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Thread: .38 Specials Shooting and Loading.

  1. #21
    Site Supporter OlongJohnson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lost River View Post
    The load tested was 4.7 grains of Unique and a 148 grain hard cast SWC from Rim Rock.

    The 1&7/8ths" S&W 442 they averaged 750 fps (749.8).

    Overall the SWCs will make a good J Frame load for friends who need it. I am about to do the same load 4.7 grains and substitute the 148 SWC for a 148 wadcutter and crank out about 500+ of them for friends who carry J Frames. Should be the same velocity. Good little pocket gun load.
    How are they sized? Any issues with leading?

    All the J-frames I've measured take a .359- pin gage in the throats. My 640-1 and my GP100 that takes a .3585 gage both leaded horribly with .357 diameter wadcutters. K frames were .357 in the throats, so the WCs likely would have been fine there.
    .
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    Not another dime.

  2. #22
    OJ,


    The SWCs are sized .358, and the WCs are sized .357.


    No issues at all with leading.

  3. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by 03RN View Post
    They sure do
    Attachment 60667
    I really like the looks of those and after I load up a batch of soft shooting 185 and 200 SWCs (I have the bullets under my bench), I think I will load some heavies for back country duty.

    The easy shooting 185s with 4.3 of Clays, aka the "old man load" make shooting Light Weight Commanders just plain enjoyable, as the recoil is so minimal.

    They are also another pretty good small game load.

    SWCs in general are a pretty good all around bullet for the .45 and if I were told I could only carry a .45 and hard cast, I would pick a good SWC type and go forward without a worry at all.

  4. #24
    The Nostomaniac 03RN's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lost River View Post
    I really like the looks of those and after I load up a batch of soft shooting 185 and 200 SWCs (I have the bullets under my bench), I think I will load some heavies for back country duty.

    The easy shooting 185s with 4.3 of Clays, aka the "old man load" make shooting Light Weight Commanders just plain enjoyable, as the recoil is so minimal.

    They are also another pretty good small game load.

    SWCs in general are a pretty good all around bullet for the .45 and if I were told I could only carry a .45 and hard cast, I would pick a good SWC type and go forward without a worry at all.
    I should be getting 2100 200gr swc from rimrock in a day or too.

    Im sure you have some heavier bullets but if you want to try their 255gr swc let me know. Ill send you some.

    Ive actually been carrying the 255s every day

  5. #25
    Those 255s look like big medicine and I doubt too many people or critters are going to brush one off!

  6. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lost River View Post
    Due to the current ammo situation I have been loading some ammo for some people and had to go test some loads I put together.
    .
    I’m in the same boat but instead of “some people” it’s been for me. Since I’ve been sitting on a ton of components for 38SPEC reloads thats what I’ve been using for shooting. I’m keeping my stores of 9mm on ice for now. I’ve been using X-Treme 158gr plated bullets over 3.5grs of Tite Group. It’s a sweet, mild and accurate range load. I’ve busted out all my 38SPEC/357MAG chambered revolvers from the safe and have really enjoyed running them. Since this is what I’ve been using to run through drills, practice and fun for the last few months I’ve started toting around the Kimber K6s and S&W 327NG.
    Attached Images Attached Images  

  7. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lost River View Post
    The bad part about all of this is that I have used a bunch of Unique as well as Clays for .38 loads in the past. However unless it is written down on the box I loaded I cannot recall, as I have been very bad about not documenting my handloading. Plus the short version is that I have memory issues that apparently stem from getting my bell wrung (rockets and mortars) while in Iraq, so some of this is just confirming what I think I remember, as I have found a couple of instances not related to loading that what I remember is a little off. Times, dates, names, etc.

    Now I write everything down in multiple places, and testing everything over and over just to confirm.

    I am glad you posted, what I should have caught.

    The higher pressure obviously makes sense with the reduced internal capacity. I will load some and see what kind of velocity they produce. I don't want them to be uncomfortable for people to shoot in their snubby guns.

    In the past I have used a fair bit of Clays and it works great for low recoil loads, however it is not ideal for higher end loads as compared to Unique. It makes a great small game getter.



    The Trader Joes tin will hold 24 wadcutter rounds and a pair of earplugs. Toss a rubber band around it as insurance against inadvertent opening in your pocket and you are G2G.





    Quickload isn't always extremely accurate but it shows 4.7 gr Unique under a flush seated 148 HBWC to be making over 900 FPS out of a snub barrel and almost 27,000 PSI 😳 .38 +P max spec is 18,500 psi.

    Right around 3.9gr it maxes out at +P pressure with 92% powder burn.

    I just got a boatload of Hornady and Precision Delta 148gr HBWC's, and the only non magnum pistol powder I have right now is Unique... Some research online shows a few PPC guys saying 3.2-3.3gr of Unique under a HBWC is the sweet spot. Gonna load some with 3.3 and 3.5 and see how they feel. Ideally I'd like around 700 FPS from a snub with minimal or no leading.

  8. #28
    Member jtcarm's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OlongJohnson View Post
    How are they sized? Any issues with leading?

    All the J-frames I've measured take a .359- pin gage in the throats. My 640-1 and my GP100 that takes a .3585 gage both leaded horribly with .357 diameter wadcutters. K frames were .357 in the throats, so the WCs likely would have been fine there.
    Interesting, I guess Smith figures the Js are cast-boolit guns.

    The K-frames are tight indeed. I’ve owned a bunch and they all slug .357. I have them opened up to .358 to shoot as-cast.

    I don’t always load SWCs in .38 Special, but when I do, I prefer the Lyman 358429 over 5 grains of Power Pistol.

  9. #29
    Site Supporter OlongJohnson's Avatar
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    I assumed it was to create a looser tolerance stack for alignment of the chamber and bore so they would be less likely to beat themselves out of time if things weren't right. But that partly reflects my opinions (based on personal experience) about S&W manufacturing.
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  10. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by Wheeler View Post
    I too am a fan of the 158 grain LSWC in a 38 Special.

    Attachment 60641

    Attachment 60642
    That was my old, PPC load. But, I reloaded mine at 4.0 grains of W231.

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