New to 38 Super

[Baer45]

I have a new Les Baer w/ 5" barrel coming in 38 Super which is a new calliber for me. I noticed laser-Cast only had one bullet for 38Super that was around 145 grn...What are typical loads for 38Super Bulleseye loads? It is kind of hard looking at recipes becasue so many are "compted loads", etc. Court

[lynn jones]

what is the bore? most people shoot .355 which is 9mm and that's the bullets we use.

lynn

[BigDave]

+1 to Lynn

When you look up a "38 Super" bullets, you'll see them as .356. But, as Lynn points out, most of us (myself included) shoot .355 bullets. You can probably shoot either, but the biggest selection of bullets will be .355.

[G-ManBart]

Depends on the bore size. I'd guess that a Baer in Super would have a traditional .356 bore. For USPSA stuff most of the barrel makers have switched to .355 to use the more readily available 9mm bullets.

For case bullets got .001 larger than the listed bore size and try that first. If the accuracy isn't all you want, try .002 larger if you can get them.

147gr truncated cones always shot well out of my old single stack Super, but I was pushing them pretty fast. Are you looking for a mild bullseye target kind of load? R,

[bompa]

I like a cast 147gr fp or rn with 3.5 gr of bullseye behind it..loaded as long as your chamber or mags allow..

Have no idea what it does as for velocity but shoots real good in my single stacks..Very pleasant for fun shooting...

[Baer45]

I am learning a lot here. G-Man I will be shooting it for Bullseye....I have never owned or shot a 38Super but always wanted one to see how it shoots. I imagine it will be a couple of months more before the gun comes so I thought in the meantime I could do some research and have some rounds ready when it comes...Court

[Guy Neill]

SAAMI spec for a 38 Super calls for a 9mm barrel and bullet. The use of 0.356" bullets came about as people were trying to make Major with the Super. The slightly larger bullet occluded the bore better, improving velocities.

GUy

[EEH]

Baer45-I shoot 38 super a lot just not in race guns--I like Zero bullets 124gr win 231 powder at about 1100 fps shoots good out of my KIMBERS and revolvers-have also used hp-38--Kimber gold match guns good luck..

[z40acp]

There are some good minor loads on Jeff Maas's web page. Search Jeff Maas IPSC loads. Two loads I have used are 4.5 grains of WST and 4.5 grains of Solo 1000 with a RCBS 124 grain lead CN bullet.

[G-ManBart]

SAAMI spec for a 38 Super calls for a 9mm barrel and bullet. The use of 0.356" bullets came about as people were trying to make Major with the Super. The slightly larger bullet occluded the bore better, improving velocities.

GUy

Not true. The .38 Super was developed from the .38acp which had a nominal bullet diameter of .356 and that didn't change when they developed the Super.

The ANSI/SAAMI booklet Z299.3-1993 lists the barrel bore diameter at .346 inches while the barrel groove diameter is .355 inches and the bullet diameter is .356 inches. If there is a more current SAAMI booklet listing .355, that's clearly a change because many of the barrel manufacturers are now using .355 rather than the traditional .356. I have a reasonably ancient reloading manual that was old when I got it in 1991 and it lists .38 Super bullet diameter at .356".

In fact, all the "traditional" .38 Super bullets are 130gr FMJ's and they have always been .356"....if I'm not mistaken, Remington and Winchester still sell them and they list them as .356".

[Guy Neill]

I agree, and appreciate the clarification. There is also a -0.006" tolerance to the bullet diameter.

Generally, the proper jacketed bullet diameter is the same as the groove diameter, that is 0.355" for the Super, so the Super is unusual in allowing a 0.356" bullet.

While 38 (0.357") bullets have been listed in various load manuals for the Super, they are not the correct bullets, but may be usable if the chamber will accept them.

The 9mm Luger is spec'ed with a 0.3555" -0.003" bullet diameter with the same 0.355" groove diameter.

Guy

SAAMI spec for a 38 Super calls for a 9mm barrel and bullet. The use of 0.356" bullets came about as people were trying to make Major with the Super. The slightly larger bullet occluded the bore better, improving velocities.

GUy

Not true. The .38 Super was developed from the .38acp which had a nominal bullet diameter of .356 and that didn't change when they developed the Super.

The ANSI/SAAMI booklet Z299.3-1993 lists the barrel bore diameter at .346 inches while the barrel groove diameter is .355 inches and the bullet diameter is .356 inches. If there is a more current SAAMI booklet listing .355, that's clearly a change because many of the barrel manufacturers are now using .355 rather than the traditional .356. I have a reasonably ancient reloading manual that was old when I got it in 1991 and it lists .38 Super bullet diameter at .356".

In fact, all the "traditional" .38 Super bullets are 130gr FMJ's and they have always been .356"....if I'm not mistaken, Remington and Winchester still sell them and they list them as .356".