.38spl Load With CamPro's 38/357 148 HBWC FCP Bullets?

MET

MET

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Good morning all,

Does anyone have a mellow (for PPC) .38spl load using CamPro's 38/357 148 HBWC FCP bullets? Hogdon has load data but only for Hornady lead 38 Cal .358 148 gr HBWC bullets.

I use CamPro's 9mm bullets so I assume these .38spl bullets should work great also.

I don't have the bullets on hand and I haven't bought any powder as of yet so I'm all ears.

Also please give me your thoughts on running lead bullets vs modern fully copper-plated bullets as far as barrel longevity is concerned.

Thanks
MET
 
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Look a little further down the main reloading page. There is a thread with a copy of Campros recommended loads along with others from CGNers.
 
I had the exact same question and this is the response I received from Campro.
If you want a milder load just tone it down.
I would start out lower and work my way up to these suggested loads.
I have the full document from Campro if your want contact me and I can e-mail it to you.

Suggested loads
Loads suggested for standard cartridge (for example: Winchester Brass, Federal Brass)
Projectile Powder type Load (gr) Remark
Cam-Pro
Copper Plated
HBWC
These loads are for 38 SPL,
Flush Mount and Heavy Crimp.
Bullseye 3.2
HP38 3.5
231 3.5
Titegroup 3.3
Unique 3.7
 
volodumyr said:
I had the exact same question and this is the response I received from Campro.
If you want a milder load just tone it down.
I would start out lower and work my way up to these suggested loads.
I have the full document from Campro if your want contact me and I can e-mail it to you.

Suggested loads
Loads suggested for standard cartridge (for example: Winchester Brass, Federal Brass)
Projectile Powder type Load (gr) Remark
Cam-Pro
Copper Plated
HBWC
These loads are for 38 SPL,
Flush Mount and Heavy Crimp.
Bullseye 3.2
HP38 3.5
231 3.5
Titegroup 3.3
Unique 3.7
Click to expand...

Thank you! I have lots of Titegroup here, will try that load first. Will have to see though, my Lee disc powder drop with the smallest hole drops 3.5gr of Titegroup, might have to upgrade to there new adjustable drum type powder drop.

I might be able to trade off some of the heavy crimp if I have to go with 3.5grs of Titegroup instead of there 3.3gr suggestion. .2gr of extra powder with a lighter crimp, brass might last longer as well.
 
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Right now I use 3.1 grains of Win 231 for lead HBWC, I was going to start out with 3.2 grains of Win 231 with the CamPro plated HBWC and work up to 3.5. We have different uses though, I'm going to use mine for Bullseye shooting. If you give me your e-mail address I will send you the complete document form CamPro if you would like.
 
volodumyr said:
Right now I use 3.1 grains of Win 231 for lead HBWC, I was going to start out with 3.2 grains of Win 231 with the CamPro plated HBWC and work up to 3.5. We have different uses though, I'm going to use mine for Bullseye shooting. If you give me your e-mail address I will send you the complete document form CamPro if you would like.
Click to expand...
I tried a starting load of 3.1 grains of 231 with that bullet and promptly stuck one in the barrel. After a bit of powder measure testing, I found that my uniflow measure could be off by .2 grains either way.
Not an issue with mid range loads, but absolutely could be with a light one.
I learned my lesson, and will never start at minimum charges with plated/jacketed bullets anymore.
 
Thanks for the input guys. I am going to experiment with the Titegroup and CamPro's 38/357 148 HBWC FCP plated/jacketed bullets.

I find the Titegroup to be quite dirty out of my semi's even with jacketed bullets in turn causing the odd failure to eject issue. Obviously wont have that issue with a revolver though.

:cheers:
 
MET said:
Thanks for the input guys. I am going to experiment with the Titegroup and CamPro's 38/357 148 HBWC FCP plated/jacketed bullets.

I find the Titegroup to be quite dirty out of my semi's even with jacketed bullets in turn causing the odd failure to eject issue. Obviously wont have that issue with a revolver though.

:cheers:
Click to expand...

I got some really strange results with Titegroup. I was chrono testing a couple of months ago (-5C and cloudy), loaded 3 speedloaders of each load I had worked up, carried the loaded speedloaders on my belt. For the Berry's plated HBWC, the rounds in the last speed loader tested abnormally low. I thought it was a fluke the first time it happened with the 2.8gr Titegroup load, but then the same thing happened with the 3.1gr Titegroup load (I only had 5 rounds loaded into that speed loader). It was almost as if the powder was getting lodged in the hollow base of the wadcutters? No idea why the 3rd speedloader of each load was so low for the copper plated HBWC. The Speers HBWC were fine and a lot faster fps.

TiteGroup 148gr HBWC2.jpg
 

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I switched to Clays and got better results. Very interesting how much slower plated bullets are compared to plain lead.

HBWC Testing 20170314.JPG
 

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VanMan said:
I switched to Clays and got better results. Very interesting how much slower plated bullets are compared to plain lead.

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How was the accuracy of the CamPro bullet with those loads? BTW, I looked up the Hodgdon recommended Clays load. They only publish one for the Lead HBWC, but your load would be significantly over their max load for .38 special.
 
VanMan said:
I got some really strange results with Titegroup. I was chrono testing a couple of months ago (-5C and cloudy), loaded 3 speedloaders of each load I had worked up, carried the loaded speedloaders on my belt. For the Berry's plated HBWC, the rounds in the last speed loader tested abnormally low. I thought it was a fluke the first time it happened with the 2.8gr Titegroup load, but then the same thing happened with the 3.1gr Titegroup load (I only had 5 rounds loaded into that speed loader). It was almost as if the powder was getting lodged in the hollow base of the wadcutters? No idea why the 3rd speedloader of each load was so low for the copper plated HBWC. The Speers HBWC were fine and a lot faster fps.

View attachment 91209
Click to expand...

That's an easy one. Not enough powder! I would suggest 3.3 grains of Titegroup as a minimum charge, and up from there would be even better.
 
pacobillie said:
How was the accuracy of the CamPro bullet with those loads? BTW, I looked up the Hodgdon recommended Clays load. They only publish one for the Lead HBWC, but your load would be significantly over their max load for .38 special.
Click to expand...

I was fortunate to meet someone with many many years experience in PPC and I've been learning a lot from him. After seeing him group ~3" at 50m at the PPC shoot last weekend, I got him to test my 3.2gr Clays / 148gr Campro HBWC loads for me with my model 64. He was grouping ~5"'s which is really good considering it was an unfamiliar gun. He's the fellow that was telling me he got really good groups from Campro 148gr HBWC shooting from a Ransom Rest.

I just picked up one off a CGN'er, should be delivered next week. Another toy to help with load development :)
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ryan said:
That's an easy one. Not enough powder! I would suggest 3.3 grains of Titegroup as a minimum charge, and up from there would be even better.
Click to expand...

Up until now, I've mainly been loading 9mm, with some 40S&W and 45acp for my revolvers. It's my first time reloading for 38sp, so I was just very surprised at the different in fps of lead versus plated bullets with the same charge. Also the speeds from that last set of shots being so abnormally low kind of freaked me out. So I just switched to Clays as the research I did indicated that was a good powder for 38sp HBWC loads.

I run 3.6gr of Titegroup to get 900fps with a 147gr 9mm Campro's out of my S&W 929, but I don't want to run that high a pressure in my Model 64. This one is built for PPC and soft 38sp loads :)
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titegroup 2.8 grains 148 gr hbwc plated federal small primers 1.160col 692.1 fps average 102,430.8 pf
This what i got out of my SW 686 4.25"
 
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