perfect load..

[SV_shooter]

Hi, new to open class and I just purchased a Brazos BCG Pro SX in .38S. Does anyone have any nice smooth loads to make major? I currently have VV N320, mixed headstamp 1x fired brass, federal small rifle primers, and just ordered some Zero and montana gold 147FMJ's. lookin to try some prescision delta's for the price. any advice would be appreciated. thanks!

Edited November 13, 2007 by SV_shooter

[Matt Cheely]

You're going to want to shoot a 115-125gr. bullet with a powder somewhere between 3N37 and N350.

[G-ManBart]

As Matt suggested, you're going to want to go to a lighter bullet and different powders to really take advantage of the comp (lighter bullets with more powder equals a larger gas volume going faster...works the comp better). I'm shooting the Montana Gold 121gr IFP and Zero 125gr JHPs out of my Bedell shorty in 38SC (no popple holes) and I like the 121s a bit better, but anything from 115-125 is workable until you really get comfortable with an Open gun and know exactly what you want.

For powders consider VV N350, 3N37, 3N38, N105 (if you can find it!), Hodgdon Longshot, or HS-6, or IMR 7625 or 4756. I've been working on a list of all the .38SC loads I've been able to find here and while it's not ready to post, if you can come up with one of the above powders, I can tell you what people listed as their major loads. For example, one poster listed a MG 121 IFP with 9.1gr of Longshot from their Pro SX. Another listed a 125gr Zero JHP with 10.3gr of 3N38 out of their Pro SX. R,

[SV_shooter]

thanks for the tips. I will order some new 125's and try some N350 and some 3N37 for starters. thanks a lot!

[G-ManBart]

thanks for the tips. I will order some new 125's and try some N350 and some 3N37 for starters. thanks a lot!

With N350 you can probably start around 8gr and see how that work out...might take a bit more since you've got the popple holes so it could end up like 8.3 or 8.4 depending on how fast your barrel is. I think there's a thread on loads for the Pro SX that you may try searching for in the reloading forum....if I recall, Bob from Brazos gave some advice about what powders were and weren't suitable.

[al503]

Bob recommends either n105 or IMR 4756 in 38 super. 3n38 works well also but you'll most likely get fireballs out of the comp like I do in mine. Bob does not recommend 3n37 or n350.

The right load (around 10.5 of n105) will yield a dot that doesn't lift. The only thing is that n105 isn't available anywhere right now.

[SV_shooter]

I emailed Bob before I had a chance to read this. So Bob dont like the N-350 huh? Well I'm gonna buy about 5 pounds of assorted powders from your suggestions. thank you all for the help!

[HSMITH]

N105 is the one, 4756 also works well for a couple Brazos shooters around here. Some are using 7625 too and liking it.

[al503]

Just saw in a different thread that you have a 5" gun. Just a minor distinction but the 4.5" gun is referred to as the Pro SX.

10.5 of n105 will probably be too hot. Bob should have a good recommendation for the full length gun.

[SV_shooter]

Just saw in a different thread that you have a 5" gun. Just a minor distinction but the 4.5" gun is referred to as the Pro SX.

You are correct sir. for some reason I thought the guns were SX if they were the top of the line and SC for Semi-custom. I realize now that the SX is the shorty 4.5". my bad. N-105 is in my cart as we speak, as is 4756(stuff is pretty cheap!)

this is the first gun I bought site unseen. I have seen others of the same model, but I have only seen pics of it. Are Their popple holes or barrel ports in the top like the SX, HS?

[dfwmiket]

Bob recommends either n105 or IMR 4756 in 38 super. 3n38 works well also but you'll most likely get fireballs out of the comp like I do in mine. Bob does not recommend 3n37 or n350.

The right load (around 10.5 of n105) will yield a dot that doesn't lift. The only thing is that n105 isn't available anywhere right now.

I'm using IMR 4756 w/ a 124g. MG JHP. Load is about 8.5g. I try to stick with Bob's recommendations.

-Mike

[HSMITH]

With a 115 you can't get enough N105 in the case to have pressure problems, load for power factor and then see what makes the dot do what you want to see.

[XRe]

IIRC, Bob recommends two powders for the short gun - N105 and 4756. These are the only ones that don't seem to cause undue pressures (and therefore, accelerated wear - including broken major parts) in those guns. N105 does apparently tend to erode the comp baffles a little more quickly - something about unburned or still burning powder granules moving at high velocity banging into the wipes? But, a lot of folks seem to like that feel better than 4756.

SV_shooter - the "Pro" series guns are the top of the line custom guns... the SX is the shorty, as you found. In the short gun, N350 apparently seems to cause pressure issues. Longer guns, not as much.

I agree with Howard - good luck trying to have pressure problems w/ N105... You could pack the case literally full, tamp a bullet in there as far as you can, and light it off, and it'd still be fine...

[AlamoShooter]

Send me the gun for a year or two and I will find a load that works good

XRe Had a post a year or so ago about loads that was very good, his data worked close in the lightend 38 I had.

The 3n320 had a Lot of comp flash that I did not see untill it was pointed out.

I went to the 7625 7.4 with a 121 Zero or 121 ifp M.G.

[Brazos Custom]

Brian, you have an e-mail coming with suggested loads. I specifically recommend against using 3n37, n350, or 7625 in the guns I build. Those powders work well for some but I have seen too many inconsistencies and evidence of high pressure in 10-20% of the guns using these powders. It could be different lots or just something that particular customer was doing but I have seen enough problems for it not to be worth the risk. The powders I recommend are all slower than those I just mentioned and will result in loads with higher volume of gases and less pressure.

p.s. mods you might want to edit the title of the thread to reflect the fact that the poster is looking for loads for a 5 inch gun and not a Pro SX.

Edited November 13, 2007 by Brazos Custom

[SV_shooter]

Bob, thanks for the email. MUCHO APPRECIATED!

[razorramon]

Hi, new to open class and I just purchased a Brazos BCG Pro SX in .38S. Does anyone have any nice smooth loads to make major? I currently have VV N320, mixed headstamp 1x fired brass, federal small rifle primers, and just ordered some Zero and montana gold 147FMJ's. lookin to try some prescision delta's for the price. any advice would be appreciated. thanks!

You are going to have to try different powders to see which one works better for your gun. I learned a lot using this method and looking at the difference between powders and the way they gun cycle. For my guns (hybrid shorties guns) the VV N350, N105, and others VV which were very snapy for my guns.

but when I tried the IMR S7625 the gun cycled very nice. Meaning the dot did not moved. Remember with comp guns you need more powder.

I use 8.2 grain with a 124 grain MG bullet which gives me a PF 172 fps. The lower you go on power factor the jumpy the dot gets.

By the way this is my opinion based on my guns.

There is a reloading chart if you want to call it like that put together by Jeff Mass. You can download it from the Internet. It will gives you an Idead of what it is been used by other shooters. Welcome to the open division and good luck to you

Razorramon.

Edited November 21, 2007 by razorramon

[razorramon]

Hi, new to open class and I just purchased a Brazos BCG Pro SX in .38S. Does anyone have any nice smooth loads to make major? I currently have VV N320, mixed headstamp 1x fired brass, federal small rifle primers, and just ordered some Zero and montana gold 147FMJ's. lookin to try some prescision delta's for the price. any advice would be appreciated. thanks!

You are going to have to try different powders to see which one works better for your gun. I learned a lot using this method and looking at the difference between powders and the way they gun cycle. For my guns (hybrid shorties guns) the VV N350, N105, and other VV were very snapy for my guns.

but when I tried the IMR S7625 the gun cycled very nice. Meaning the dot did not moved. Remember with comp guns you need more powder.

I use 8.2 grain with a 124 grain MG bullet which gives me a PF 172 fps. The lower you go on power factor the jumpy the dot gets.

By the way this is my opinion based on my guns.

There is a reloading chart if you want to call it like that put together by Jeff Mass. You can downloaded from the Internet. It will gives you an Idead of what it is been used by other shooters. Welcome to the open division and good luck to you

Razorramon.

[XD Niner]

I have one of Bob's terrific 5" SCs in .38 Super. It is a great gun that's for sure.

I normally use IMR 4756 with a 125 gr. Zero FMJ bullet. 8.6 grains of 4756 gives me a 169 PF and 8.7 grains gives a PF of 175.

I tried a pound of IMR 7625 just to compare the two. At 7.4 grains it gives me a 169 PF which is equivalent to the 8.6 grains of 4576. The felt recoil is indistinguishable between the two but I think the dot jumps just a bit more with the 7625. The advantage to the 7625 is in the reloading effort. It seems to meter a bit better and because it requires less powder I have less spilage as the casings indes on my Dillon XL 650. I haven't shot enough of it yet to see if there are any obvious pressure issues.