need .38 special recipe?

[Im283]

I have a bunch of casing for .38 specials. I have two powders on hand and would prefer to not go out and buy any more right now.

The two powders I have on hand are Accurate #2 and Hodgdon HS-6.

I have a box of 250, 150 grain Nosler jacketed bullets.

Does anyone have a safe recipe for using these components?

I load .357mags using the Accurate#2 and these Nosler bullets but have a limited amount of casings.

They would be shot from a SP101

Thanks

 

[Galil5.56]

IM283,

I have my S&W 60 3" 38 special loaded with Speer 158 LSWC's and HS-6 using a +P load from around 1993, using published Hodgdon data and HS-6 from that time period.

The max charge listed then was 7.3 grains, and my loadings used 7.2 grains resulting in this spread of velocities:

871
823
827
832
808

I have nothing written in my log about any pressure issues.

The data booklet I have does list a 146-150 grain +P max charge of HS-6 as 7.6 grains/1071fps/19,000 CUP. I think with some research of current data you should find a good loading for your revolver.

Good luck.

 

[armoredman]

Hmm, I use 158s all the time with AA#2, in my Smith Model 10-8, but usually my own cast lead SWC. All information is provided for academic purposes only, use at own risk.
158 gr X-Treme FP plated with AA#2, 3.3 gr, at 1.431 OAL.
This one worked very well.

 

[Walkalong]

I am with armoredman here. AA #2 and 158 Gr. bullets work just fine together. I like the Berry's 158 HP and the X-Treme 158 SWC.

I shoot em in a 10-6, mainly. Fun gun.

 

[Im283]

thanks for the help

 

[scrat]

Bullseye 6.5 gr. 1,320 FPS
Unique 6.8 gr. 1,295
Universal 6.7 gr. 1,297
HP38 3.9 gr. 846
No. 2 5.8 gr. 1,074
No. 5 8.2 gr. 1,239
No. 7 10.5 gr. 1,239
231 6.7 gr. 1,275
231 6.1 gr. 1,075 (plated, actual in 7" bbl revolver)
296* 14.5 gr. 1,560

These are max loads. reduce 10% for a good starting

 

[Galil5.56]

Bullseye 6.5 gr. 1,320 FPS
Unique 6.8 gr. 1,295
Universal 6.7 gr. 1,297
HP38 3.9 gr. 846
No. 2 5.8 gr. 1,074
No. 5 8.2 gr. 1,239
No. 7 10.5 gr. 1,239
231 6.7 gr. 1,275
231 6.1 gr. 1,075 (plated, actual in 7" bbl revolver)
296* 14.5 gr. 1,560

These are max loads. reduce 10% for a good starting

Poster asked for 38 Special data using HS-6 and AA #2. You posted 357 mag data without noting this...

IM283, DO NOT use this data for loading 38 Special ammunition!

 

[armoredman]

Please be careful. Go get a good reloading manual at your favorite store, the Loadbook single caliber one works well, as well as Lyman's 48th. All loads on the Internet can be fallacious, wrong, or misquoted, so it woulod behooveyou to double check all data at the source.
Here is Accurates' page...http://www.accuratepowder.com/ Lots of good checked recipes here. http://www.nosler.com/index.php has data, but in my quick perusal, only found rifle data.
Have safe fun!

 

[Sunray]

From AA's site for a 150 grain jacketed bullet in a .38 Special +P.
Powder Grs Vel. PSI
Start load: No.2 4.4 791
Max. load: No.2 4.9 899 17,600

You'd be better to load .357 cases to .38 Special velocities out of an SP101. Eliminates the lube gunk build up in the cylinders. That's not a big deal. Comes right out with regular cleaning. It does have to come out before you use .357 ammo though.

 

[Im283]

Thanks Sunray. Actually I went a checked out Accurate's website since my last post and I printed out a booklet of reloading recipes and information.

It lists what you have just posted.

Does it matter that my bullets are not hollow points?

I would load magnum cases but I do not have that many, only about 150 and they are already loaded. I have a bunch of .38 special cases, Mostly I want to do the .38's as a buddy gave me a pack of small pistol primers and I want to use them up. I have been using small pistol magnum primers for the .357's.

I also understand about the cleaning of the cylinder after shooting .38s'. Normally if I am shooting both sizes I run the .357's through first.

Thanks for all the advice everyone.

And I just noticed this is my 500th post!! Woohoo, whoopty-doo!

 

[Sunray]

"...Does it matter that my bullets are not hollow points?..." Nope. It's the bullet weight that matters.
You don't need magnum primers just because it's a .357 Mag. Regular small pistol primers will be fine in a .357 Mag. Magnum primers burn a bit hotter for a bit longer and are designed to light hard to ignite powders and for cold weather shooting.
"...printed out a booklet..." Go buy a Lyman manual too. Your local gun shop should have it. If not Amazon has it. There's one that covers just handgun ammo, one for just cast bullets plus the regular one. The regular one covers nearly everything including some long 'obsolete' and out-of-production cartridges. It has more loads using more powders and bullet weights than any manufacturer's book. Not that there's anything wrong with them. The Lyman book is just more versatile.
Load data from a manufacturer's site is fine, but only covers their bullets or powders.

 

[another okie]

The Lee manual lists 7.0 of HS6 as both a starting and maximum load for a 150 grain bulllet in .38, for about 1000 fps and 14,900 CUP.

For Accurate # 2 it lists 4.2 to 4.7, which is higher pressure and a starting velocity of 751.

I like to buy those little paperback load books for one caliber, which reproduce pages from several loading manuals for just one caliber. I think natchez and maybe Midway sell them.