Lightest 38 SPL

[Jonny2guns]

Looking for a very mild 38spl load for teaching people who are recoil sensitive. Will be using S&W j frame snubby.

 

[mcb]

Get some commercial full wad cutters. Most of them are very mild to shoot and would be great for teaching fundamentals.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1000477420
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1000192977
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1001487557

The above a good examples but there are lots of similar loads.

Most any regular 38 Special FMJ or Lead Round Nose with 130gr or lighter bullet would also be a decent option. Just avoid the self-defense ammo, it will be expensive and loaded hotter and thus have more unpleasant recoil especially in a J-frame.

 

[GRIZ22]

I agree with mcb.

I also use a factory hollow base wadcutter as a carry load in J frames for a variety of reasons I'll repeat if you want me to.

 

[Slamfire]

For practice is it just about impossible to beat the old Bullseye Pistol and PPC load of a 148 LWC or HBWC and 2.7 grains Bullseye. You don't run the risk of sticking a bullet in the barrel, it is low recoil, and amazingly accurate out to 50 yards.


S&W M638-3 Airweight Bodyguard

148 LWC Valiant 2.7 grs Bullseye thrown Mixed Brass WSP
18-Mar-07 T = 52 °F little high

Ave Vel = 611.6
Std Dev = 22.04
ES = 75.92
High = 648.1
Low = 572.2
Number rounds = 25


This is a standard velocity load, more recoil than the 148 LWC, but it shoots to point of aim in those 38 Specials that are sighted in for 158 grain bullets, which is most of the older ones. This was chronographed in the M638

158 LSWC 3.5 grs Bullseye Mixed brass WSP
18-Mar-07 T = 52 °F 4-6" High accurate


Ave Vel = 670.7
Std Dev = 17.52
ES = 65.4
High = 697.5
Low = 632.1
N = 12



This is an older pistol and shoots to point of aim with 158's.

 

[Charlie98]

I worked up a load for my mom and her 3" J-frame... 4grn Unique under a 158grn Hornady swaged semi-wadcutter. She could shoot it without fatigue, and it was one of THE most accurate handloads I've ever worked up.

 

[fxvr5]

For a factory round you have options. A 38 Special (or 357 Magnum) will also shoot 38 Long Colt and 38 Short Colt. Both of these are low recoil, especially the 38 Short Colt. Another factory option is Matt's Bullet comfort plinker. It is designed just for light weight revolvers.
https://www.shootingillustrated.com...atts-bullets-comfort-plinker-38-special-ammo/

For handloads, you can try to match the ballistics of the 38 Short Colt or Matt's Bullets rounds. Hornady shows a really low charge weight of 2.1 gr Bullseye with their flush seated 148 full wadcutter bullet for a speed of 550 fps.

 

[brewer12345]

The lightest recoiling but accurate load I ever came up with is a 148 grain HBWC over 2.2 grains of Trail Boss.

 

[Reloadron]

Teaching daughter-in-law who is using a S&W Model 60 2". My choice is a 148 grain HBWC (Hollow Base Wad Cutter) over 2.7 grains of Bullseye which I see mentioned earlier. It's a great light load and low recoil load. Then I will move her up from there. Runs along with Slamfire's post above.

Ron

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

Use 38 Long Colt data in .38 Special cases. Work your way down to find what you want. Double check everything to insure you have enough velocity to consistently clear the muzzle.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

148gr wadcutter and 2.5gr of Bullseye. It’s a classic.

 

[lordpaxman]

Lighter bullets loaded to a slower velocity should yield less felt recoil. Pick a fast powder and you should be good to go.
Bayou bullets offer a 138gr button nose wad cutter and when I was working up loads, Clays, IMR Red, IMR Target, Titegroup, N320 all had light loads that felt like a .22. Good luck.

 

[rfwobbly]

Looking for a very mild 38spl load for teaching people who are recoil sensitive. Will be using S&W J-frame snubby.

I think your objective and your means might be at odds with each other. Yes, you'll want a short-barreled gun, but with a full-size grip to:

1. Displace the recoil over a larger area.
2. Offer slightly more weight to help absorb the impulse.

Something like a GP100-4" (or similar size) ought to do nicely. Then some flush-seated, 148gr coated lead DEWC loaded to about 700fps. Like 3.0gr W231, 3.0gr AA#2, or 2.9gr Bullseye.

 

[jmorris]

SASS guys have the lightest loads I know that are regularly shot. Light bullets (125gn pretty common), with small charges of fast powder and low velocity’s.

One story I recall was a derringer side match where the target was cut out and painted 3/8” plywood. At the buzzer the fellow draws fires two shots and waits for the next range command. Then looks to his right and down to see the RO rolling around on the ground after the bullet bounced of the thin wood and impacted him below the belt…

 

[Jonny2guns]

I think your objective and your means might be at odds with each other. Yes, you'll want a short-barreled gun, but with a full-size grip to:

1. Displace the recoil over a larger area.
2. Offer slightly more weight to help absorb the impulse.

Something like a GP100-4" (or similar size) ought to do nicely. Then some flush-seated, 148gr coated lead DEWC loaded to about 700fps. Like 3.0gr W231, 3.0gr AA#2, or 2.9gr Bullseye.

View attachment 1008386

Yes, I understand what you are saying, the only issue is 4 female family members who will not shoot my GP because it's too "heavy"
The wife has a 32 snubby, but very rarely shoots it as it is a mint S&W....All 4 will shoot 22s, but I would like to move them up in caliber.

 

[Jim Watson]

SASS guys have the lightest loads I know that are regularly shot. Light bullets (125gn pretty common), with small charges of fast powder and low velocity’s.

A friend loads a 125 gr bullet and 2.8 gr Clays for CAS.

The only problem with light bullets is that they will not shoot to elevation in a fixed sight revolver. This probably won't matter at typical purse gun ranges, but if the ladies push the targets out, it will show.

 

[George P]

Personally, I would opt to use K frame over a J frame snub. Snubs are some of the hardest guns to shoot well, especially for new or recoil adverse shooters, and the recoil is still fairly harsh. Actually, I would start new shooters with a .22lr

 

[1KPerDay]

A friend loads a 125 gr bullet and 2.8 gr Clays for CAS.

The only problem with light bullets is that they will not shoot to elevation in a fixed sight revolver. This probably won't matter at typical purse gun ranges, but if the ladies push the targets out, it will show.

125 grain RN over a starting load of trail boss is the lightest I’ve found. POI is not optimal, as noted.

 

[George P]

All 4 will shoot 22s, but I would like to move them up in caliber.

But what do THEY want to do? Are they very proficient with their 22s? Do they have fun shooting them? Then I would leave things be until they ask to move up

 

[Cliff6]

It isn't just new shooters or women.....my wife and I have an issue with our Ruger LCR 38 Special revolver. The pistol only weighs 13.8 oz and gives quite a kick for my 5' 2" wife. I have an issue due to bad arthritis in my trigger finger. This is the only gun we have that causes me any pain. I have to be very careful to just use my finger tip on the trigger or OUCH, the recoil gets my finger BAD.
We both love the pistol otherwise and are looking for light loads to shoot it with. I've been loading 148g DEWC over 3.3g W231. Think I'll give some of these other loads a try.
My favorite gun to shoot is my Glock 30 45ACP. It doesn't bother me at all, so I'm really not sure why this Ruger gets me so bad.

 

[fxvr5]

We both love the pistol otherwise and are looking for light loads to shoot it with. I've been loading 148g DEWC over 3.3g W231. Think I'll give some of these other loads a try.

Hornady's 148 grain HBWC data with 231 starts at 2.2 grains. You might want to work down from 3.3 to find what works well for you.

 

[Cliff6]

Hornady's 148 grain HBWC data with 231 starts at 2.2 grains. You might want to work down from 3.3 to find what works well for you.

I should have stated that I am shooting Brazos coated lead DEWC, not hollow base. Hodgdon's showd 3.5 to 4.0 for 148g LHBWC.
I'm not sure how low I can go. I was concerned about being too low already. I started at the lowest Hodgdon showed which was 3.5.

 

[Jim Watson]

Most starting loads are arbitrary 10% below maximum. Lyman will show really light loads, down around 8000 psi.

 

[unwashed]

It isn't just new shooters or women.....my wife and I have an issue with our Ruger LCR 38 Special revolver. The pistol only weighs 13.8 oz and gives quite a kick for my 5' 2" wife. I have an issue due to bad arthritis in my trigger finger. This is the only gun we have that causes me any pain. I have to be very careful to just use my finger tip on the trigger or OUCH, the recoil gets my finger BAD.
We both love the pistol otherwise and are looking for light loads to shoot it with. I've been loading 148g DEWC over 3.3g W231. Think I'll give some of these other loads a try.
My favorite gun to shoot is my Glock 30 45ACP. It doesn't bother me at all, so I'm really not sure why this Ruger gets me so bad.

That doesn't surprise me with a trigger pull weight of 12-14lbs on revolvers, one of the reasons I don't shoot .38 revolvers that often.

 

[Zendude]

I’ve loaded 125 grain copper plated bullets over 3.0 grains of Bullseye for a light load. I won’t use it in any revolvers with a barrel longer than 2 inches though.

 

[.38 Special]

Hornady's 148 HBWC with 2.7 grains of Bullseye has been my go-to accuracy load for decades. I've never found anything as accurate and pleasant, in a huge variety of .38 and .357 revolvers.

It still kicks in lightweight snubs, though.