(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)
Loads for .38 special:
(Note: These are near maximum loads (in some cases ARE MAXIMUM), you should use 10%. less to start.)
Only if you see more than one load, is it less than
maximum. If there is only ONE load, it is MAX.
(See note on Powders below or read all about various
Powders.)
Bullets are .357" for jacketed and .358" for lead in diameter. Due to different barrel lengths,
type of bullet, seating depth, primer type and other factors,
you may not get near the FPS charted. It is just a guide and the reason you should start under these charges and work up.
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90 grain Lead RNFP Cowboy loads
Titegroup 3.0 gr. 755 minimum
Titegroup 3.5 gr. 969 Maximum
Clays 2.5 gr. 705 minimum
Clays 3.0 gr. 938 Maximum
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110 grain JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point)
Bullseye 4.5 gr. 1,085 FPS
Unique 5.6 gr. 1,090
Universal 5.6 gr. 1,143
Clays 3.8 gr. 973
HP38 5.2 gr. 1,043
No. 2 5.6 gr. 1,083
No. 5 7.3 gr. 1,090
231 (+P) 5.7 gr. 1,015
540 (+P) 8.7 gr. 1,070
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125 grain Lead RNFP or SWC
Trail Boss 3.0 gr. 753 FPS minimum
Trail Boss 5.3 gr. 952 FPS Maximum
Universal 4.3 gr. 872 FPS minimum
Universal 4.7 gr. 1036 FPS MAXIMUM
HP38 3.8 gr. 876 minimum
HP38 4.8 gr. 1071 Maximum
Titegroup 3.2 gr. 856 minimum
Titegroup 3.8 gr. 985 Maximum
Clays 2.5 gr. 810 minimum
Clays 3.5 gr. 978 Maximum
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125 grain JHP or JSP (Jacketed Hollow or Soft Point)
Bullseye 4.4 gr. 1,000 FPS
Unique 5.3 gr. 1,015
Universal 5.2 gr. 1,019
Clays 3.5 gr. 895
HP38 4.8 gr. 914
No. 2 5.3 gr. 990
No. 5 6.8 gr. 860
231 (+P) 5.3 gr. 935
540 (+P) 8.2 gr. 1,000
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146-148 grain LWC (Lead Wad Cutter)
Bullseye 2.8 gr. 815 FPS
Unique 3.3 gr. 815
Universal 3.8 gr. 940
Clays 2.5 gr. 836
HP38 3.8 gr. 879
No. 2 4.2 gr. ---
No. 5 6.0 gr. ---
231 3.4 gr. 760
540 5.2 gr. 785
ZERO AMMO (commercial) 795 (reference only)
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146-150 grain JHP (Jacketed Hollow Point)
Bullseye 3.8 gr. 850 FPS
Unique 3.8 gr. 796 (mild)
Unique 5.1 gr. 860
HP38 3.8 gr. 856
No. 2 4.5 gr. 820
No. 5 6.0 gr. 745
231 3.4 gr. 820
2400 (+P) 8.0 gr. 910 (+P) CAREFUL!
Unique(+P) 5.5 gr. 964 (+P) CAREFUL!
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158 grain Lead RNFP or SWC COWBOY load
Trail Boss 2.7 gr. 661 FPS minimum
Trail Boss 4.2 gr. 804 FPS Maximum
Universal 3.5 gr. 756 FPS minimum
Universal 4.5 gr. 974 FPS MAXIMUM
HP38 3.1 gr. 782 minimum
HP38 3.7 gr. 834 Maximum
Titegroup 3.2 gr. 815 minimum
Titegroup 3.8 gr. 920 Maximum
Clays 2.8 gr. 812 minimum
Clays 3.1 gr. 871 Maximum
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158 grain LSWC or LRN (Semi-Wad, Rnd. Nose or flat point)
Bullseye 3.6 gr. 810 FPS
Unique 3.5 gr. 697 (mild load)
Unique 4.3 gr. 920
Unique 4.5 gr. 975 (actual in 7" bbl revolver)
Unique 4.5 gr. 908 (5" bbl,powder UP)
(Hi=930 Lo= 885.4 Spread=44.2 fps)
Unique 4.5 gr. 797 (5" bbl,powder DOWN - see note)
(Hi=879.5 Lo= 729.4 Spread=150.1 fps)
Universal 3.5 gr. 756 (Cowboy load)
Universal 4.5 gr. 974
Clays 2.8 gr. 812 (cowboy load)
Clays 3.1 gr. 871
HP38 3.1 gr. 782 (Cowboy load)
HP38 3.7 gr. 834
No. 2 4.0 gr. 756 (published load)
No. 2 3.6 gr. 808 (in 7" bbl)
hi=849 lo=728 ES=122 (powder up and down)
No. 2 3.2 gr. 725 (in 7" bbl)
hi=770 lo=679 ES=91 (powder up and down)
No. 5 5.8 gr. 841 (published)
No. 5 5.0 gr. 736 (in 7" bbl)
hi=763 lo=688 ES=75 (powder up and down)
No. 5 4.6 gr. 694 (in 7" bbl)
hi=740 lo=648 ES=92 (powder up and down)
231 3.1 gr. 753 (do not use less)
231 4.5 gr. 830 (published MAX)
231 4.0 gr. 898 (actual in 7" bbl revolver)
WST 3.7 gr. 770 (MAX)
WAP 4.5 gr. 681 (published)
WAP 4.3 gr. 752 (in 7"bbl)*
hi=821 lo=684 ES=137 (powder up and down)
WAP 4.3 gr. 734 (in 4 5/8" bbl)*
hi=815 lo=637 ES=178 (powder in normal positions)
WAP 4.0 gr. 658 (in 7" bbl)*(NOT recommended)
hi=714 lo=549 ES=165 (powder up and down)
540 6.8 gr. 880
VV N320 3.9 gr. 872 (published)
VV N320 3.2 gr. 723 (in 7" bbl)(same in 4 5/8" bbl)
hi=758 lo=693 ES=65 (powder up and down)(DO NOT USE LESS)
VV N340 4.8 gr. 882
*WAP is not best choice for .38 special, too slow and inconsistent.
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158 grain Copper PLATED SWC
W231 4.0 gr. 745 (published)
W231 4.5 gr. 830 (published MAX)
W231 4.0 gr. 811* (in 7" bbl revolver)
hi=859 lo=743 ES=116 (powder up and down)
*(my personal medium load, Chrono'd myself)
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158-160 grain JHP or JSP (Jacketed Hollow or Soft Point)
Bullseye 3.5 gr. 805 FPS
Unique 4.2 gr. 800
2400 7.6 gr. 850
Universal 4.4 gr. 778
HP38 3.7 gr. 819
HS6 6.5 gr. 914
No. 2 4.0 gr. 756
No. 5 5.8 gr. 841
231 (+P) 4.4 gr. 720*
540 (+P) 6.6 gr. 800*
2400 (+P) 7.8 gr. 910*
Unique(+P) 4.4 gr. 885*
* All PLUS P loads for guns designed for it (20,000 PSI)
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180 grain LEAD (Truncated Cone) Flat Point
(Cowboy loads - shot in 7 1/2" bbl.revolver - no need to reduce)
VV N320 3.2 gr. 722 fps
hi=780 lo=674 ES=105(powder up and down)
WAP 4.3 gr. 773 fps *
hi=875 lo=685 ES=190.2(powder up and down)
WAP 4.0 gr. 639 fps *
hi=710 lo=497 ES=213 (powder up and down)
AA No.2 3.6 gr. 816 fps
hi=857 lo=785 ES=72 (all shot level)
AA No.2 3.2 gr. 722 fps
hi=791 lo=625 ES=166 (Powder up and down)
AA No.5 5.0 gr. 725 fps
hi=785 lo=670 ES=115 (powder up and down)
AA No. 5 4.6 gr. 690 fps
hi=736 lo=647 ES=89 (powder up and down)
*WAP is not best choice for .38 special, too slow and inconsistent.
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180 grain JHP or JSP (Jacketed Hollow or Soft Point)
ALL THESE LOADS ARE PLUS P, SPECIAL HOT - 21,000 PSI
2400 (+P)7.5 gr. 895* FPS
Unique (+P)4.4 gr. 875*
HS-6 (+P)6.7 gr. 870*
HS-7 (+P)7.6 gr. 885*
H4227 (+P)11.0 gr. 890*
IMR4227(+P)10.7 gr. 844*
231 (+P)4.4 gr. 800*
* Use in PLUS-P Guns ONLY!!!!
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200 grain LRN (Lead Round Nose)
Bullseye 3.0 gr. 760 FPS
Unique 3.6 gr. 780
2400 7.0 gr. 870
Universal 3.5 gr. ---
HP38 3.2 gr. 681
HS6 5.0 gr. 794
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(Note (+P) means higher pressures, use in guns
designed for the +P cartridges.)
Note: More and more test are conducted with all rounds fired
with powder UP against the primer for each shot, or DOWN on the
bullet for each shot, then gently bring to horizontal to shoot.
A significant difference in speeds is usually noted. It is always
higher when powder is next to primer. For best accuracy in slow
fire shooting, you may want to raise gun before every shot.
Discussion: Bullseye is a faster burning powder and some people feel better suited for the .38 special. I prefer the slower burning Unique, and I also use it for .357 magnum, just more of it. It seems to burn completely in the .38 and is not as critical as the faster powders like Bullseye. Accurate's No. 2 and No. 5 are good choices. Winchester's 231 or WSL are also good powders for the .38 special. Winchester 231 is between Bullseye and Unique for the .38 special (see my personal load above). Hodgdon's Clays, International, Universal and HP38 are good choices. And Vihtavouri's N320 and N321 fall in this range for burning times. Even slower powders may provide more consistent speeds and will be tested in the future (No. 7, No. 9 and others like 2400 that are generally used for magnums).
If you have a lightweight .38 or older gun, you may want to start with 10% less than max amounts listed above, and work up to the full loads. 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.
Below, are three loaded rounds. Nickle cases look pretty but don't seem to take the number of resizings that plain brass cases do. Always make sure your lead bullets have been sized and lubricated. Note the dark band of lube on the 3 lead bullets. As you move up in loads, you at least need the gas check on the bottom of the bullet to prevent gas melting the lead and fouling the barrel. For any loads over 900-1,000 FPS, I suggest using a jacketed bullet. Jacketed bullets create a bit more wear on the rifling, but it's better than trying to wire brush out a bunch of lead build up. Just depends on what kinds of loads you plan to shoot. Normal, mild .38 loads work fine with lead bullets. A bullet with a copper gas check or copper plating is best for INDOOR ranges to keep lead vapors out of the air.
References: Accurate Arms Co. 1996 Reloading booklet - - Alliant Powder Co. Reloaders' Guide (1995) - - Hodgdon's Basic Reloaders Manual (1996) - - Speer Reloading Manual, #12 - - Winchester Reloading Components Manual, 14th edition - - Lyman Piston & Revolver Reloading Handbook, 2nd edition. - - VihtaVuori Oy Company, reloading booklet (1995) - - Numerous magazine articles on reloading special calibers and personal loads where noted.
