You will be, essentially, making 38 Short Colt. That revolver is aluminum and cannot handle the pressure of 9MM. The SP101 is far more comfortable to shoot but not so much fun to carry. The Charter Arms .44 models are potential CCWs, but are too light to properly handle the .44 spl. Thanks to all for the info. Good thing I didn't go with the original powder charge I intended to use. Ive probably picked up 300 cases of .38 the past few months and will continue to grab them as I see them, but whats nice is I can shoot more and put that money towards brass for .32 or .45 Colt, stuff that I never see at the range. Oh, I practice with it. Using higher pressure loads will wear brass out faster and it will become brittle with time. I first started reloading 40+ years ago at a Lee Loader in .38 Special for a brand new Smith & Wesson Model 66 I had just purchased. After making a healthy pile of brass with this load, I am unlikely to ever be without a few boxes of it on standby. Biggest problem I had was the lubricating cases for sizing and then cleaning them afterwards, I guess grit was somehow scratching the cases after getting stuck in the lube. Some medium fast powders would work with lighter weight bullets. I checked out Alliant's website-no data for flat point with the powders I have, but data for Gold Dot HPs for Bullseye and Unique. Your link has been automatically embedded. At 25 you can get away with a lighter load. S&W M637-2 2" barrel Alliant listed 3.6 gr Bullseye as maximum (15000 psi) in 38 Special and 3.8 as max in 38 Special PLUS P (17000 psi) with 158 LSWC bullets. In the 1950s, 60s. Recoil is subjective and I feel no difference between that and an 750-775 fps load. Power Pistol won't work for me. It is always higher when powder is next to primer. 4.2 gr. A chameleon depending on your loads and the barrel length or action its fired from. Now, you have to go to a range or have a membership and pay to fill the backstop with lead. The cowboy loads would be good choices as listed, since these ARE reduced loads for that sport, where usually just hitting a metal plate to make a sound is all that is required of the round. Dont know where #1 Buckshot can be found, but the Speer shot cups and UNIQUE powder currently easy enough to find. The 9mm produces about 35,000 psi, 8.) My guess would be almost identical, straight wall, not high pressure, definitely. Recoil is the good kind that reminds the shooter handguns are serious tools but without eliciting a flinch. I was hoping I could use this combo to make use of available components. I agree with your .38 Special assessment points for the very same reasons. 300 Blackout Fine-Tuning: Finding the Right Barrel Length for Your Rifle. While I do have a GP100 in .357 magnum, I dont like shooting .38 special ammo out of it, because cleaning powder residue out of the longer chambers is a real bitch. HAVE FUN JP. Also, too light loads don't allow the bullet to seal the gases causing problems. I picked some up from my local Scheels yesterday. Although the .357 cylinders are the same length so they can be timed to a 642. They are reliable accurate and deadly. You may find it will need to be faster for good 50 yd. Hornady I'd imagine I'm not the first person to use this load, but I have found it is a very sooty/smokey load. (Cowboy Action) 38 Special (Cowboy Action) 38-40 Win. 110gr JHP! Im a big fan of .32 revolvers, I do think they are a superior choice for carrying and shooting than .38 is, but that doesnt mean I think .38 or .357 sucks, I just dont think theyre the best choices for a small frame revolver. I bought him as a gift a 642 with the black rubber grips, a few speedloaders w/big knob tops, and Hornady 125 grain FTX loads. Ok, will the bullet easily pass thru the cylinder throat, if so, you need the next larger size bullet dia. Go figure. of Bullseye, 148 gr lead DEWC and Federal 100 primers. I found the plated wadcutters to have NO accuracy. The Speer #8 lists a max of 7.5 grs Unique with a 125 gr Jacketed SP This would be for plinking for my wife's ~3" Rossi, so something light and fun to shoot would be great.All three of those powders have published load data for that weight bullet in .38 Special.All three of those powders have published load data for that weight bullet in .38 . The other .38 Special is a 4 Colt Diamondback. I am loath to shoot several cylinders of standard pressure/velocity .38 Special 125 grain bullets out of a Smith and Wesson Model 642 revolver (or similar). The 158 gr cast plain base accuracy load was 4.0 gr 231 which gave 837 Fps and 15,900 psi. Is it considered safe to down load a cartridge that far under starting? I have experimented with both of Hornadys 200-grain semiwadcutters in this load: the more button-nosed SWC and the longer Combat/Target (C/T) version. I miss those days. I have 125 grain jacketed bullets, Bullseye powder and CCI 500 primers. LRNFP - your load, with a plated bullet should be Very Similar, or slightly slower and safer. Powder coating. Notes: primer: CCI 500; case: Speer; NOTE: All loads are maximum. 1.455 in. I guess its out of production now- I havent seen it (or heard of it) in years. Ive been looking for a reason to get into reloading, and am particularly intrigued by the extremely long case life of .38 Special. Just shows the importance of trying/checking the feel of a gun and if possible, test firing it, before you buy it. The same volume of BE will weigh much more than than same volume of WST. The Bullseye powder pushed five into two inches flat for another 1911 that is typically a four-inch gun. In fact, Hornady's handloading manual includes .357-inch bullets in the load data for the .38 Super, specifically 125-grain and 140-grain XTP bullets, along with .355-inch bullets, and their one remaining .356-inch bullet, the 125-grain HAP. .38 Special (Alliant Data) Warning! There have been guns Ive bought for the caliber, but the .38 wasnt one of those. But one classic target load is not far behind the .38 wadcutter in its own reputation with target shooters: a 200-grain semiwadcutter bottling up 4.6 grains of Bullseye. It is also one of the most pleasurable loads a shooter can touch off. I am aware of the plated bullet limitations on BE accuracy and am more interested in them for their "plinkability". Case life is excellent, especially for mild loads. The upside of the grainage is that the small charges mean more loaded rounds per pound of powderhelpful since Bullseye can take a while to reacquire once the container is empty. A Forum dedicated to the sport of Bullseye shooting, Bullseye-L Forum::Ammunition Discussion, I'm looking for an accurate load using 125gr bullets. Instead, Ive favored things like the K and L frame Smiths (5 screw pre-model 10 and 686 in my case) and Ruger revolvers for higher round count activities. Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 9 customer ratings. I use 2.8-3.0 grains of Bullseye or AA#2 with 158 gr. Midway has it in stock. Posted March 2, 2013. Load it like Trail Boss. Anything goes with bullets. I carry 38 /357 every day have used them in real world shootings. IIRC, I used 4.5 gr of Bullseye under a 125 gr lead bullet for a light plinker, and 5.6 gr of Bullseye under a 148 gr wadcutter (~815 fps, 4" bbl, probably around 750 fps out of a snub). +P? Lord only knows how many cartridge cases I hammered with a plastic mallet into that Lee, it had to be thousands. Last time we took it to the range, I was trying to cycle the old +P ammo to load standard Lehigh ammo, I fired one shot, put the gun down and cursed while shaking my hand. i had the same issues you did when i was trying to load for my DR revolver 14-3. to light of power had a soft recoil but ungodly bad accuracy. Have you all found different seat depths to work better than what's in the manual? Wes, SASS Wire rules prohibit posting specific load data on the forum, but it can be passed along via private message or email. Really important to have a chrono if you're going to work up loads When I first bought my chrono, I was amazed at how HOT my loads were - unnecessarily. [.38 Special] is a very versatile and useful round. Berry says load plated bullets to mid-range jacketed bullets of same profile and weight or equal to hard cast. YouTube has plenty of reloading channels or the Reloaders Network webpage has more info as well. Word to the wise: all handgun cartridges (with the likely exception of .44 Magnum and maybe even .357 Magnum) are underpowered for self-defense. SWC, 160 gr. Easiest way is casting lines and a sprue mark on nose or base. Great gun with the best factory double action trigger Ive ever shot. In several of the guns, the old standby couldnt quite duplicate the level of precision they exhibit with current production wadcutters from Black Hills or Winchester, but in each case, the load shot close to or right on the sights and nearly held the X ring. Depends on what kind of load you're after. Normal, mild .38 loads work fine with lead bullets. JHP (now discontinued) 5 rounds . I keep thinking about trading it for a Model 27 or, maybe, one of the new Pythons for extra weight. All three of those powders have published load data for that weight bullet in .38 Special. The Model 19 is fine with .38s but mildly uncomfortable with .357s. And if youre doing that with a snub.let me know I wanna watch you shoot em. Nitpicking is its own reward., I believe the correct spelling is loathe . For me, the 32 H&R Mag is my 357 Mag, and the 32 S&W Long is my 38 SPL. If you have the means, I highly recommend you trying one out. The jump straight to relatively hot GI hardball challenged many students, and failure to meet standards meant being dropped from the course. So I expect recoil would be substantial and not very target-ish. 158 gr. I believe this particular bullet is meant for the 9mm,but drops at 358. I have a long way to go before I'm ready to compete, but enjoy plinking and hand loading. One cool load Im working on is two pellets of 000 Buck. .38 Special: What Ive Learned After 20,000 Rounds, Stacey Abrams Whopper: No one believes in eroding the Second Amendment, Scottsdale Home Owner Uses Shotgun to Stop Naked Home Invader Caught in His Childs Room [VIDEO], Liberty Ammunitions Innovative Personal Defense Rounds are Lighter, Go Faster, and Hit Harder. Sorry I can't be of more help, but I use 158 grain coated RNFP and don't use any of those powders that you list. Powered by Invision Community, 125 grain plated flat point in 38 Special. BrianEnos.com The more serious concern for some loaders is that the small charges of fast-burning powder take up little room in the case, making it possible to double charge a cartridge and exceed safe pressure. As anyone learns quickly, first thing that needs to be done is to replace the small factory S&W grips (I use Hogue) so you can hold onto the gun. 358430 (195 grain) round nose bullet that was used in the old 200 grain police loads as there is always interest in these. Their biggest use is in making screws and small bolts. I may have to rethink my plan. In my area, Bullseye is one of the first powders to disappear from shelves, lasting about a heartbeat longer than an econo bulk box of .22 Long Rifle ammunition. No more lead in the barrel or on my hands. I'm guessing they still go bang, and leave the gun to go downrange. As a young man, I came into a couple of cases of hand-me-down factory mid-range wadcutters. Some people then claimed SAAMI raised the 357 Mag to 45,000. We look at three classics: one each in .45 ACP, .38 Special, and 9mm. Really interested in getting the. I don't completely understand the physics behind it. Choosing a bullet revolver, with a 3 barrel, and 4 6 oz. Does anyone have any luck with Jacked Bullets. I have not loaded plated bullets in quite some time, since they are not useful for my accuracy needs. I find the Pachmayr Compac grips on my 640 reduce the slap of full-boat .357 to less than that on my 3 M65 (w/ wood Altamont grips) or my 4 686 (Pachmayr Gripper Professional grips.) with #2 Lyman duplicate. Yeah, my wifes last gun, with +P it actually HURTS! I am using this load in some .38 specials. September 2015 S.W.A.T. This gun now wears factory synthetic grips which are decent but could use more girth behind the trigger guard. Ive played with several that I like, but the classic in 9mm is 4.4 grains driving a 115-grain jacketed bullet. i use a Lee mold 150 round nose with 4 grains of bullseye crimped into the crimp groove of the bullet. I'm seating to what's in my loading manual. Enough that the range Officer at my range recognized them because the muzzle blast made a distinctive cat whisker pattern at 8 and 10, and 2 and 4 o clock. 2.7 gr. Winchester 231 is between Bullseye and Unique for the .38 special (see my personal load above). Boolit Grand Master. hebyta And for 99% of the actual real world needs of a citizen for self defense it will work just fine. By Javascript is required. IMHO .38 special is just fine for self defense, but just not enough to crack engine blocks. Main issue is that the .44 spl. 2.7 GR WST IS TOO LIGHT FOR THE 50 YD LINE. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I have several manuals and some say that this load is a low +p, some say it is not, but it is very accurate. Good job on you! You will find plenty of Red Dot loads there. In terms of thousands of rounds of range practice, though, that is a definite no-go in my book. A Forum dedicated to the sport of Bullseye shooting, Bullseye-L Forum::Ammunition Discussion, byPacFltShooter Wed Oct 28, 2020 9:00 am, byPacFltShooter Wed Oct 28, 2020 5:36 pm, byPacFltShooter Wed Oct 28, 2020 6:46 pm, byPacFltShooter Wed Oct 28, 2020 8:45 pm, byPacFltShooter Wed Nov 04, 2020 4:50 pm. Initially I shot them out of my Dads prized Smith & Wesson 686 and learned a great deal about double-action shooting and what a truly accurate handgun can do with a wadcutter. How can I tell if they are cast or swaged? "Berry's Superior Plated Bullets are the finest bonded copper-jacketed bullets available today.." ?. It would have been too hot. And if youre doing that [shooting 158 grain bullets at 1200 fps muzzle velocity] with a snub.let me know I wanna watch you shoot em. Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue. Traditionally, the max SAAMI pressures were: 38 S&W 14,500 I had ammo for some friends as low as 600 fps. There is almost no recoil and the student can increase power level when they feel ready using the same gun. I use Bullseye powder but it's about the same burn rate. Like the author said, I consider it a garbage disposal round as you can load it with almost anything with good results. SASS# 85224. I have often thought about reloading .357 brass to .38 special velocities to get around that, but have just never decided to actually do it. The key to those rounds, in spite of their paltry muzzle velocity of something like 825 feet per second out of a snubbie, is their diameter and mass: they will make significant diameter holes and penetrate respectably in attackers. I dont miss lubing casescarbide is king! I do this for my .357s but this article is about .38 Special loads. Does anyone have any data. Where many shooters quickly tire of even standard-pressure .38 in the little five-shooters, the wadcutter invites cylinder after cylinder of practice. Wadcutters are tailor made for lightweight snubbie practice, allowing shooters to enjoy shooting the pocket guns. want me to write up an article about 3d printed .38 special bullets that Ive been working? I used to reload .38s and .357s with 158 grain LSWC bullets over 4.3 and 6.5 grains of Unique. The stuff you learn shooting 20,000 reloads (on top of thousands of rounds of factory ammo) can be pretty interesting and I feel that Ive got a very good picture of what the .38 Special. accuracy. Accurate's No. http://www.adi-powders.com.au/handloaders-guide/equivalents.asp. Load it in 38 Special dies. is limited to either the various Charter Arms models, or as a training/target load in a .44 magnum size handguns. In fact, in the past I specifically sought out revolvers chambered in 38 SPL only, knowing I would never be putting a 357 Mag in it (I carried a 4 GP100 chambered in 38 SPL as a duty sidearm in the early 90s). How does WST compare to Bullseye powder? Ive saved all my .38 brass over the last couple of years for whenever I find time to get into reloading. This too is useful information. However recoil will be the limiting factor especially for the short line. I also find the LCR .357 enjoyable to shoot with all .38s and most .357s. The powder charges used for .38 are forgiving. 10 for a full cylinder. ,I looked at Speer data, nothing there. You can fit 7.1gr of powder under the 125gn JHP bullet? Josh Wayner is a Michigan native, active competitor, Grand Valley State University alumni, troublemaker, and fiction author. Even slower powders may provide more consistent speeds and will be tested in the future (No. Bullet seating depth is very forgiving. are you loading .38 special brass, or .357 magnum brass? I bet you can find some nice shooting loads with Bullseye. Bullseye 3.2gr / 763fps --> 4.2gr / 892fps (max) Unique 4.3gr / 773fps --> 5.3gr / 944fps (max) 231 3.9gr / 733fps --> 4.8gr / 896pfs (max) These are out of a 5.5 inch barrel Edited June 25, 2016 by jschweg Dr. Phil Classifieds 712 It's given me good results in the 2, 3 and 4 inch barreled. I too must be older than my years (35), as I love reloading .38SPL and have a S&W 442, S&W 36, and my most recent acquisition is a S&W 19-5 that is an absolute joy to shoot. JHP, (WC= WadCutter, SWC= Semi-WadCutter, HP= Hollow Point, RN= Round Nose), (JHP= Jacketed Hollow Point and if GC indicated, means Gas Check at bottom of lead bullet). The least is usually supplied as a large cylindrical billet weighing several hundred pounds. Any hotter and we get into a recoil issue. 110gr JHP! Jack it up a notch and go with .327 Federal Magnum. I load these bullets to the edge of the shoulder and use anywhere from 3-4 grains of TB. I have the shrouded hammer version, the 638, and have been wary of training much with it because of its aluminum frame. I'm planning to use Alliant's Unique powder to reload with 125 grain flat point jacketed bullets from Berry's and Winchester small pistol primers. Horrible 5-12" groups at 25 yds. My grandkids think Im pulling their leg, when I tell them about the freedoms that NIMBYs took away. 2, No. Red Dot work fine for most 38 Special loads. My other son fired one shot and handed it back. I'm not looking to blow up my old model 10. Any pistol competitions yet? Handload: 158 grain round nose lead /3.8 grains Bullseye MV 775 fps ME 210 ft./lbs. We've got some great loads for 158 coated and plated semi wadcutters, and we're trying something new. What are YOU shooting? Like both the .38 and the .44 spl. Hence I carry a semi-auto pistol chambered in .40 S&W. I like the smell of Bullseye, dont mind wiping the handguns down after a range day, and the dark soot that accumulates on my support hand when shooting wheelguns in particular just reminds me to wash up. Softer alloys of lead are just easier on the machinery. 2.) Hodgdon gives starting load of 4.0 grains and 4.4 grains MAX. Soft shooting. Magtech Sport Shooting, 38 Special, 125 Grain, Full Metal Jacket, Flat, 50 Round Box 38Q I use CCI Snake shot for two and Buffalo Bore short Barrel 130 gr. Try. swatmag.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. You can't rely on this because not all variables for YOUR cases and chamber and loading length, etc. This. I will start ouy at the minimum velocity then. That being the case, I truly NEED as much ammunition as possible and the ability to defeat soft barriers such as auto windshields, sheet metal, drywall, doors, etc. Two years into my second century a Colt MK IV Series 80 LTWT Commander 45 ACP still delivers the big medicine, but I have become enthralled with a new wheel gun- a Charter Arms Professional 32 H&R Magnum. I meant to say NRA. What I learned after 50 years of shooting and reloading 38spl cases some where around 100 thousands rounds. My sq. It is a very versatile and useful round. I did start out fawning over all of the tactical gear, but once I had that covered my tastes matured I think to love the wood and steel guns. Loath and Loathe are different words that mean different things. I load it almost exclusively though with either a powder coated or plated 125 grn bullet. No benchrest, nothing but two shakey hands holding the pistol. Posted: 4/17/2014 10:53:09 AM EST. Hornady also has load data for the 110-grain .357 XTP for the lower-pressure .38 Automatic. I can get away with using it as cast w/ alox. I've tried 2.8, 3.0, and 3.2. accuracy. (Note: These are near maximum loads (in some cases ARE MAXIMUM), you should use 10%. Here is the dillema: The Lyman manual says starting load is 3.2 grains and MAX. Loads for .38 S&W: This short, little cartridge has been around since the 1870's and was most common in the "break-top" models. Ive long since changed to a press, but that Lee Loader in its cardboard box is still in a storage box for obsolescent reloading gear. Plated bullets are to be loaded as lead bullets. My brother put CT laser grips on his wifes M36. This load chugs downrange at 750 feet each second and functions standard recoil springs with no issue. Re: 38 special loads by GrumpyOldMan 11/10/2013, 4:23 pm IIRC, the NRA Action Pistol power floor is a "factor" of 125, which requires a full 1,000 fps for 125-gr bullets. I have done it with 38 special and 44 Mag, only to have a lead coated bore that looked like a rusty old drain pipe. Data will be standard "book" .38 Special data and I'll not attempt to "hotrod" the loads. Hodgdons Clays, International, Universal and HP38 are good choices. for 38 special Between that, some other info on other forums, Winchester's data for a lead flat point, and numbers from loaddata.com, I think I have some to start with. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. 7, No. I probably shoot more 38s than everything else put together but a Dillon 750 makes loading a lot faster. Which left me with the last two. Any discussion of Bullseye is incomplete without mentioning a few of the downsides. So you only hang onto the primer boxes loosely? I almost spit out my drink when I read your comment. Power Pistols works well in short auto cartridges and higher pressure cartridges but no so well with a 158 grain bullets in 38 Special. Use the lead bullet loads with the plated and you will be fine. Powders include IMR, Hodgdon, Alliant, Vihtavuori, Winchester, Accurate Different colors can be used to identify different loads and since bottom of each bullet is also powder coated, there is less lead dispersed in the air at the shooting range. Be careful !!!! Dec 18, 2011. WST for .38 special 125 gr plated bullets, Re: WST for .38 special 125 gr plated bullets. Last I looked still available at Brownells. Reloading Data for .38 Special - Load Data - 1895Gunner. The load you use will be up to your gun. Just an FYI. 7.8 gr Blue Dot 1,170 fps 1.43" Fed 100 Alliant Suggested starting load: 7.0 gr Pressure: 15,700 4.5 gr Bullseye 1,085 fps 1.43" Fed 100 Alliant Suggested starting load: 4.1 gr Pressure: 14,900 I don't have a chronograph, but have considered picking one up. Very forgiving with a straight wall case, and tons of bullet variety. There are many fun uses for buckshot. I dont own anything in .38 special yet, but I have plans to buy a .357 magnum revolver in near future, so I already reloaded couple thousands of rounds in .38 and .357. Cartridge : .38 Special (SAAMI)Bullet : .357, 125, FP Rainier Useable Case Capaci: 20.320 grain H2O = 1.319 cm Cartridge O.A.L. If you are new to reloading. Interesting. CorBon Self Defense, 38 Special, 125 Grain, Jacketed Hollow Point, +P, 20 Round Box 38125 10. A circa 1918 Colt gobbled them up, as did several other 1911s that can be particular about bullet profile. Jacketed bullets are legal for DR, as long as they are 158 grain round nose or semi-wadcutter. 5.) SWC+GC, The flyers tend to be severe. Id pay at least a dollar to see it. Clays, Universal, HP38, HS6 and H4895 are products of Hodgdon Powders. Yes, I had no issues with the 38 SPL, but the 32 is just more FUN- especially when I get seven shots of it in a revolver the size of J frame! My more serious RN is the 358311 that drops @150 gr. Case life is excellent, especially for mild loads. .38 Special (Using Hornady Bullets) reloading data with 353 loads. Think that if a .44 spl. Speer shows 3.9 to 4.5 grains for a double end lead wadcutter but I'm thinking that may be a little strong for a plated bullet. Fifty yards of course is the preferred distance. In my time spent with the .38, I have come to greatly appreciate it for what it is and does. WC, 158 gr. 3.) Even better, is get some 38 S&W brass. The Lyman is handy for sizing or priming while youre watching a movie. The cases are large enough that they can be easily manipulated by inexperienced hands and yet small enough to not require much force in the sizing stage. Normal 38 spell loads for as long as I can remember were never loaded less than 800FPS and I have loaded for revolvers and autos such as my S&W mod 52 that only shoots flush wadcutters. Even though the gun was chambered for .357 Magnum, I plinked and practiced with a lot of .38s over the years. If there is only ONE load, it is MAX. Nice thing about reloading is that loads can be tailored for the gun that you are shooting. Youd just be risking ALOT firing it in a .38 framed revolver. Something like the Ruger GP100 or S&W 686 yup, theyre the best caliber for those size revolvers. A GI surplus 1911 that puts most loads into dinner-plate sized groups cut 3.8 inches with the classic recipewhich is probably the only time Ive gotten excited about an almost four-inch group! Ask your Dealer, or call Hodgdon), has a Cowboy Load section, (near the center fold), that lists data for about all SASS calibers. The 125 Hornady XTP, a jacketed hollow point bullet that can easily handle 1500 fps velocities. Alliant listed 3.6 gr Bullseye as maximum (15000 psi) in 38 Special and 3.8 as max in 38 Special PLUS P (17000 psi) with 158 LSWC bullets. Most notably the lighter weight bullets. If all you practice with is the easy comfortable stuff, its not really practice. The best part about this is that not only do you never really lose your fired cases, but you they are always in great condition. I recently picked up a 396 Nightguard and am a convert to the 44 Special! We look at three classics: one each in .45 ACP, .38 Special, and 9mm. Its the kind of load that will make you fall in love with the 1911 all over again! The Internet Pedant I could knock out a pretty substantial chunk of my shooting needs with only these three loads. The manufacturing process of swaged bullets requires relatively soft lead for two reasons. The mild recoil of the mid-range load is a perfect mate to the .38s that most shooters own these daysthe airweight J-Frame or equivalent. Ive done the majority of shooting in .38 Special in my Smith & Wesson 642. Load manuals often advise against downloading .38 Special jacketed loads to prevent squibs, especially the 110 and 125 grain bullets. There are so many new powders today, its hard to keep up. more weight than the similar size CA .44 Bulldog, were available, a lot more people would also like the .44 spl. Recoil in that gun is less than most 45 ACP 1911s I have shot, and its still got around 500-600ft lbs of energy which is more than enough for feral hogs around the ranch back home. Because we have no action to cycle, the novice reloader can afford to be off a bit if they have an entry-level scale or powder dispenser. My J frame S&Ws are all older models, and came with the small grips that are still on some models. The trigger has smoothed out over time. (This is prevalent among most aftermarket designs- they are smallest in the longest, strongest finger area, and largest at the bottom pinkie area.). I thought the DR program was NRA, not CMP. Bonus is the CT #305 grips are both large enough to be actually useful, and can use the laser, or turn it off if you dont need the laser. For example, a Glock 17 shot the HAP into 1.35 inches and the FMJ into 2.2 inches at 25 yards. Im also impressed by the apparent durability of your Airweight J-frame. They are low because of swaged bullets. Maybe once a year I would reset everything to load up a few hundred .38 Spl for the wifes Detective Special, then right back to .357. Always make sure your lead bullets have been sized and lubricated. Regulator, SBSS #2255, Pawnee Station, Ro I & II. Thanks for the excellent article, Josh! in 158 weight berry's bullet 3.8 grains of bullseye with a taper crimp. If youre recoil averse (and dont have a disability of some kind), its because you havent shot it enough. Most DNR (Do Not Reduce) loads are well over 900-fps. . No sh!t. My Dad has advanced arthritis and could not longer easily work his auto loaders. That sounds. 2 and No. Your previous content has been restored. Ideal load in a 2 J Frame .38. I've been using the same powders forever. Current J frame factory grips have similar features and are made of a stiffer compound. In a nutshell & I mean very short version. The beauty of shooting a .38 is that you can easily practice at the ranges you'd fight at using basically any cheap bullet at minimal expense. Just dont shoot a rabbit with this load if you want to be able to eat any of it. So . Never ransom rested it, but held 10 ring off sandbags.