Any 38 S&W loads out there?

Hitzy

Hitzy

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Mabey with Clays so I don't have to go and buy another powder....:)
But I'll take anything you got as there isn't much info in my manuals.
 
Hitzy, my tattered old Lyman manual lists data for Bullseye, Red Dot, and Unique with cast bullets going 121, 133, 141, 150 and 158gr. What would you like?
 
Been using Wolf 158gr SWCs on top of 2.0gr of Bullseye and Winchester small PPs (found it in one of the books I have). A pretty light load though that's what I wanted for my Enfield No2MkI* and my S&W M&P.
 
All loads showing in our old reloading manual are for SOLID FRAME guns (any found on sportshop shelves are even more violent loads) & not break open frames so cut down a few 10ths of a grain if for a break open frame h/guns. Also any of the same on the shelves of a shop are for solid frame guns as well.
 
From Ken Waters' "Pet Loads". Pressure was determined from case head expansion -

200 gr Markell cast - 2.0 Bullseye - 610 fps - moderate - duplicates service load
200 gr Markell cast - 2.5 Bullseye - 700 fps - maximum - marginal accuracy
200 gr Markell cast - 3.3 Unique - 788 fps - max - sticky extraction - poor
200 gr Markell cast - 5.2 Blue Dot - 845 fps - near max - insufficient accuracy
200 gr Markell cast - 5.5 Blue Dot - 885 fps - max - more accurate
200 gr Markell cast - 2.5 700X - 702 fps - maximum - good load
200 gr Markell cast - 3.6 Herco - 784 fps - max - tied for 3rd most accurate

Lyman 358315 - 2.7 Green Dot - 687 fps - normal
Lyman 358315 - 3.0 Unique - 718 fps - normal - insufficient accuracy
Lyman 358315 - 3.3 Herco - 711 fps - normal - excellent accuracy

Top 5 loads for accuracy -
125 gr Sierra - 3.0 700X - 832 fps - maximum, do not exceed - #1
158 gr Hornady swaged - 2.6 Bullseye - 744 fps - normal - #2
200 gr Markell cast - 3.6 Herco - 784 fps - maximum - tied for #3
148 gr Lyman 358495 - 2.4 Bullseye - 748 fps - near max - tied for #3
158 gr Hornady - 3.4 Unique - 712 fps - normal - #4
 
Boomer has already made note of an good source of load info for the 38 S&W. If you're stuck, send me a PM with your e-mail address and I'll send you some additional info I've found in the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 3rd edition and more info yet from the Lyman Pistol & Revolver Handbook 3rd edition.
 
Cool. That gives me a good reference for the powders I have on hand. I'm going to try and work out a load with HS6 and 158g SWC before I go out and buy another pound of powder. I though I had some clays left but I guess I used it all up......
 
I've been working with Win 231 for powder and 110grn semi jacketed HP bullets.

bullets are a bit undersized .358, with a .361 bore pistol

I'll have to check what I was using for a load but just off the top of my head 2.5grn powder

I tried some 180grn XTP .357 but that resulted in a batch of squibs :(

I'm sure I posted that experience earlier here.

oh and I'm loading for a enfield No2Mk1 topbreak and a S&W M&P
 
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I just used a 158 gr round nose bullet over 2.8 grains of Bullseye in my S&W M&P model. That is just equivalent to a .38 Spec target load. I had a batch of .358 cast but unsized bullets with about 1/3 of them oversize so I just miked them and used the .360-.362" bullets for the .38 S&W.
 
I have a Smith and Wesson Pre-Victory Model in .38 S&W and I'm currently using Dominion Brass, Federal No. 100 Small Pistol Primers, with 2.3 grains of Red Dot pushing a 160 grain LRN bullet at an average of 717.8 FPS, giving me an average 4" group at 25 yds.
 
.38 S&W brass

NAA said:
Don't mean to hi-jack but do you guys have a good source for .38 S&W brass?
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Dave Friesen at bcredneck.com has Starline 38 S&W Brass $17.80 per 100 plus Taxs and shipping.

Anyone know where to find bullets that are .360" dia or larger?
 
I concur with McVillan
My Mk IV demands .361" boolits...........
This poses a problem
Yes I know that everyone uses .358" boolits
However being the dink in the crowd I want what the revolver was made for. :)
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From the S&W forum:
See if you can find some Remington 158 gr LRN bullets. They used to sell bulk pack and they were all .360-you got a good tight fit in a .38 Special.
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I just loaded my first 38 S&W loads for my Terrier and used Remington HBWC seated so the top cannelure is crimped. The diameter at the base of this bullet is about .360. I was surprised and pleased it was this big.
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I use lots of 148 gr HBWC's in .38 S&W. Regardless of the bore diameter, the deep hollow base will expand to fill it. I've had excellent results in a Victory model, a 1929 Reg. Police, and a 1925 C**t Police Positive. I load them to 1.11" COL, which makes them almost like a .38 Special wadcutter load.
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Beartooth bullets in the US has 160g to 210g .360's http://www.beartoothbullets.com/bulletselect/index.htm
 
Hitzy said:
Beartooth bullets in the US has 160g to 210g .360's http://www.beartoothbullets.com/bulletselect/index.htm
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Beartooth won't sell to Canada, unfortunately.:mad: I've asked. If someone can convince them to bring 'em in, I'd be in on a group buy.

MT Chambers wrote me and said: "if you had a .360" sizer [his .358 bullets] would bump up to fit." Essentially, if your press could generate enough pressure without breaking, then you could swage your own with the .360" sizer. buffaloarms.com has sizing dies in .360" and .361".

Corbin makes a swaging die for presses called the pro-swage die, it it available in any size you want (for a price). They are about 3x as expensive as a regular RCBS lubrisizing die.
 
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