Lightest 38 Special off-the-shelf round?

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PorkChopsMmm

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Maybe this isn't the right sub-forum, but I didn't see a specific ammo sub-forum. I am looking for cat whisper loads for a 357 I picked up -- I want to introduce my wife to the revolver slowly with some light loads. I plan on reloading some day soon but I'm not there and don't have the equipment or know anyone who does.

Would a 148gr wadcutter be the lightest off-the-shelf load I could find? I checked some ammo sites but of course everything is unavailable. I wanted to put a backorder out there for a few different types of rounds, this being one of them. Thanks!

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/10975
 
A 148gr. wadcutter running 750-800 fps is going to be the lightest factory load you are likely to find. I reload a 150 gr. wadcutter at 700 fps or so for plinking,
I have run a 150 gr. wadcutter at 600fps or so, but that's too slow for my comfort and shooting anymore.
Slowest and lightest I have shot was 148 gr. wadcutters at 350fps or so. Bad Idea and I don't recommend.
 
Thanks, great info. I am new to the 38/357 round. Is there a 38 in 148ish grain with similar fps that is in a normal case format... where the bullet is not recessed into the case? I am picking up a 38/357 lever action tonight and I am pretty sure the lever gun won't be able to cycle an abbreviated case round.
 
Standard pressure 125gr Federal Nyclad .38 Special ammo is very light shooting too as would any light bullet standard pressure ammo. The problem is trying to find any in this environment.
 
.38 Short and Long Colt would work, being the parent cartidge(s) of the .38 S&W Special.

Case is shorter than .38 Special, tho.

Curiously, Academy had some Longs last week.
 
For real whisper loads you might want to try 000 buck over a primer only. A small nail is all the loading equipt you will need.
 
148 gr wadcutters are typically very, very soft and comfortable to shoot, particularly out of a decent-sized gun. I've taken people shooting who find moderate 9mm loads bothersome but still like the .38 wadcutters.

Georgia Arms makes some great ones at very good prices, but they're way backlogged and may not be taking orders at the moment.
 
click clack said:
That like a sling shot.. Would it even break the skin?
Click to expand...

It would probably have hurt to get pelted with one of those. They dropped about 4 feet at 50 yards, and I stopped loading them when I stuck a bullet halfway between the cylinder throat and the forcing cone.

OP - your best bet if you want something that will feed through a lever action is a .38 spcl lead round nose cowboy load. The cowboy loads are especially mild because they are meant to be able to be used in the vintage firearms that are popular at those events.
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/...ds-38-special-158-gr-lfn-50-rds.aspx?a=334639
 
Keep in mind that you're going to be shooting the .38s out of a .357 sized revolver, so that's going to absorb some recoil as well. Any of them will be quiet light, assuming it's a full sized gun.
 
Thanks guys. I figure if I am buying some light loads I might as well buy the lightest ones I can find. Good point about shooting 38 in a 357 -- I picked up a 6" Dan Wesson 15-2. It is a beefy gun so I know it will absorb quite a bit of recoil.
 
I used to get the Remington-UMC 125-grain FNEB rounds, and these were very light from my Charter Arms snub revolvers. I don't know the FPS rating; the bullets are a flat-tipped, semi-jacketed projectile, and, like other UMC stuff, was very affordable (prior to the latest gun/ammo rush; don't know what or where they are now.)
 
silicosys4 said:
Holy cow DON'T try that.
:uhoh:
Click to expand...

Why not? My reliable and short-range accurate 'grouse-getter' is 000 (61 gr each) over 2 grains & wad. Accurate; quiet; and enough punch when you nick the head. I've been using .38 handloads well in excess of 50 years - naysayers nothwithstanding. Wrks fer mee.
 
Howdy

You might try looking for some Cowboy loads. They are usually formulated to be pretty light on recoil. Of course, good luck finding any. Every place I have visited recently has either no ammo at all, or a very limited supply.
 
Another nod to factory Wad Cutters in 148. I always have a few boxes around either in re-load flavor or factory loaded.

It's my favorite round for new shooters. Not too loud, not a lot of recoil and accurate if shot well.
 
Probably not lighter than the standard 148gr wadcutter (if you can find any), but my wife sure loves the 130gr RN loads. I think they are the equivalent of rounds manufactured for the air force, and are very soft shooting. Both Remington and Winchester sell them at Walmart.
 
MagTech makes a 158 grain LRN that run at 800 give or take....powder puff in rifle or pistol.
 
Awesome, thanks guys. I will put some feelers out for 158gr rounds and full length cowboy rounds. Here is the Dan Wesson in question along with the new Rossi lever action I picked up last night. I fired some Winchester white box 130gr through the Dan Wesson last weekend and I don't believe they went supersonic -- but they did last night in the lever gun which doesn't surprise me.

img20130302124547.jpg


This isn't a good picture, it is very small and handy.
img20130311202046.jpg
 
RJTravel said:
Why not? My reliable and short-range accurate 'grouse-getter' is 000 (61 gr each) over 2 grains & wad. Accurate; quiet; and enough punch when you nick the head. I've been using .38 handloads well in excess of 50 years - naysayers nothwithstanding. Wrks fer mee.
Click to expand...

The post I was referring to was talking about a 000 buck pellet over a primer only. Excellent recipe for a barrel obstruction, imo.
 
You're all wrong.

Pretty bold statement I made there...but I stand by it. The lightest shooting .38 special round available that I've used over and over for new shooters is a .38 special short made by Magtech. No, it's not a .38 short, box and all says .38 special short.
Magtech wadcutters have aprox 215 ft/lbs of muzzle energy and 807 ft/sec.
Magtech lead round nose is aprox 200 ft/lbs and 755 ft/ sec.
Magtech .38 special short is 130 ft/lbs. at 686 ft/ sec.

I purchase mine thru Sportsmans Guide, item # 85435 and can be found here:
http://www.naxja.org/forum/register.php?a=act&u=72391&i=f29a63a84c990b545c42236fe129d14682dc96ec
 
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