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.38 Special bullet weights?


McCandless

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Just looking for information... not criticizing anyone's load or anything like that... just politely want to know.

When I started shooting .38's I had 158gr bullets. Then I found most folks were using 125's, I tried them and found that they fed more reliably in my Marlin. (I don't shoot that Marlin much anymore... got a bunch of '73s... maybe after Widder plays with it.). Now I see that there are 90gr and 105gr. bullets on the market, (have been for quite awhile). I figure those are for pistol.

 

My question is this: Shooting Duelist, I don't feel much recoil out of a .38 125gr. in my Rugers (older, heavier, model), and when shooting 2-handed with my Colt's, I don't notice recoil at all. Haven't chronographed my loads, but I'm using stock sights, not filed to adjust POI... never a problem with reactive targets. Do y'all find an advantage to shooting even lighter loads, is it just a personal preference thing? At our distances a flatter shooting round doesn't come into play. Velocity is easily adjusted by the amount of powder, anyway. If you're shooting the lighter bullet what are your experiences? Did you find it better or different than the 125's?

 

Of course with BP, I'm sticking to the Big Lube bullets... I'm talking smokeless here.

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I'm no expert, but I have shot a lot of the 105's, 125's, 127's. I really don't notice a difference with the light powder loads, especially when the timer goes beep. My sole decision on which to load is based on the shape of the bullet. I like the Poly and Moly coated ones without a lube and/or crimp groove. This allows me to adjust the OAL to any gun they go in and use the same bullet for all. For example, the Badman 127gr and the Brear Creek 125 gr.

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... I really don't notice a difference with the light powder loads, especially when the timer goes beep. My sole decision on which to load is based on the shape of the bullet....

I completely understand that. Found a 125gr bullet shape that feeds flawlessly in my rifles, so I use it for everything,

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I have had good results with 105,110,120 and 125 g bullets with a TC shape. Round nose bullets are often too short for a 66. The small flat point of a 105 or 110g TC setting on the primer in the mag tube of a rifle bothers me so I quit using them. Also beleave I get better neck tension with a 125g bullet so 120 or 125 TC flat points with a crimp groove are all I load for rifle and revolver in 38 cal.

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It's hard to tell the difference from 90 to 140's the key factor in my mind is feeding and reliable ignition when loading on the lite side. I find the 90's a little short for me but the 105's about right. I use 145's and 160's meant for the 38 super for heavy loads.

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I also started with 158 grainers...

Finally went to 125 TC in rifle and 105TC pistols...

The rifle ammo I loaded with a little heavier powder charge than the pistol ammo..

I'd put the 125 grainer TC in pistols if we had knock downs and the 105 for that stage in rifle..

Both shot to the same point of aim..

 

About 5 years ago.. I bought some 110 grain TC from Gold Canyon Kid in Texas..

He said they were a bullet conjured up by Deuce Stevens..

They seem to shoot to the same POA. I liked them..

 

About 2 years ago I switched over to 110 grain TC for both rifle and pistol..

They load to the same OAL

I still load the rifle ammo with a heavier charge...

I still swap them around for knock down targets..

 

Rance ;)

Thinkin' it werked fer me..

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One advantage of really light bullets; if you cast your own, you can stretch your lead inventory out a bit.

 

Two disadvantages of really light bullets; they don't ring the targets as loud. Sometimes spotters will call a miss when they shouldn't. And some knockdowns can be problematic.

 

I don't have any interest in going below 125 grains.

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Started with 158's and still use them. Also cast a 147 9mm TNCL that I don't size. The TNCL feeds SO well in my '66 Uberti!! VERY smooth.....

Bugler

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One advantage of really light bullets; if you cast your own, you can stretch your lead inventory out a bit.

Two disadvantages of really light bullets; they don't ring the targets as loud. Sometimes spotters will call a miss when they shouldn't. And some knockdowns can be problematic.

I don't have any interest in going below 125 grains.

Totally agree!

 

We started with 158 RNFP. I tried Hornady swaged 140 Cowboy bullets and found they fed beautifully in a problem child Rossi 92 that I used at the time.

 

I started casting my own a couple years back. RCBS makes a 140 gr 38 cal cowboy mould, so I bought one. They feed like greased lightning in the Marlin, are quite accurate and have authoritative hits with medium light loads.

 

NOE and Arsenal make ~130 gr .358 RNFP moulds designed for 9mm Luger. Essentially they are 125 gr without crimping grooves that drop at .358. Should be a good all purpose Cowboy pistol/rifle and 9mm bullet.

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Two disadvantages of really light bullets; they don't ring the targets as loud. Sometimes spotters will call a miss when they shouldn't. And some knockdowns can be problematic.

 

 

Hmmm... reminds me of when I was shooting Frontiersman with .36s... 80gr ball got me some critical misses when me and the RO could both see the hits. If the targets were "dead" forgit it. I went to 134gr conicals and that made a heck of a difference!

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I went to the Badman Bullets shop last summer when I first started CAS. He recommended the 127 for the GREATER recoil in the rifle. He also recommended them as they can be loaded to a longer length as I was using a Rossi 92. He was right - they cycle perfectly. That's all I"ve bought since. They make for great practice rounds in my other revolvers that I don't use for CAS also. They are also quite accurate in ALL of my guns whether loaded with smokeless or Triple 7.

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Ah , use 158 gr. bullets mostly see NO need to go lighter ,,,, Mostly I like bigger calibers starting with a 4 ...

 

 

Jabez Cowboy

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I cast my own using a 130 gr. 6 cavity and a 160 gr. 6 cavity Lee mold. I shoot the 130's in my rifle and the 160's in my handguns as they are more accurate. I use the same powder charge of Clays and have never had any problem with knockdowns.

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Compared to a other guns I shoot I dont' find teh recoil an issue with 158s. My rossi like them.
they do cost $10 or so per 1000 more than lighter bullets but that's what, $1/ match or so? I can afford that.

And they look so much more authentic IMO than tiny, pointy or colored bullets.

Ah , use 158 gr. bullets mostly see NO need to go lighter ,,,, Mostly I like bigger calibers starting with a 4 ...

 

 

Jabez Cowboy

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Then why shoot those baby 38 bullets?

Because I can ,,,,, And Mostly ta show folks that da .38 spl. can be Special and not just a putt an tink ... cartridge ...

 

And to Up-set Ya ....

 

 

Jabez Cowboy

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Hubby has made some very accurate .38s for me. I usually use 108 DEWC in my pistols. If I think I need a heavier load for a KD, I use my rifle ammo, which is 140 TC. Usually, I don't bother and just use the 108s for KDs, unless it is one of those heavy plates sitting in a track on the ground.

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