Got a good deal on a used Dillon SDB so it looks like i will be getting back into reloading after a several year hiatus. Going to start by loading up a mess of 38 wadcutters using the Berry's plated hollow base full wadcutters. This will be my first foray into loading anything other than 9mm and .223. Anybody have any good loads for this particular bullet? I was thinking Bullseye powder, but am not married to that.
I've had great accuracy and economy with .38 wadcutter loads using both Bullseye and the very similar Titegroup.Originally Posted by vaglocker
The problem is you can certainly double, and possibly even triple charge a .38 case with both those powders and still seat the bullet.
So you'll want to consider that in your reloading practices.
I have quite a bit of Titegroup on hand, but once that's gone I might switch to a bulkier powder.
I was into 10mm Auto before it sold out and went mainstream, but these days I'm here for the revolver and epidemiology information.
I've used a lot of Bullseye, but my notes also show that I've used TiteGroup, Unique, and WST.
"Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA
Beware of my temper, and the dog that I've found...
Trailboss is what I use for all my .38 special ammo including wadcutters, it burns like bullseye or Titegroup but is considerably bulkier and case filling. I get about the same results for the same weight thrown for Titegroup. I ended up using the rifle powder measure on my Dillon 650 cranked way down to throw Trailboss instead of the pistol measure.
I have loaded plated from X treme and coated from ACME over 3.0 of bullseye and been pleased.
I guess my main question is loading for this particular bullet. Berry's says to not use lead bullet data, but midrange jacketed bullet data. Does anyone even make a jacketed HBWC?
From Berry's FAQs:
Where can I find load data for your bullets?
Load data from any load manual or website can be used. Full-metal jacketed, lead bullet, or plated bullet load data can be used as long as the following standards are adhered to:
The data contains the correct grain weight of bullet.
Berry's max recommended velocity is not exceeded. (This info is displayed on bullet boxes and product webpages.)
Standard Plate Bullets Max Velocity: 1,250 fps.
Thick-Plate Bullets (TP) Max Velocity: 1,500 fps.
"Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA
Beware of my temper, and the dog that I've found...
I read the FAQ before posting, but it seems kind of generic to me. 1250 fps (even as a max) seems really high to me for a HBWC. I've heard of people getting skirt separation at lower velocities.
In the post I quoted, you said Berry says not to use lead bullet data. They clearly state that you can. I've loaded them the same as solid base WCs, which is around 800fps without any problems. I'm not suggesting you push them at >1000fps.
"Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA
Beware of my temper, and the dog that I've found...
I've been doing so many searches on this subject that I think I got confused and was repeating something I read in a few places about "loading between lead and jacketed". At any rate what powder and charge are you using for your 800fps? If your uncomfortable sharing for liability reasons I understand, but I also realize I use any information at my own risk. Just looking for a starting point.
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