Is 38 Special the perfect target round?

[Shrinkmd]

I am blessed to have an indoor range recently open up nearby, so I can get an hour or two of pistol in every week. I plan on really shooting a bit more, and I'm thinking of the most economical way to do it. I was thinking 200-300 rounds per trip, hopefully between 5-8 times per month. So we're looking at hopefully 10k or more a year.

I need to get a brass catcher working, but bringing a tripod and the big net from Midway is a pain in the butt. So I'm thinking to stick with my revolvers and not worry about losing the brass. 357 magnum is fun, and 22lr is nice, but it seems that the sweet spot for practicing with a "real" centerfire and not going completely broke is good ole 38 special, 158 gr lswc, and some Bullseye.

 

[Hondo 60]

Sounds like a good plan if you plan on using a .38 spl for protection.
(I like to practice with the gun I carry)

Just in case you need a supply of good, but inexpensive bullets...

http://www.missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=76&category=5&secondary=9&keywords=

.

 

[bangaway]

Lots of people use a .32 S&W long or magnum for your purposes. Cheaper to shoot because of lighter bullets and less powder. Makes a hole. Little noise and recoil. Might think these are whimpy calibers but I do not advise standing in front of one. 98 gr. wc very accurate and effective small game round.

 

[armoredman]

I reload for 38 Special, and it is very cheap. I also cast my own bullets, and don't do TOO badly. Yep, it is fun - don't use smokey powder, or you foul early.

 

[788Ham]

Hondo 60,

With those Missouri bullets, do you need to crimp on cap on the bottom of the bullet? I can't remember the name of the device crimped on them. Just curious, if kept at slow speeds, not needed? Thanks

 

[Shrinkmd]

That's the problem with the brass catcher; I have a 9mm wondernine for HD duty, but I don't feel like losing all my brass at the range. I guess I need to figure out the brass catcher net and put more rounds through it.

Although I have been neglecting my 3rd gen smiths for a while now, and today my 5906TSW was right on the money.

 

[Hondo 60]

No - if you're asking about Gas Checks.
The bullets I linked will work fine up to about 900fps - which would be very hard to get from a published 38 spl load.
I've loaded 1,000s of those & had almost zero leading.

If you DO get leading, just buy a chor-boy (solid copper - not copper plated).
Take one strand & wrap it around a mop or bore brush.
Just make sure it's snug.
The copper is too soft to hurt the barrel.

Any faster than that & you'd need a harder bullet.

 

[4895]

.38 special is a great training round. I used to like Bullseye but I have a cleaner experience with 231. I only shoot plated (Berry's) or jacketed because of poor ventilation at indoor ranges. YMMV.

http://www.berrysmfg.com/product-i14484-c13-g8-b0-p0-.38_Cal_125gr_FP.aspx

Plated costs about $18 more per 1000 rounds.

 

[Slamfire]

Charles Akins claimed the most accurate pistol round out of all rounds, was the 38 Special. He said the 45 ACP was number two.

You cannot go wrong with a charge of 3.5 grs Bullseye behind a 158 L. You can see the chronograph data at 52 F and 100 F.

A classic target load is a 148 LWC with 2.7 grains Bullseye.

My fixed sight pistols shoot to point of aim with 158's, the 148's and 125's shoot low, this is due to barrel dynamics.

I think it is a shame that I don't see 38 Specials on the line like I used to prior to the 90's. Now I see pistols in 9mm and 40 S&W with shooters trying to compensate for poor markmanship skills by massive firepower and high capacity magazines.

[SIZE="3"]4" S&W M10-5 				
					
148 LWC Valiant  2.7grs Bullseye W/W cases WSP 		
19-Apr-09	T ≈  60-65 ° F				
					
Ave Vel =	696.2	 			
Std Dev =	12.04	 			
ES =	48	 			
High  =	721.3	 			
Low  =	673.3	 			
N =	32	 			
	v accurate, about 2" low, no leading, mild recoil	
					
158 LRN Valiant  3.5grs Bullseye Mixed cases WSP 		
19-Apr-09	T ≈  60-65 ° F				
					
Ave Vel =	758	 			
Std Dev =	22.86	 			
ES =	100.9	 			
High  =	810.5	 			
Low  =	709.5	 			
N =	32	 			
					
158 LRN  3.5grs Bullseye Mixed cases WSP 	Gamma Chrony	
5-Aug-06	T = 100 °F				
					
Ave Vel =	796	 			
Std Dev =	13.89	 			 
ES =	55.24	 			 
High  =	813	 			 
Low  =	757.9	 			 
N =	23	 			 
					
				
					
158 LRN  3.5grs Bullseye Mixed cases WSP 		
22-Dec-07	T = 52 °F				
					
Ave Vel =	768.6	 			
Std Dev =	15.58	 			 
ES =	48.52	 			 
High =	787.6	 			 
Low =	739.1	 			 
N =	18	 			 
					
					
					
125 Valiant BBRNFP 4.0 grs Bullseye Mixed cases WSP 	
9-Apr-06	T = 59 °F				
					
Ave Vel =	863.4	 		 
Std Dev =	30				 
ES =	70.78				 
High  =	907.5			 	 
Low  =	836.7			 	 
N =	6				 
Windage centered	accurate				
Elevation at least 4" low	
	
125 Valiant BBRNFP 4.5 grs Bullseye Mixed cases WSP 	
9-Apr-06	T = 64 °F				
					
Ave Vel =	945.6	 		 
Std Dev =	27.28				 
ES =	75.21				 
High  =	995.2			 	 
Low  =	920			 	 
N =	6				 
Windage centered	accurate				
Elevation at least 4" low[/SIZE]

Lots of wear, but shoots great.

 

[dihnen]

The indoor range I belong to doesn't allow lead bullets, so I shoot Berry's plated bullets with W231. This makes a very clean round, and I don't have to worry about lead exposure at the range. I shoot my .38 specifically so that I don't have to chase or lose brass. Plus, it is a fun target round.

Law Enforcement Targets is an online store that sells hundreds of fun targets, including a "cans and bottles" target for that plinking in the fields feeling! http://www.letargets.com/estylez_item.aspx?item=C%26B-04

 

[Shrinkmd]

Luckily the range is brand new, with a state of the art, negative pressure setup with HEPA lead filtration, etc. I saw clouds of smoke from the Bullseye and lube, and they gently drifted forward and away. Actually, I think I smelled it less than when I'm outdoors, since the wind can blow it toward you rather than away.

I can only imagine the type of regs a new range has to satisfy these days, so if they are allowing lead reloads the system must be up to task, eh? It certainly seemed so.

The D-Lead soap in the bathroom with some grit to scrub the dirt off is a nice touch, too.

 

[Fishslayer]

Lots of people use a .32 S&W long or magnum for your purposes. Cheaper to shoot because of lighter bullets and less powder. Makes a hole. Little noise and recoil. Might think these are whimpy calibers but I do not advise standing in front of one. 98 gr. wc very accurate and effective small game round.

.38 brass is pretty cheap if you buy it used, occasionally free if you scrounge or ask another shooter. .32 isn't very commonly found. The people who shoot it usually reload it.

Of course, 500 Starline .32 cases would last virtually forever.

.38 bullets can also be had in just about any store that sell supplies. .32 is usually gonna be special order or from the internet.

I came close to buying a .32 a couple weeks ago. My LGS can get me moly coated lead for it pretty cheap.

 

[Ky Larry]

I've shot thousands of 148gr bevel base wad cutters in my 38's and .357's. Trail Boss powder is very clean and accurate.

 

[Walkalong]

Sure is one the best, at the very least. Lots of superb revolvers to shoot it in as well.

 

[Tom609]

I agree with Slamfire1's recommendations regarding the 158 and 148 using Bullseye. Those are my two favorite loads. I load them in .357 cases for my 686.

Shrinkmd, in what town is the new range located?

 

[243winxb]

38 spec. perfect, almost. In Bullseye, the larger hole of th 45 helps to cut the next higher scoring ring on target. In general, the revolver is more accurate than an auto.

 

[BYJO4]

I prefer to shoot 357 Mag but loaded down for target use with Bullseye.

 

[helotaxi]

^^^ Yep, no reason to practice with full house mag loads and using .357 brass allows the use of the .357Mag revolver without having to worry about the freebore created in the cylinder by using .38s affecting accuracy.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm a huge fan of the .38 Special and the revolver that shoot it.

My favorite load is a 158gr LSWC over 4.0gr W231.

 

[bluetopper]

The 38 Special is pure pleasure for the shooter/reloader. I want to highly recommend 148gr double ended wadcutter bullets. That's all I buy for 38 anymore. Accuracy is superb.

 

[hAkron]

The ranges around here dont care if you pickup your own brass, and don't say much if you pickup any ote brass that has accumulated near your brass, as long as you don't ,akeca pig of yourself. I have 9mm like crazy.

 

[Hondo 60]

Nice gun porn guys.
OK, I'll add to it.
Here's my S&W 10-5

 

[zombie44]

The 44 mag and 38 special are my favorites!

I've since switched to 4.5gr of Unique, burns much cleaner and just as accurate.

 

[ranger335v]

To knowledgable handgun shooters a good revolver in .38/.357 remains the idea arm. Safe, accurate, totally reliable - no jams, and inexpensive to shoot.

A 'wonder 9' is nothing but a .38+P with light for caliber bullets. In the highly unlikely event of a fire fight I prefer the mass and flat meplat of a 158 SWC vs. a high speed round nose in 115 gr. no matter how fast it flys. (I get amused at range commandos doing rapid fire to empty a 15 round mag while making a lot of noise. I'm 'old school'; I think hits are more meaningful than a lot of almost hits! )