38 Special Loads

[ButchW]

I need some good target loads for 38 Special to load for my cousins and their kids to practice with.

I have available Bullseye, Win Ball Powder, Unique, 2400, N350, Hod. Universal Clays, may be a little 231 and PB.

They will go in 7.5" - 8 3/8" long barrel 357's and 2" barrel S&W pistols.

If I need to load an ammo box to use in both types of guns, that is fine too.

I have 148 DEWC & 158 SWC lead bullets (both on the light side due to hardness).

Thanks,

Butch

Edited August 7, 2007 by ButchW

[Harmon]

2.9 grains bulleseye and the wadcutters, 3.5 grains with the semi wadcutters. both should be below max

Harmon

[TonyT]

I have used the old standard target load of 2.7 gr. Bullseye behind the 148 gr. LWC with excellent results.

[Kosh75287]

I need some good target loads for 38 Special to load for my cousins and their kids to practice with.

I have available Bullseye, Win Ball Powder, Unique, 2400, N350, Hod. Universal Clays, may be a little 231 and PB.

They will go in 7.5" - 8 3/8" long barrel 357's and 2" barrel S&W pistols.

If I need to load an ammo box to use in both types of guns, that is fine too.

I have 148 DEWC & 158 SWC lead bullets (both on the light side due to hardness).

Thanks,

Butch

I've used the following with good results:

2.8-3.1/Bullseye/148 or 158 (both are pleasant and accurate, neither are max)

3.6-4.1/Unique/148 or 158 (same notes)

3.0/WW231/158 (very accurate, probably below starting load)

3.3 - 3.5/PB/148-158 (clean, accurate, pleasant)

Unique might not burn very cleanly, and/or give you some serious muzzle flash, particularly in the snubby. I haven't experimented with 2400 in .38 Special, but I suspect that it won't burn completely at .38Spl pressures, even in the very long barrels you mentioned using. If you DO load some up, I would be very interested in what kind of results you obtain with it. I hope you find this information of help.

Cordially,

[Kosh75287]

I need some good target loads for 38 Special to load for my cousins and their kids to practice with.

I have available Bullseye, Win Ball Powder, Unique, 2400, N350, Hod. Universal Clays, may be a little 231 and PB.

They will go in 7.5" - 8 3/8" long barrel 357's and 2" barrel S&W pistols.

If I need to load an ammo box to use in both types of guns, that is fine too.

I have 148 DEWC & 158 SWC lead bullets (both on the light side due to hardness).

Thanks,

Butch

I've used the following with good results:

2.8-3.1/Bullseye/148 or 158 (both are pleasant and accurate, neither are max)

3.6-4.1/Unique/148 or 158 (same notes as above)

3.0/WW231/158 (very accurate, probably below starting load)

3.3 - 3.5/PB/148-158 (clean, accurate, pleasant)

Unique might not burn very cleanly, and/or give you some serious muzzle flash, particularly in the snubby. I haven't experimented with 2400 in .38 Special, but I suspect that it won't burn completely at .38Spl pressures, even in the very long barrels you mentioned using. If you DO load some up, I would be very interested in what kind of results you obtain with it. I hope you find this information of help.

Cordially,

[ButchW]

I've used the following with good results:

2.8-3.1/Bullseye/148 or 158 (both are pleasant and accurate, neither are max)

3.6-4.1/Unique/148 or 158 (same notes as above)

3.0/WW231/158 (very accurate, probably below starting load)

3.3 - 3.5/PB/148-158 (clean, accurate, pleasant)

Unique might not burn very cleanly, and/or give you some serious muzzle flash, particularly in the snubby. I haven't experimented with 2400 in .38 Special, but I suspect that it won't burn completely at .38Spl pressures, even in the very long barrels you mentioned using. If you DO load some up, I would be very interested in what kind of results you obtain with it. I hope you find this information of help.

My cousin's cancer surgery was put on hold. So didn't go. I have had a chance to shoot a 357 7+ inch gun and loaded:

2.7 & 2.8 Bullseye with excellent results. Light, pop pop load. 148's (don't have very many 158 like I thought to play with.)

I loaded 3.5, 3.6, 3.8, 3.9 & 4.0 new WW231 and can't complain about the overall results with WW231. My best was 3/4" with the 4.0 and my worst of about 5". I think the 3.6, 3.7 will be the target load at least in 148's. A little more punch than the Bullseye and somewhat cleaner.

I just did some OLD Universal today, with great results overall at 3.0-3.1 (doesn't meter well for me) but I don't have a clue what NEWER Hodgdon Universal will do. This is light recoil like the Bullseye. (4.3 of the OLD was one of my father's target loads in his old Colt Python can't remember the gun barrel size though other than long. The gun has been gone for years. But that is rather hot. Plus P for Modern Universal. )

Please send me an email privately and I will let you know later what I find because it might be Nov. or Dec. before surgery.

(sales11 at iscnetwork dot com)

I will try the others when I get the chance.

Thanks. Butch