Is this too hot for a 38 special ?

sendmorebrains

sendmorebrains

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HI

Cant find a recipe for the following:

38 special:

RedDot Alliance - 4.0gn

CCI primer

150g LDEWC bullet (lead double ended wad cutter )

As you might know the LDEWC is flush with the top of the brass, so the space inside is short since its not a 357magnum.
It would be shot out of a Chiappa Rhino 357 with a 5" barrel
Is this safe ? would this be a +P type load ?
 
That's hot my friend. Recommended charge for 148 HBWC is 2.4-3.0 gr of red dot. I use 2.0 gr and it shoots well


Edit. I realize your asking about 150 wc but I'd figure the 2gr of lead and similar bullet design would render very similar loads and max loads..

Also isn't 4g of red dot nearing compression in a wc? (This is for my own curiosity I've never tried to put that much in)
 
The Alliant website lists the max load for a 38 Spec 148 gr. HBWC at 3 gr. of Red Dot and for the 158 gr. SWC at 3.4 gr.
The max 38 Spec +P load for the 158 gr. SWC is 3.8 gr.

Since you're talking a bullet that is only slightly lighter and seated deeper I would say you are going to probably over the max @ 4 gr.

The Lyman manual (49th ed.) shows the max load of Red Dot for a 150 gr. linotype wadcutter at 3.2 gr
It doesn't give a +P load but based on the data for the 158 gr. SWC it looks like 4 gr. of Red Dot would also be over the max in all cases.
 
Why not just load the same thing into 357 brass since you have a 357 revolver? More space so lower pressure but still light recoiling. I load all my 44 special loads into 44 magnum brass since I can't be bothered to keep two types of cases for the same gun around. No issues after a couple hundred rounds down range.
 
I don't think it is too hot to shoot in a 357. BUT, if you own a 38SPl. you are begging for trouble. One day one of those super hot 38s will wind up in a 38 chamber. KABOOM!!!

For that reason I have switched to using only 357 brass in my 357s.
 
My experience with WC bullets is that they seem to group much better with light loads, so why push it?
 
"...Cant find a recipe..." That's because there isn't one. 4.0gn of Red Dot is over max for a .38 Special. Red Dot isn't shown by Alliant for .357. You have a manual?
"...switched to using only 357 brass..." No lube gunk ring to clean out either.
 
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