a seat and crimp so gonna have to canabalize my 9mm tool head,,, als cant find my 38 super conversion kit, so having to pull the powder funnel from the 9mm anyways.. (Talking 550 here). Seeing guys using clays, american select, and tightgroup without issues, so figuring my Accurate #2 should be fine. a bit slower,, See how the bullets look in the case. Will probably see what 1.160 looks like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe4d Posted August 11, 2023 Author Share Posted August 11, 2023 finally got press set up. had figured on a 3.3-3.6 ish ladder, first scale came out with 3.4 grs so rolled with is. New Starline 38 short colt brass. Accurate #2 3.4 grs Bayou .358 coated 145gr RN,, but they weighed 147 on my scale. 1.165 OAL. Taper crimped till bullet had a slight groove in coating but not to the lead. Federal small pistol magnum primers. 852 fps average with 7 rounds SD 6.1 came out to 125 pf Loaded some with winchester SP and got 846 average Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ysrracer Posted August 12, 2023 Share Posted August 12, 2023 .38 Short Colt and 9mm cases have roughly the same internal capacity. Any load data for 9mm can be used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louu Posted August 12, 2023 Share Posted August 12, 2023 On 8/10/2023 at 8:45 PM, Joe4d said: Annnnnnd my 9mm set has a Seat/crimp,,, vs a seat and crimp so gonna have to canabalize my 9mm tool head,,, als cant find my 38 super conversion kit, so having to pull the powder funnel from the 9mm anyways.. (Talking 550 here). Seeing guys using clays, american select, and tightgroup without issues, so figuring my Accurate #2 should be fine. a bit slower,, See how the bullets look in the case. Will probably see what 1.160 looks like. Im about to start this adventure as well and I've seen a lot of people on the internet using clays to. To me that's weird because all the 9mm stuff says don't use clays for 9mm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louu Posted August 12, 2023 Share Posted August 12, 2023 10 hours ago, ysrracer said: .38 Short Colt and 9mm cases have roughly the same internal capacity. Any load data for 9mm can be used. I was thinking the same thing but I a 627 wouldn't that short brass give the bullet a lot of unsupported flight once it leaves the brass floating to the barrel plus the cylinder gap causing all that pressure loss? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ysrracer Posted August 12, 2023 Share Posted August 12, 2023 1 hour ago, louu said: I was thinking the same thing but I a 627 wouldn't that short brass give the bullet a lot of unsupported flight once it leaves the brass floating to the barrel plus the cylinder gap causing all that pressure loss? Sure, use 9mm load data as a starting point. Here's my load Name: .38 Short Colt: 160gr Bayou.RN: Clays 3.1gr: Starline Case: OAL 1.2 Notes: S&W 627 Shots: 4 Average: 816 ft/s SD: 18 ft/s Min: 787 ft/s Max: 836 ft/s Spread: 49 ft/s Power Factor Average: 130 Power Factor Low: 125 Power Factor High: 133 Barometric Pressure: 30 in Hg Temperature: 63 F Weight: 160.0 gr. Powder/Wt: Clays/3.1gr Bullet/Wt: Bayou 160gr RN Primer: Fed SPP Case: Starline OAL: 1.2 Gun: S&W 627 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ysrracer Posted August 12, 2023 Share Posted August 12, 2023 1 hour ago, louu said: Im about to start this adventure as well and I've seen a lot of people on the internet using clays to. To me that's weird because all the 9mm stuff says don't use clays for 9mm. So Clays powder is virtually unattainable. Clay Dot is and it's more or less the same thing. Here's my 9mm load Name: 9mm: 147gr Blue RN: Clays 2.75gr: Fed Case: OAL 1.190: S&W 929 Notes: S&W 929 Shots: 8 Average: 858 ft/s SD: 9 ft/s Min: 841 ft/s Max: 867 ft/s Spread: 26 ft/s Power Factor Average: 126 Power Factor Low: 123 Power Factor High: 127 Barometric Pressure: 29 in Hg Temperature: 81 F Weight: 147.0 gr. Powder/Wt: Clays/2.75gr Bullet/Wt: Blue 147gr RN Primer: Fed SPP Case: Fed OAL: 1.190 Gun: S&W 929 / 5" barrel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe4d Posted August 12, 2023 Author Share Posted August 12, 2023 2 hours ago, louu said: Im about to start this adventure as well and I've seen a lot of people on the internet using clays to. To me that's weird because all the 9mm stuff says don't use clays for 9mm. My thoughts as well, which is why I didnt use WST, generally not reccommended for 9mm, those clay loads listed above gotta be crazy high pressure.. Also 38 sc brass is made like 38 special brass not 9mm brass, Stronger ? weaker ? dunno. I know YSracer been doing this a long time.. But for me I wanted a slower powder... Hence the A#2... just figured if YS racer hadnt blown himself up (although he has posted split 38 sc cases pictures before) with clays I should be ok with A#2. Incidently 3.4 grs under a cast 147 came out at about the same thing as 9mm data. Another wierd one, powder position seemed to make about a 10 fps difference. Between powder at rear of case and front.. and it wasnt random was very consistent each way. Would like to find a bit bulkier powder in about the same burn rate, 244 chart shoes its pretty dense,,, Is there a new version of Unique ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ysrracer Posted August 12, 2023 Share Posted August 12, 2023 7 minutes ago, Joe4d said: just figured if YS racer hadnt blown himself up Yet The primers aren't flattened, and are nowhere near as bad as 9mm major. Also a 627 is a .357 magnum rated gun. As always, always follow published load data, not my nonsense posted on the internet. Be safe, ymmv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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