Light 38 Special load

[fatcpa]

I want to teach my wife to shoot my S&W 642. If I load it with my usual Gold Dot's I know that she will shoot it once, give me THAT look and be ready to go home. So, I want to load some VERY light loads to get her started. Then, I'll increase the load until she says that's enough. I currently have some HP-38, Universal Clays, Clays, Unique, and Bullseye on hand. I have some 158 gr lswc bullets and some 125 gr hard cast lead bullets on hand. Can anyone give me an idea of a starting point for a weak, but semi-accurate load?

 

[Madpap]

4gr of Trailboss with 125gr lead is a very nice load. My wife can shoot it all day.

 

[z06man]

I used 2.9gr Clays behind 158gr LSWC for a very mild load this weekend. I believe Hodgdon says you can go even a bit lighter.

 

[Hobbes]

125 GR. CAST LRNFP Hodgdon Clays .358" 1.445" 2.5 810 8,400 CUP

From the online reloading data.
http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

The old target standard load for decades has been a 148gr wadcutter over 3.2gr of BullsEye.

 

[dlbleak]

I used 2.9gr Clays behind 158gr LSWC for a very mild load this weekend. I believe Hodgdon says you can go even a bit lighter.

125 GR. CAST LRNFP Hodgdon Clays .358" 1.445" 2.5 810 8,400 CUP

From the online reloading data.
http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

The old target standard load for decades has been a 148gr wadcutter over 3.2gr of BullsEye.

both really easy shooting loads. i run 158 swc with 3 gr. clays in my full size guns. since its your j-frame the 2.5 looks like a good one also.

 

[458 SOCOM]

3.2 Gr Red Dot, over a 158-160 gr lead bullet will have low recoil, the one draw back is it will be a tad bit dirty.

 

[ttown]

I've heard these are great low recoil rounds for CCW:

http://www.gunsholstersandgear.com/...in-38-special-reintroduced-at-2009-shot-show/

 

[1mathom1]

Never used Clays....burn clean??? That's what I always disliked about Unique....dirty.

 

[aeropb]

2.8-3.2gr of bullseye with 125gr bullet should do the trick

 

[TonyT]

I use 3.6 gr. Trail Boss with a 158 gr. LRN or 4.0 gr. Trail Boss with a 125 gr. LP.