BP Target Loads for 38 SPL?

Ol' Flinter

Ol' Flinter

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I have been experimenting with 110 and 160 gr round nose cast bullets and GOEX FFFg powder to create a target and plinking load for my Ruger New Model Blackhawk. Nothing seemed to work with the 110 gr slugs and they scattered all over the target even at 15 yd. So far I have tried only 16.0 and 17.0 gr FFFG with the 160 gr slugs: the 16 gr loads wasn't very encouraging - about a 12" group for 20 shots at 10 yd. The 17 gr load was no better but half of the 20 slugs tumbled at 10 yd so no good at all.
Can anyone offer some advice as to a load that has worked for them?
Thanks.
 
I am thinking that the base of the bullet needs to be squared and symmetrical in order to work with the crown to prevent tumbling.
How much powder can you get in a .38 Spl. casing and what are you using to fill the case?
 
110 gr seems awful light; the standard is about 158 IIRC.
Did the gun shoot well with factory loads? Could it be a timing issue, perhaps the bullets doesn't hit the forcing cone on the bbl perfectly square? I've several 1892 - 1895 38 LC's and they are notorious for bad timing. They'll shoot great and then throw the odd flier when a slug nicks the FC. No apparent damage or even peculiar marks to the FC but a nick off the side and a bird will fall from the sky, lol.
 
If you are shooting commercially made slugs, I would go to home cast bullets made from a 5% alloy lead (ie soft with just enough alloy to make them easy casting) and use a soft lube like SPG or Paul Mathews. Alternate to the lube is to make your own from lard and bees wax 50/50 roughly. I would also take the cylinder out and pour water down the barrel (breach to muzzle) and a quick brush every 2 cylinders. Even with a good bore. some of my guns seem to lead up quite a bit
Almost forgot; slug the bore, especially so if it is an original gun. I bought a pistol that was supposed to be a 44 russian and indeed was chambered for that caliber. Bore turned out to be 451 and I had to rechamber it to 45 schofield

cheers mooncoon
 
thanks, guys. The gun is a 1980's vintage Ruger New Model Blackhawk 357 Mag/38 Spl. in very good condition. I am trying commercially cast bullets made with a standard lube for smokeless powder. The bullets are well shaped so I don't think it is poor bases. I shot a box of commercial 38 smokeless loads and they grouped well so I don't think it was the gun, unless the rifling is too shallow for BP. I sense the problem may be with the bullets and lube both being too hard. As a test I will make up some standard smokeless loads with the 160 gr slugs and shoot them for accuracy. If they work then it is the lube or bullet hardness. I can melt the lube out of a sample of slugs and re-lube with SPG as I have lots of it for my BPCR. I can compress the powder enough to get a max of about 20 gr FFFg in a case but will likely go lighter. A fellow shooter indicated he used 2 scoops of powder - the scoop made from a 22 RF Short brass so probably more like 10 or 12 gr than 20. I need to fire a Short in my 22 and make a scoop, I guess. Thanks for the ideas - I will report back...
 
I used to shoot semi wad cutters in my colt lubed for black made a huge difference with only 10 grs 3f and cream of wheat as a filler was the most accurate BP revolver I have used
 
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