38 special hand loads

[Critter Picker]

I use titegroup and accurate #5 for all my 38 special loads. Try them and you will find why it's so special.

 

[Fish4Food]

6.4 grains of CFE Pistol with 125 Hornady's

A little more than just a plinking round, but accurate enough for my liking.

 

[marc357]

Same here. I just load 38 special power level loads in 357 cases. They function better in the lever gun and they don't leave the carbon buildup in the chambers of the lever gun or revolver.

Meant to add that I've been using Red Dot for .38 Special, and works great. It's an old cardboard can from 1964 or '66..... older than me, haha. Smells fine and still goes bang

 

[Lee Goodwin]

Manufacturer

Powder

C.O.L.

Grs.

Vel. (ft/s)

Pressure

Grs.

Vel. (ft/s)

Pressure

Hodgdon

Trail Boss

1.445"

3.0

753

11,600 PSI

5.3

952

13,400 PSI

Since I didn't notice trailboss here, I have had some fun with it in light loads. i use home cast 9mm 125 grain projectiles.

 

[squirrel_slayer]

Trail Boss has long been unobtanium, well at least in my AO for well over a decade now. VV Tin Star has been discontinued I believe. I wish I had bought kegs of the stuff when it was around....well that could be said about any reloading component these days lol

 

[436]

Meant to add that I've been using Red Dot for .38 Special, and works great. It's an old cardboard can from 1964 or '66..... older than me, haha. Smells fine and still goes bang

I haven't seen one of those in a long, long time. 50 or 25 lbs.? Cheers.

 

[marc357]

I haven't seen one of those in a long, long time. 50 or 25 lbs.? Cheers.

It's just a 4 pounder. Someone gave it to me. "Oh, you reload? Take this, it's been in the garage for years."
I had it for a decade before I even had the sack to try any of it. Works fine in .45ACP and .38SPL.

 

[436]

It's just a 4 pounder. Someone gave it to me. "Oh, you reload? Take this, it's been in the garage for years."
I had it for a decade before I even had the sack to try any of it. Works fine in .45ACP and .38SPL.

I appreciate the offer, but.. couldn't use it. Back in the '60s we could buy powder in 25 and 50 lbs containers that looked just like that, cardboard, I think the last one I bought was 50 lbs of H4831 at $1.00 a pound, those were the days. Cheers

 

[huntinghuasna]

W231 is my favorite, works for many cartridges and been using it for years.
Also have had success with:
Unique
Clays
Bulleye

I used to shoot PPC matches with a 686 and 3gr of W231 under 148gr HBWC was a winner for me!

When shooting rifle/pistol I preferred 4.1gr W231 under 158gr lead RN.

 

[M1A1ABRAMS]

I haven't seen one of those in a long, long time. 50 or 25 lbs.? Cheers.

I just seen a few at a local auction on Sunday. I will be attending. Talk about components. Brass, powder, bullets n primers. I may sell some stuff later on here if I make out well.

 

[VinceMule]

in the Nosler manual, there is the "most accurate" load with AA#5 with 125g jacketed hp that is incredibly accurate.

2.9g of Bullseye with 148s is a long standing target load.

 

[Ol' Red]

I just seen a few at a local auction on Sunday. I will be attending. Talk about components. Brass, powder, bullets n primers. I may sell some stuff later on here if I make out well.

That should draw a huge crowd.

 

[xsn10s]

Hmm I've used HP38 for my 38 SPL loads. But you all got me thinking of revisiting Bulleye again. I wasn't impressed with it decades ago. I'll have to try that old classic powder again.

 

[BHP9]

I used to shoot PPC matches with a 686 and 3gr of W231 under 148gr HBWC was a winner for me!

The Bullseye equivalent, much better IMO, was 2.8gr Bullseye, which was my PPC load. As I said earlier I didn't like 231.