Jaxshooter Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 I am loading 10.4 gr 3N38 with a 125 gr Zero JHP at 1.245 OAL. (appx 172 PF) Is anyone loading this any shorter? I am going to shorten AOL and chrono. Just looking for a starting point. I am shooting an SV IMM with a 3 hole Scheuman barrel, 3 port comp with side ports. Any info appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Provan Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 try that load with a 7# spring and a shock buff. Brandon is using 10.0 3n38 on a 124 JHP. I am not sure of the load length. If I go above 10.6 of 3n38 I start to get preasure signs on my brass. I am working on a 124 JHP with 10.3 at 1.220 oal, with StarLine brass. What brass are you using? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Abrahams Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 i am using 9.3 grains of 3N38 at 1.240 OAL (38 SC starline brass). 5 inch barrel with 2 ports and a dawson comp. that gets me to about 171 PF, which has now been verified at three matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted June 20, 2007 Author Share Posted June 20, 2007 (edited) I am using 90% Starline the rest is TJ or Armscor Rimless. I would like to get down to 1.220 then you eliminate the ejection and jam problems. I will try 10.0 at 1.220 OAL and work up from there. I am currently running a 9LB spring with no shock buff. I will try the 7 lb spring also. Thanks Edited June 20, 2007 by Jaxshooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbs007 Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 I use MG 124gr JHP over 10gr 3N38 in Starline brass at 1.235 OAL. Using a Schuemann 4 port with a 5 port comp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Provan Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 I am using 90% Starline the rest is TJ or Armscor Rimless. Be carefull with the Armscor Rimless. I had some and the preasures where differant form Starline. Mine was the nickle plated, I cannot relaod it. The nickle comes off in my sizing die. Use only Starline or TJ. Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted June 20, 2007 Author Share Posted June 20, 2007 Carl Thanks for the info on Armscor. I sorted the brass and am using Starline and TJ only. Loaded some at 10.0 gr and 10.2 gr @ 1.220 OAL. I am going to the range in the morning to chrono. I don't have any 7 lb springs yet (ordered today). Will see how the gun handles with the 9 lb with no shok buff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Provan Posted June 21, 2007 Share Posted June 21, 2007 Jaxshooter ake sure your recoil spring is not binding when fully compressed. I had to clip a few coils to keep the spring from binding. Make sure that you can compress the spring in thereverse plug all the way down to the flang on the guide rod. If the plug does not hit the flange it could break the front end of the plug. Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted June 21, 2007 Author Share Posted June 21, 2007 Carl My recoil spring has been trimmed and is not binding. I went to the range today with the 10.0 gr and 10.2 gr 125 JHP loaded at 1.220 OAL. They are to short and do no feed. If they were FMJs they might work that short. I also tried some of my previous loads 10.4 gr 3N38 125 gr Zero JHP at 1.240 OAL. They run fine if I don't load more than 20 rounds (19 + 1). I am using SV mags with Gram's springs and followers and Dawson +2 pads. I think the problem has been to much spring pressure in the mag (13 coils) or the 9 lb recoil spring dosent give the slide enough momentum to extract the brass without getting hung up on the top bullet in the mag when there are more than 19 in the mag. Have you had a problem similar to this? Thanks Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandro Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Jaxshooterake sure your recoil spring is not binding when fully compressed. I had to clip a few coils to keep the spring from binding. Make sure that you can compress the spring in thereverse plug all the way down to the flang on the guide rod. If the plug does not hit the flange it could break the front end of the plug. Carl I broke at least 4 reverse plugs before someone gave me the same tip. After I cut the spring I never had the same problem again. Also, I shot N105 at least two years. It is a great powder, but for Hybrid barrels usualy with not more than two ports the best load is 9.8gr of 3N38 with 124gr JHP "montana gold" at 1.235OAL, right at 168PF with my gun. Sandro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted June 22, 2007 Author Share Posted June 22, 2007 (edited) Sandro Thanks for the reply. I was lucky and did not break anything before I trimmed the recoil spring. The gun had been to two different gunsmiths before I thought about spring bind and neither one of them caught it either. I just happened to read a thread on here about spring bind and checked it. I trimmed two coils off. I am going to try a 7 lb recoil spring first. If that dosen't help I will trim a coil off the mag springs to make it eaiser for the top bullet to be depressed when the gun is extracting. Thanks Chris I should be able to load 20 +1 and have the gun run witout any problems. Will post results after I try the springs. Edited June 22, 2007 by Jaxshooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Provan Posted June 22, 2007 Share Posted June 22, 2007 Jaxshooter Do you see little copper rings in the slide of your IMM from the Zero bullets. I tried some when I first got my IMM and had the little rings. I went to the MG and the ring went away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxshooter Posted June 22, 2007 Author Share Posted June 22, 2007 No just looked no rings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasmap Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 I know this is an old thread but I was searching for loads with 3N38 and found this one the other day. I have been running 4756 in the full-size Open gun I used to have and I liked it but I am now shooting my Cameron shorty in .38SuperComp and I wanted to try something new. I loaded up a few test rounds with different powder charges and took it to the range. I settled on a load with 10.2 grains 3N38, 1.235 OAL, Win SRP, and a Montana Gold 121 IFP. The dot tracked GREAT and it was working the comp perfectly. I started much lower for safety reasons and worked up. There were no signs of pressure and it shot fantastic. I have to chrono it but I am positive it'll make it. I'll be using this load in Yuma next week at the Yuma Matchmasters Charity Match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 I know this is an old thread but I was searching for loads with 3N38 and found this one the other day. I have been running 4756 in the full-size Open gun I used to have and I liked it but I am now shooting my Cameron shorty in .38SuperComp and I wanted to try something new. I loaded up a few test rounds with different powder charges and took it to the range. I settled on a load with 10.2 grains 3N38, 1.235 OAL, Win SRP, and a Montana Gold 121 IFP. The dot tracked GREAT and it was working the comp perfectly. I started much lower for safety reasons and worked up. There were no signs of pressure and it shot fantastic. I have to chrono it but I am positive it'll make it. I'll be using this load in Yuma next week at the Yuma Matchmasters Charity Match. 10.0gr of 3N38 at 1.235" with a WSR and MG 121gr IFP was 178PF in my Bedell shorty. The same load, but with a MG 115gr CMJ was 169PF...almost exactly the same velocity with both bullets. The same load with a MG 115gr JHP was 170PF...slightly more case volume used by the JHP bumped the pressure and velocity a touch. So, I backed down to 9.5gr and got 170PF with the 121gr IFP. You should make PF pretty easily with what you have now. R, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasmap Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 I know this is an old thread but I was searching for loads with 3N38 and found this one the other day. I have been running 4756 in the full-size Open gun I used to have and I liked it but I am now shooting my Cameron shorty in .38SuperComp and I wanted to try something new. I loaded up a few test rounds with different powder charges and took it to the range. I settled on a load with 10.2 grains 3N38, 1.235 OAL, Win SRP, and a Montana Gold 121 IFP. The dot tracked GREAT and it was working the comp perfectly. I started much lower for safety reasons and worked up. There were no signs of pressure and it shot fantastic. I have to chrono it but I am positive it'll make it. I'll be using this load in Yuma next week at the Yuma Matchmasters Charity Match. 10.0gr of 3N38 at 1.235" with a WSR and MG 121gr IFP was 178PF in my Bedell shorty. The same load, but with a MG 115gr CMJ was 169PF...almost exactly the same velocity with both bullets. The same load with a MG 115gr JHP was 170PF...slightly more case volume used by the JHP bumped the pressure and velocity a touch. So, I backed down to 9.5gr and got 170PF with the 121gr IFP. You should make PF pretty easily with what you have now. R, Thanks for the info Bart. I tried less powder 1st but the dot just wasn't tracking as well as I wanted it to. When I tried 10.2 it was working my comp great and I knew I was there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Thanks for the info Bart. I tried less powder 1st but the dot just wasn't tracking as well as I wanted it to. When I tried 10.2 it was working my comp great and I knew I was there. Yeah, if the dot is tracking nicely that's job #1, no doubt. Just figured I'd add a little bit of data for reference purposes. Have you noticed any fireballs? I got a few, but can't recall which exact load it was...and they were totally random. I haven't tried it in my Millennium gun yet. It wasn't terrible, but I'd sort of laugh when it happened. I think it was with the lower PF loads, so it might be something about incomplete burning at lower pressures. Hey, it'll keep the RO farther away so they're less likely to notice if you do something wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pezco Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 (edited) I use 10.2g 3n38, 121 IFP Montana Golds and WSR primers at 1.240 in my Bedell Shorty 38 SC and get 171 PF. Very flat shooting load! Edited April 10, 2010 by Pezco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasmap Posted April 10, 2010 Share Posted April 10, 2010 Thanks for the info Bart. I tried less powder 1st but the dot just wasn't tracking as well as I wanted it to. When I tried 10.2 it was working my comp great and I knew I was there. Yeah, if the dot is tracking nicely that's job #1, no doubt. Just figured I'd add a little bit of data for reference purposes. Have you noticed any fireballs? I got a few, but can't recall which exact load it was...and they were totally random. I haven't tried it in my Millennium gun yet. It wasn't terrible, but I'd sort of laugh when it happened. I think it was with the lower PF loads, so it might be something about incomplete burning at lower pressures. Hey, it'll keep the RO farther away so they're less likely to notice if you do something wrong I haven't noticed the fireball yet but I have seen it in other people's guns. I am sure it will show up soon enough. Thanks for your help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 Guys I worked the cave at DoubleTap the best powder for FireBalls is IMR7625 about every fourth shot it puts out a huge fire ball. You have roused my curiosity about 3N38 would you guys say it puts out more gas to work the comp than N105 or AA#7? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryO Posted April 11, 2010 Share Posted April 11, 2010 I use 10.0 grains under at 121JHP Zero at 1.23 OAL (4 popple holes, 170 PF). I never notice a fireball but when I watch the hatcam video I see it from time to time. I have used 124 grain Montana Gold CMJ and then only need 9.5 grains at the same OAL (171 PF). I'm down to about a pound left and I'm going to try 4756 next. Don't really have any complaints with 3N38 though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slide4949 Posted February 8, 2018 Share Posted February 8, 2018 I loaded 10.0 of 3n38 with MG 125 jhp, oal of 1.245 and my PF was 186. Shooting a sv infinity 38 super open gun with 2 popple holes. Thats too high PF. See other post with about same amount of powder but lower PF. Why is mine so high? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlmiller1 Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 Slide Have you plunk tested your rounds to be sure the bullet is not into the rifling? I didnt think about that when we were talking the other day. If your bullets are into rifling, velocity & Pressure go way up!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mlmiller1 Posted February 11, 2018 Share Posted February 11, 2018 In baldpriests gun, we dropped just a bullet, not loaded round in barrel. Measured from muzzle end. Then fed a DUMMY round in chamber & took same measurement. We shortened the dummy until we had .010" clearance off rifling. Did that in both his guns. His 2 stock sti were dramatically different btw. You dont want your bullet touching the rifling. Maybe your chamber is short? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremyc_1999 Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 I have a STI Trubore in 38 SC and am planning on loading Montana Gold 115 JHP and 124 JHP for major open. I am planning on using WSR # 6-1/2 primers and reloading on my dillon square deal B with Starline Brass. I am worried about case capacity. I do not have any experience reloading for a comp ( I have lots of long range precision rifle reloading experience and regular pistol reloading experience) and from what I read, the larger capacity and slower powder is safer and will help the comp work better. What I am wondering is if the capacity will be so much that it will spill when the cartridge advances in the dillon to the next stage. Also, I was wondering if there might be a better powder choice. I am new to 38 Super Comp and open so I am open to any suggestions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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