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115gr 38s/sc question


TimWarner

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Anyone have any ideas where to start for powder/loads with a 115gr MG bullet?

Moving from 9mm to 38 and I'm not sure how to translate all the info I have. I assume a 9mm major load with the same bullet should be a decent starting point for 38 super/SC, but I have been wrong before.

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Some loads that have worked for me (Bedell shorty with no popple holes).

10.0gr of VV 3N38 at 1.235" (169pf)

10.5gr of VV N105 at 1.245" (I have since shortened this to 1.230" with no significant change) 170pf.

8.2gr of VV N350 at 1.235" (168PF)

Some that I have written down that others use, but haven't tried (no idea on oal).

8.5gr of VV 3N37

9.0gr of IMR 4756

8.1gr of Longshot

9.1gr of Tru Blu

8.1gr of IMR 7625

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I am using 10.2 of VV3N38 with a 3 hole comp and two pop holes. But I run my gun a bit hotter than GMan, about 171-172 pf. Of all the powders I have tried so far I like VV3N38 the most, though I do have trouble getting it sometimes.

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I can order VV powders online, but to make it worthwhile I gotta order a lot. Not economical for trying out powders.

I'm probably going to start with my 9mm major load with HS-6 and work up.

I've got a couple of friends who have been using HS-6 in 38SC and it's incredibly dirty....just nasty! We shot some of their ammo side-by-side with my old N350 load and they liked the N350 load a lot better. If availability is an issue I'd think hard about 4756 or Longshot as an easy experiment. My 'smith shot my new gun with 4756 and 121gr bullets and loved the way it reacted.

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I can order VV powders online, but to make it worthwhile I gotta order a lot. Not economical for trying out powders.

I'm probably going to start with my 9mm major load with HS-6 and work up.

You might want to try some ramshot silhouette. Excellent availability and relatively cheap. I have been loading it in 38sc for more than a year now.

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I can order VV powders online, but to make it worthwhile I gotta order a lot. Not economical for trying out powders.

I'm probably going to start with my 9mm major load with HS-6 and work up.

I've got a couple of friends who have been using HS-6 in 38SC and it's incredibly dirty....just nasty! We shot some of their ammo side-by-side with my old N350 load and they liked the N350 load a lot better. If availability is an issue I'd think hard about 4756 or Longshot as an easy experiment. My 'smith shot my new gun with 4756 and 121gr bullets and loved the way it reacted.

4756 works very well in my 4.5" gun, but it really fills the case and is a pain to load when you get over about 9 gr. You might try 7625, dot movement, for me, is not as nice as 4756, but much easier to load.

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got a rough estimate of what you're using for silhouette?

HS-6 is dirty, but If you run it at high enough pressure it turns out pretty clean. In 9mm anyway.

Silhouette is, IMO, as good as Vit 3N37 which is widely used in 38 S/SC. For 115 loads, I would start at 8.5. Silhouette burns really clean with a tight crimp and is a lot cooler than Vit 3N37.

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Sorry, should have been more specific. For USPSA Major.

Preferably non VV powder as it's hard to get around here, without buying a keg to test it out.

Have a Colt Govt model 70 from Jim Clark (20+ yrs old) one large hole comp, fully supported bbl. Worked up to 8.4 gr 4756 with a Speer 124 gr jhp (.355).

Gives me around 1400 fps from my gun. Obvioulsy start lower and work up....

Search for 38 super here you will find a bunch of load data.

Wayne

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  • 3 years later...

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