Hp-38 / 38 special,Whats your load?

[JRWhit]

Just out of curiosity, anyone else loading 38s with hp-38/win231, what's your best load.
I've been loading 125gn copper plated FPs with 4.6gn. I recently started up the scale in an effort to reduce some of the burn on the brass.
I'm currently at 5gn. Hodgdon list 5.3 max for 125gn xtp in +P loads. I'm a little braver with the 38s due to the fact that I'm shooting them out of a 357 GP100, but I'm curious if this is a comfortable range for others with there 38s.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I use 231 with 125 grain cast bullets, but I'm not trying to load it to full potential. I'm just loading up a soft shooting target load for the wife.

4.5 grains is all I do and it shoots accurate with little recoil for her.
Sure, the cases are a little dirty, but that doesn't bother me. That's what ground up corn cob is for.

Happy loading.

 

[4895]

I load 3.5 grains of Winchester 231 with 158 grain Berry's RN or 158 grain LSWC. Nice target ammo in my GP100.

 

[Stormin.40]

I use 231 in .38 Special but haven't tried with 125gr bullets yet. I load 4.4gr 231 behind a 158gr LSWC and still get burn marks on my brass. This power to me seems dirty my "clean" powder choices are for lead TrailBoss for jacketed or plated TiteGroup. Dirty cases and guns do not bother me so I still shoot a lot of 231, great powder for .38 Special.

 

[1KPerDay]

3.7 behind 158 LRN for me.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

W-231 , MBC 125 TCFP, 4" Diamondback
4.3 gr. mild recoil, good accuracy
4.8 gr. moderate recoil, good accuracy
Nice rounds for plinking.

I haven't had good results with 231 loaded heavy behind lead.