Lightest 38 SPL

[Mr_Flintstone]

OK, I’m going to give you an option that may not be economical, but you will get low noise-low recoil loads that will shoot from a 38 special. Buy some 38 short colt brass, and load them with 125 gr cast .38 Special bullets and a low-medium Short Colt powder charge. From a snubbie, you will get about 500 FPS, and will need to shoot from about 25 feet or less, but they are fairly accurate (at least from my Charter Model 85). After they get used to low charges, you can up the charge to max without fear of them being too powerful for your revolver, and then move on to a low charge .38 special.

Of course you can accomplish the same thing by down-loading .38 Special brass to about the same velocity, but you’ll have to play around with the charge weights to find a consistent load. You will also need a powder that is less position sensitive. With a snub nose you will have a lot less chance of a stuck bullet, so you should be able to use down to about 2 grains (more or less) Titegroup or Bullseye with a cast bullet, but may want to use a little more. You can play around with the bullet weight and charge. Double and triple check this with your particular revolver, but it has worked with mine really well. Testing the loudness with an iPad decibel meter (which isn’t particularly accurate, but works pretty good for comparison) showed that these loads loads are about the same as a .22 LR round from a pistol.

Like with any other experimental load, you’ll not find this in a manual, and there are possible risks to loading too low as with loading too high. If it were me, I’d use the .38 Short Colt option for safety’s sake.

 

[George P]

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.

I shoot them a lot - just in single action because mine are more for range toy fun

 

[fxvr5]

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.

Load data for DEWC and HBWC (same weight or close to it) should be the same if seated to same length.

 

[fxvr5]

Buy some 38 short colt brass, and load them with 125 gr cast .38 Special bullets and a low-medium Short Colt powder charge.

No need for 38 Short Colt brass. Just load the bullet flush with the 38 Special brass to nearly equal 38 Short Colt OAL.

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

No need for 38 Short Colt brass. Just load the bullet flush with the 38 Special brass to nearly equal 38 Short Colt OAL.

I wonder what would happen if you load them backward and crimp flush like a wadcutter? I may try that at some point.

 

[Jonny2guns]

I wonder what would happen if you load them backward and crimp flush like a wadcutter? I may try that at some point.

I played around with the 32 longs a few years ago, it didn't seem to make much difference frontwards, backwards, or depth.

 

[Reinz]

Sorry if I missed it, but it seems folks aren’t aware that 90, 110, &115 grain .358 cast Bullets are not difficult to find.

 

[Jonny2guns]

Sorry if I missed it, but it seems folks aren’t aware that 90, 110, &115 grain .358 cast Bullets are not difficult to find.

Do you have a source for these lower weight rounds? So far every place I have checked they are out of stock.

 

[Cliff6]

Acme has 105 gr 38's in limited stock right now.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

Since we're talking very light recoil loads, consider the full range of .380ACP/9mm pistol bullets available to you. I'd probably avoid FMJ or solids but swaged lead, cupped base, lubed soft cast, or even some of the coated/plated bullets with an expanding, hollow base will work equally well in .38Spl as in any 9mm. Even an NLG-RN would be fine. At 90-115gr. those are real light for a standard pressure .38Spl. And, it's not like you need to seat the bullet with a hard crimp - or any crimp, really.

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/2046216411

 

[Reinz]

Do you have a source for these lower weight rounds? So far every place I have checked they are out of stock.

I did not post to pimp my wares. I have 90/110/115. PM me for info.

But here is my first search and I found 100 and 105 here:

 

[Mr_Flintstone]

I forgot about these 75 gr wadcutters. https://www.mattsbullets.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=231
They list load data from Lyman #44. Might be exactly what you’re looking for, but they’ll take a few weeks to come in.

 

[Shak3s1977]

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.

I use 4.0gr of Unique with a 158gr lead bullet in my 20 inch 357 Henry lever action. Sounds like a bb gun going off. It's a good varmint load when you just grab the gun by the door and don't have earmuffs.

Not so quiet in the revolver, but out of a rifle, I can shoot hundreds at a time with little to no recoil, accurate, and fairly quiet. A great load.

 

[LunchMoney]

88gr .356-.358 hollow point https://www.gtbullets.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=10&products_id=31

I use them to load 380 but I should try a 38 special load

 

[RealGun]

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

The light loads favored by SASS shooters use 105 grain lead. Some you can almost see going down range. They crimp them long to also cycle in an 1873 Winchester rifle, but you won't need to do that. In any case, I always use a light for caliber bullet in small frame guns, partly to get some velocity from a short barrel. Lighter is better for felt recoil in any case.

 

[RealGun]

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.

All out of stock.

 

[Cliff6]

I forgot about these 75 gr wadcutters. https://www.mattsbullets.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=231
They list load data from Lyman #44. Might be exactly what you’re looking for, but they’ll take a few weeks to come in.

Thanks for that link. Order made!

 

[earplug]

Try and find some cowboy 38 spl loads. HBWC are loaded for accuracy which is not the least amount of recoil.
Cowboy action shooting is all about speed with little accuracy. A added plus is the round nose bullets load much easier.

 

[P Flados]

My wife is very recoil sensitive. She also did not like most guns she picked up because they were too heavy.

We ended up with a LCRx. The LCRx is very light and I was surprised at how much recoil we got from typical "mild" loads.

I worked up some very low recoil loads that are mild enough so that she could shoot as many as she wanted at the range with no pain. The one that works the best is 2.5 Titegroup under a Lee 105 RN that drops at 110 gr for just over 600 fps.

The light bullet, small charge of fast powder and low velocity make it much lower in recoil than typical "mild loads".

 

[Captcurt]

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

This is my pick. I loaded the HBWC backwards for home defense back in the old days when I shot 38 spl. At 600-700 FPS the recoil was light and the bullets would mushroom as big as a quarter.

 

[RealGun]

My wife is very recoil sensitive. She also did not like most guns she picked up because they were too heavy.

We ended up with a LCRx. The LCRx is very light and I was surprised at how much recoil we got from typical "mild" loads.

I worked up some very low recoil loads that are mild enough so that she could shoot as many as she wanted at the range with no pain. The one that works the best is 2.5 Titegroup under a Lee 105 RN that drops at 110 gr for just over 600 fps.

The light bullet, small charge of fast powder and low velocity make it much lower in recoil than typical "mild loads".

You can get 38 Long Colt by the 100 count from MidwayUSA. Those will allow shooting a real bullet like 125 and not get beat up. I use them for cowboy action pistols loading with Trailboss. Some of the ladies shoot short Colt or 32 SWL, but the 32s in a Ruger Single Six are rare and expensive now and it is not a lightweight gun. I wonder at some point if a 22 would be more effective in penetrating a bad guy.

 

[P Flados]

FYI,

My "low recoil load" is intended strictly to allow volume shooting from a 3" LCRx 38 (very light gun) while penetrating nothing more than paper on cardboard.

Target practice can be important and should not have to hurt. I also see a lot of value in a gun that longer than a snub. A gun that is typically considered for the "kit gun" role is typically going to shoot better and be "more fun". A rimfire is one choice, but I prefer a gun that can be loaded "low recoil" for the range, but also loaded with more respectable loads for a self defense role.

The gun makers really do not seem to do justice for folks with hand issues. Take someone with poor hand strength and recoil sensitivity shopping for a gun and you find that most revolvers that are too heavy and/or too hard to cock. The LCRx checked off most of the boxes, and worked pretty good. However, it could be better. The DA pull is very good, but SA is problematic. If my wife wants to shoot SA, she tires quickly from cocking the hammer.

You also find autos that are even worse with loading a magazine and racking a slide as big challenges.

And then after they find something that seems ok when first picked up turns out to just plain hurt when they get to the range. Not much for a positive experience.

 

[derek45]

3.0 CLAYS 125-130gr cast



125gr LEE and 130gr SNS cast & coated

 

[fxvr5]

You can get 38 Long Colt by the 100 count from MidwayUSA. Those will allow shooting a real bullet like 125 and not get beat up. I use them for cowboy action pistols loading with Trailboss. Some of the ladies shoot short Colt or 32 SWL, but the 32s in a Ruger Single Six are rare and expensive now and it is not a lightweight gun. I wonder at some point if a 22 would be more effective in penetrating a bad guy.

There is no need for 38 Long (or Short) Colt brass. Just load the bullet deep in with the 38 Special brass. Then you can load any light bullet weight. 2.0 gr Bullseye works very well with light, flush seated lead bullets up to 148 grains in 38 Special cases. People should work DOWN to 2.0 to see what works.

 

[joneb]

I have come across number of revolvers with a bulged barrel where apparently the shooter did not notice the previous round had exited the barrel. just my 2 cents.