Favorite load for 38 special?

[Rustygun]

thanks for posting your thoughts. I appreciate the sharing of experience. I have completed loading six different recipes with 20-30 rounds each.

With a 158 gr powder coated SWC lead bullets (thebluebullets.com) I used light loads of HS-6, 231, and Clays. I also made a handful of 125 gr lead FN I found in a drawer dating back to someplace pre 2009. I will report back as soon as I can get to the range and make some holes in paper.

 

[turkeyrun]

I second the wadcutters seated 1/8" above.

Unique is consistent, accurate and can be dirty

I like Clays. Like Unique, but clean.

Most I have loaded lately, with Trail Boss. Quiet, accurate, clean, very little recoil. Had the grandkids out shooting, 8yo grandson loves shooting Papa's cowboy gun. His 6yo cousin (daughter in law side ) wanted to shoot, he had never held a gun. Set an old 5gal bucket, 15' in front of him. Talked safety. Let him hold the UNLOADED revolver, talked safety. Showed him how to pull back hammer, aim, pull trigger. Dry fire 3 times. Talk safety. Load pistol and watch him blast the bucket. Biggest grin you have ever seen. He asked for the brass, for his memory board, which he got.

His Dad, who had only shot while in the Army, then came up and asked to shoot. He shot the .38, .30 Carbine, .41, .44, .45C, all loaded with Trail Boss and PC bullets.

He said, "I thought .44mag was BAD, that was nothing."

S-I-L gave him a hunting load. He only wanted one.

It was a good day.

 

[Rustygun]

I second the wadcutters seated 1/8" above.

Unique is consistent, accurate and can be dirty

I like Clays. Like Unique, but clean.

Most I have loaded lately, with Trail Boss. Quiet, accurate, clean, very little recoil. Had the grandkids out shooting, 8yo grandson loves shooting Papa's cowboy gun. His 6yo cousin (daughter in law side ) wanted to shoot, he had never held a gun. Set an old 5gal bucket, 15' in front of him. Talked safety. Let him hold the UNLOADED revolver, talked safety. Showed him how to pull back hammer, aim, pull trigger. Dry fire 3 times. Talk safety. Load pistol and watch him blast the bucket. Biggest grin you have ever seen. He asked for the brass, for his memory board, which he got.

His Dad, who had only shot while in the Army, then came up and asked to shoot. He shot the .38, .30 Carbine, .41, .44, .45C, all loaded with Trail Boss and PC bullets.

He said, "I thought .44mag was BAD, that was nothing."

S-I-L gave him a hunting load. He only wanted one.

It was a good day.

wow what a great story, and good info on the powders. Wish I could get the kids and grandkids interested in shoot and maybe my 38 light load sis th answer. I shot my test loads today and clays was smooth low recoil but I think the 125 gr RN loaded with 3.8 grains of 231 was my favorite.

Received a usps today from blue bullets with 125 gr RN PC pretty blue bullets so this weekend I am going to be shaking hands with the Dillon.

 

[Jcelt]

I purchased some 105 grain cast bullets for plinking. They are cheaper to buy and reduce the recoil quite a bit.

 

[turkeyrun]

I ordered some .380 bullets; 95gr LRN powder coated bullets, ordered sized to .357. Loaded them over 2.2 gr of Trail Boss, gets 725 fps.
No recoil and accurate. This may be my new favorite. Awesome for rabbit hunting.

 

[Rustygun]

I noticed some of you are loading much litter bullets than I am. Fir some reason I always thought that 125 gr billets were kind of a minimum for the 38. After reading these posts I spent some time with my nose in my reloading books and see there are a lot of recipes for 95 & 105 gr bullets.

 

[Revolvers4Life]

For just range plinking I use 3.4 grains of bullseye, with a 125 grain flat point bullet seated to 1.425. It’s a cheap load and has hardly any recoil

 

[Rustygun]

Isn’t bullseye kinda dirty. I loaded it a few years ago and had black hands at the end of every range session. I thought it would get better if I loaded a little hotter but did not see much change.

 

[Revolvers4Life]

Isn’t bullseye kinda dirty. I loaded it a few years ago and had black hands at the end of every range session. I thought it would get better if I loaded a little hotter but did not see much change.

It isn’t the cleanest but I don’t have problems with it at all, even with a light load. It’s definitely not to the point my hands are black or even the outside of my revolver. Main reason I use it is because it’s so cheap and I can buy it in bulk from my local reloading shop.

 

[Rustygun]

Do you have a good source for powder and primers? Local as in Tulsa? I have bought a lot from a place in McAlester call All Pawn great selection low prices and I travel there for business about once a month.