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38 special reloading recepies
- Thread starter JackO
- Start date
RKG: This is straight from my own log book. All speeds timed by me on a good chrono that has proven consistent. Gun was a 6" S&W 686.
Powder is Bullseye. The only thing I shoot in standard .38 Special. Bullet is a 158gr lead roundnose flatpoint. Winchester cases, Federal small primers.
3.0 gr = 741fps
3.2 gr = 763fps
3.5 gr = 822fps
Plus P loading with Bullseye - 4.0gr = 882fps
All of these loads shoot very tight groups.
Powder is Bullseye. The only thing I shoot in standard .38 Special. Bullet is a 158gr lead roundnose flatpoint. Winchester cases, Federal small primers.
3.0 gr = 741fps
3.2 gr = 763fps
3.5 gr = 822fps
Plus P loading with Bullseye - 4.0gr = 882fps
All of these loads shoot very tight groups.
I use 3.4 grains of Bullseye.
Bullseye is one of our oldest powders and I like it because it is accurate, but mainly because it burns without leaving sand-like residue that can get under the star/extractor of a DA revolver. This crap under the extractor is the leading cause of revolvers jamming when reloading. (in my experience shooting PPC years ago) There are many powders that work well in .38 Special but none that burn with such a fine talc-like residue. It is black and sooty looking but your gun keeps working if you're shooting long strings. Plus Bullseye meters well and is one of the cheaper choices. I should tell you that I've tried most of the common powders but for that Scandinavian brand I can't hope to spell or pronounce. You know the one, starts with a V. Have heard nothing but good stuff about VVVV.
I've been reloading for over 20 years and I've never used Bullseye.
I use both Red Dot and Clays for my light to medium 125 and 158 gr LRN .38 Special loads. I like versatile powders, and I buy these in larger than 1 lb containers for my skeet loads, so I usually have one or the other on hand anyway. They both work great, with the Clays being a bit cleaner burning. W231 is another powder that I find works well for these loads too.
I use both Red Dot and Clays for my light to medium 125 and 158 gr LRN .38 Special loads. I like versatile powders, and I buy these in larger than 1 lb containers for my skeet loads, so I usually have one or the other on hand anyway. They both work great, with the Clays being a bit cleaner burning. W231 is another powder that I find works well for these loads too.
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Next time you buy powder try a can of Bullseye. It's fast but if you look at the different loading manuals, you'll be amazed at how many calibers have data listed for this powder. I use it for anything that operates at pressure under 20-22,000 psi. That eliminates the magnum calibers and hot small bore autos, but for .38 Special, .44 Special, .45 Colt .45acp it is very good. I load .45acp rounds with 230 RNL and 5.4 of BE and get an honest 881fps without bending anything. This is not even a top published data number (5.7gr BE per Speer)
Frank, every time I see your avatar I think of an old girlfriend who could have been the inspiration for "Jewish American Princess" (Fa-la-la) That song just kills me. My old girlfriend almost did too. It was a very close thing once upon a time.
John
