Recommend me a powder...

For range ammo I use 158gr LSWC with 4 gr of Unique in my Taurus 856.

Unique is my go-to for .38 SPC plinking ammo.... However, I always get a decent amount of unburnt powder with Unique out of my .38 loads. I also use it for the .500 S&W, and never run into this issue.

Mr_Flintstone said:

Recently I asked about powders for .357 magnum rifle. This time I’m going in the opposite direction. I want recommendations for 158 gr cast in a 2” barrel .38 special (regular or +P). I want good velocity and little to no unburned powder blowing out the barrel. My go to powder has been Bullseye for this, but I also have Titegroup, AutoComp, Unique, and 231 that I think might be appropriate. What powders have you used, or would you recommend for such a situation.

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800x has worked good for me. Starting charge leaves a little unburnt powder but once you raise the pressure it's pretty clean.

I also like trailboss for that application.

I use AA#5 for my 135gr Speer SD ammo replica. For replicating the FBI Load I use HS-6.

I have used HP-38 with heavy 158 cast loads in the wife's 2" snubby. Little residue or flash. You still get some residue, but suits your purpose. TG and Bullseye might be superior, but haven't tried these personally.

I haven’t loaded any +p in a while but I think there’s data for +p loads using 2400 and it was hot stuff for .38 from what I remember. It seems that 2400 is considered to be the premiere powder for hot loads.

Otherwise, 231 and lead bullets were made for each other in a .38.

I still think Bullseye is King for 158 SWC. I have tried Red Dot and Unique and they don't come close to Bullseye for me.

I'm not sure what you would consider good velocity, but I get an average of 750 FPS from my 5" barrel with 3.5 grains of Bullseye. I never pay attention to powder forward or powder back, but I know that can make a difference.
The best thing about this load is the accuracy, worst thing is hands and gun are covered with soot! I've decided to live with the soot, it cleans up easily.

Back when I shot a lot of 38 spl I used Bullseye or Unique with 158gr SWC and 148gr WC. Don't shoot 38 much anymore.

I haven't experimented that much but Red Dot was better than Bullseye - and I love Bullseye. Unique just doesn't impress me all that much.

Bullseye and titegroup would be my first choices. I would think Unique would be to slow burning. I haven't worked with autocomp or 231 before.

I like fast powder in target loads in short barrels. Other than tightgroup and bullseye. Ramshot siloette is good for standard and +p. You can download their manual free.

It just so happens that over the last couple of months I've ton a **** ton of loading and chronographing .38 Special's in 2", 3", and 4" with 155-158 gr. cast SWC's using Unique. I'll run out to the shop and bring in my load log and post the results.

35W

I have tested quite a bit of Unique lately in a 2" Charter Arms, a 3" Rossi and three different 4" S&W's; a Model 10-5, a Model 10-7 and a Model 15. Velocities in the three S&W's were virtually identical.

The bullets used mostly were these three, all cast by yours truly-



The bullet on the left takes up more powder space so consistently gives higher velocities than the other two. CCI500 primers were used.

5.0 grs. of Unique; 154 gr. SWCHP-

2" Charter Arms- 860 fps (R-P brass)
3" Rossi- 840 fps (Fed. brass)
4" S&W's- 940 fps (RA-67 Mil brass)

5.2 grs. Unique; 154 gr. SWCHP- (+P)

2" Charter Arms- 880 fps (R-P brass)
3" Rossi- N/A
4" S&W's- 998 fps (S&W brass); 1025 fps (R-P brass); 1009 fps (Fed. brass); 1046 fps (W-W brass)

5.0 grs. of Unique; 148 gr. SWCHP-

2" Charter Arms- 791 fps (R-P brass)
3" Rossi- 855 fps (Fed. brass)
4" S&W's- 930 fps (RA-67 Mil brass)

5.5 grs. of Unique; 148 gr. SWCHP- (+P)(This load is from a couple of Handloader magazines)

4" S&W's- 955 fps (RA-67 Mil brass)

For higher velocity +P loads, 2400 is hard to beat. I only tried it in the 4" revolvers, but velocities exceeded Unique velocities by 100 fps. CCI500 primers were used.

9.5 grs. AL2400; 148 gr. SWCHP-

4" S&W's- 962 fps (RA-67 Mil brass)

10.0 grs. AL2400; 148 gr. SWCHP- (+P)

4" S&W's- 1062 fps (RA-67 Mil brass)

With all these loads, start a little below and work up. Hope this helps.

35W

Thanks for posting this work. And those are very good looking bullets indeed.

35 Whelen said:

I have tested quite a bit of Unique lately in a 2" Charter Arms, a 3" Rossi and three different 4" S&W's; a Model 10-5, a Model 10-7 and a Model 15. Velocities in the three S&W's were virtually identical.

The bullets used mostly were these three, all cast by yours truly-

View attachment 900463

The bullet on the left takes up more powder space so consistently gives higher velocities than the other two. CCI500 primers were used.

5.0 grs. of Unique; 154 gr. SWCHP-

2" Charter Arms- 860 fps (R-P brass)
3" Rossi- 840 fps (Fed. brass)
4" S&W's- 940 fps (RA-67 Mil brass)

5.2 grs. Unique; 154 gr. SWCHP- (+P)

2" Charter Arms- 880 fps (R-P brass)
3" Rossi- N/A
4" S&W's- 998 fps (S&W brass); 1025 fps (R-P brass); 1009 fps (Fed. brass); 1046 fps (W-W brass)

5.0 grs. of Unique; 148 gr. SWCHP-

2" Charter Arms- 791 fps (R-P brass)
3" Rossi- 855 fps (Fed. brass)
4" S&W's- 930 fps (RA-67 Mil brass)

5.5 grs. of Unique; 148 gr. SWCHP- (+P)(This load is from a couple of Handloader magazines)

4" S&W's- 955 fps (RA-67 Mil brass)

For higher velocity +P loads, 2400 is hard to beat. I only tried it in the 4" revolvers, but velocities exceeded Unique velocities by 100 fps. CCI500 primers were used.

9.5 grs. AL2400; 148 gr. SWCHP-

4" S&W's- 962 fps (RA-67 Mil brass)

10.0 grs. AL2400; 148 gr. SWCHP- (+P)

4" S&W's- 1062 fps (RA-67 Mil brass)

With all these loads, start a little below and work up. Hope this helps.

35W

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I'd like to order 500 of the 154 gr gas check. Please let me know where to send the check.

Lee Q. Loader said:

I'd like to order 500 of the 154 gr gas check. Please let me know where to send the check.

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Those 154 gr. SWCHP's are out of a long discontinued single cavity Lee HP mold. Lee molds don't exactly have a long service life to begin with, so I have to handle the mold very carefully. That and the fact that it's a single cavity means a SLOW casting rate. It would probably take 3-4 hours to cast 500 bullets, IF the mold lasted that long!

When it warms up a bit I'm going to water test some of those bullets. I cast them quite soft so they should expand at low velocities.

35W

I like Red Dot in short barrel pistols.