.38 158gr LSWC loads (favorites)

diananike

diananike

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So I've been loading .38 special pretty hot for my Marlin 1894 but I just traded (not the Marlin another pistol) for a .38 special S&W M10-5 revolver.
I guess I can't be loading any of my .38 cases that hot anymore :rolleyes:

I guess my question is I've noticed some pretty disparate info and load data for standard pressure .38 LSWC.
I've got 3 kinds of bullets.

Cactus plains Keith style single grease groove
Hornady bulk pack dry lube knurled
Lee cast Tumble lube

And 4 kinds of powders
Win 231
Red Dot
Blue Dot
And of course.......Unique

seeing as these bullets all have very different bearing surfaces and lube types should I be more careful of pressures with one type of these bullets?
Or is one load pretty much the same behind any of them?

I'm not looking to do anything spectacular just a solid 800-875 fps Factory type load (6" barrel)
I loaded up some 4gr of Win 231 behind the Hornady ones last night but the Hodgdon manual accused this one of being to hot (3.7 max). I did do a bunch of research so I'm sure it's safe it just might be a little on the +P end (or NOT +P according to the excellent article in Handloader this year) What do you think?
 
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When I had M.D. Charlton do some action work on my K-38, 3.4 grains of W231 with a 158 grain SWC was one of the recommended accuracy loads in the letter that came back with it. 5.0 grains of Unique is another fairly "standard" load.

I would expect that any of the bullets you list could be safely interchanged, given the low pressures you are working with, but I would try it out before loading a large quantity.

Even 4.0 grains of W231 likely would not place undue wear on your gun. Hodgdon's +P data for HP-38 (same as W231) specifies a maximum of 4.6 grains for a 158 grain jacketed bullet. A lead bullet with the same charge would have an even lower pressure. Keep in mind that most published .38 Special data is pretty conservative.
 
Thanks for the advice tjhaile
I think I will load up 20each of all the different bullet types with both 4.0gr of 231 and 4.7gr of Unique (alliants listed max.)

Then fire 2 5shot groups from the bench and 2 standing with each load as both an accuracy test and some practice with the new gun.
Maybe I will work up to 5gr of unique later, which might be closer to their +P. But I love Unique and have 7.5 lbs of it.

But please share some more of your favorite loads guys :)
 
I'll try and remember to check my notes when I get home, but offhand....
700-X is a good one. edit-no, sorry, that was jacketed.
I've used-
7.1gr of W571 (6.8-7.4gr range)
7.5gr of 2400 (6.9-7.5gr range)
that performed well, accurate @50yrds fired out of rifle and revolver.
and
3.8gr Titegroup, but that was 125gr LSWC

Hope this helps.
 
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Although I would tend to agree working up or down by .3gr is a good method of determining a loads accuracy. It seems like it takes about .3gr to change the harmonic difference in a bullet exiting the barrel.

Lately I've been doing lots of research on what loads people are actually having a lot of success with on forums and such, then cross referencing them to articles and manuals and manufacturers data for safety and pressure information. And then starting right at that load as long as it's significantly below max pressure for that cartridge.

I've had great luck with my first loads for the 9mm and .45 and have in fact stuck with them as my go to loads although I did load a few above and below them to test it out. They are significantly more accurate then factory loads although also a bit less powerful.
Incidentally they only cost a small fraction as much.

My .38 is rated for +P but I want to recreate the classic 158gr standard pressure standard of police forces around the world. Although I just read that quote of Skeeter Skeltons that a 158gr LSWC driven by 5.0gr of Unique as "the thinking mans +P" kind of catchy.
 
Yes it would seem from some of my reading that the "new" "cleaner" Unique is developing higher pressures than the old "dirty" stuff.
Perhaps I will start with 4.3 and then try 4.5 and perhaps go to 4.7 but I don't really see the need for a Heavy duty load like a 5.0gr which appears to be getting about 950fps out of a 6".
 
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