A good load for .40 cal S&W W/HP 38 powder

[Matt Dillon]

Folks, does anyone have a good load for .40 S&W, using lead 155 grain RN with HP 38? I had been using 6 grains of Win 231 with this cartridge, and I ran out. The vendor at the local gun show sold me som HP 38, and I was wondering if anyone else had used it with this caliber. Any help is GREATLY appreciated, TIA, and please reply to [email protected]. Thanks so much!

 

[GooseGestapo]

Go ahead and use the Win231 data. The only difference between HP-38 and Win231 is the normal lot-to-lot difference experienced between different lots of same powder. The HP-38 is Win231. They are made by Primex at St. Marks Fl. plant. Some lots are labeled Win231 and marketed by Winchester who used to be owned by Olin Industries who also owned the powder manufacturing facility. The Hp-38(Win231) is sold to Hodgdon in large Cardboard cannisters the size of the big blue plastic barrels you see used for shipping chemicals, and Hodgdon repackages them. One I saw recently was marked HP-38 but had a Win231 lot# on it (actually a rack full of them at a commercial reloaders facility). Rest assured they are the same powder. Same situation for Win296/H-110 (large lot to lot variations though!), HS-6/Win540, HS-7/Win571, BL-C2/Win748.
The old Trap 100 was AA-452, both now discontinued.

 

[Archie]

The Goose is correct.

But pay attention to the part about "lot to lot differences". If you are at the high end of the load spectrum, drop back and re-develop your load. A straight swap could be over-pressure. The difference between HP-38 and 231 is like the difference between stove oil and kerosene.