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38 s&w loads


Boomstick Bruce

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I don't know what gun you're loading for, but the original bullet diameter for .38 S&W (a.k.a. 'Police') is .361.

 

If you're loading for an old top-break revolver, please read the background info for this cartridge, not just the data tables. There are important cautions and caveats. My references are Lyman and Speer manuals.

 

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I have loaded them with 1.8 Grains of Bullseye or 2.0 Grains of Bullseye using a 146 Grain round nosed bullet sized .360 in. that I bought from Midway. I shoot them from a top break revolver. I have had no problems with either load at pocket pistol ranges.

 

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13 hours ago, Boomstick Bruce said:

So I picked up some .359 158 gn rnfp to reload 38s&w. Does anyone load 38s&w with trail boss? What's your load data? Thanks! 

 

Ask, and ye shall receive...

 

.38 S&W

Trailboss  .9 grains  .360" 158 RN  Small Pistol Primer

(This is a Very Light Load.  So much so that I don't really use it anymore.   It worked well in smokeless capable pocket pistols with short barrels, but got stuck in a longer barreled full size revolver.) 

 

Trailboss  1.1 grains  .360" 158 RN  Small Pistol Primer

(This is my Standard Load for smokeless in this caliber.  Works very well in all of my guns.)

 

Trailboss 1.2 .358" 150 RNHB SP

(Using Winchester Nickel and other undersized brass.  By undersized I mean that if you seat a .360" bullet in the case, it actually bulges the case a little to the point where the rounds will not chamber.  The hollow base in the smaller bullets will cause them to expand and engage the rifling.  It also takes slightly more powder because this bullet does not sit as deeply in the case as the above .360" bullet does.)

 

My .360" bullet comes from betterbullets.com and the .358" comes from Buffalo Arms.   All loads were developed using the "70% formula" as a reference.   With Trailboss, .1 grains of weight can make a lot of difference in volume.

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, BLACKFOOT SASS #11947 said:

Might try the 70% formula,  take a look on Hodgdon Loading Data.

Blackfoot

You may want to expand on the “70% formulae” so folks understand. 

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Hodgkin used to include a "Cowboy Loads" for many obsolete calibers in the middle of their manual.  Missouri Bullet Co makes the correct 38 S&W bullet - 145 or 6 gr, .361 or 2.  I would give Hodgdon a call as I am sure they still have the data.

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The 70% formula for Trailboss is very simple.   Take a cartridge case, any cartridge case and figure out how deeply the bullet will sit in the case once the cartridge is assembled.   Fill the case with Trailboss to this level.  Basically just enough that the powder will touch the bottom of the bullet with NO compression.   This is your MAXIMUM load for the bullet in question in that caliber.  70% of the maximum load by weight is your minimum/starting load.  Find something between the 70 and 100 percent amount and you'll do well.   They claim this will work for any caliber so long as the bullet used is within the normal range of bullets used for the cartridge in question.  I've used this method from everything from .32 S&W to .30-06 where I could not find published data for a specific weight bullet.   Also, since I have noticed that different bullets of the same weight sometimes have a different distance from the crimp groove to the base of the bullet, and will thus sit at different depths in cartridge case, I use the formula to double check my loading if I am suddenly using a different bullet.  Sometimes in some calibers, this has led a very minor adjustment in the load used.

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54 minutes ago, Stump Water said:

 

Yes.

Do you have a link for that load data?

My Lyman 3rd edition cast bullet handbook, shows 2.7gn for HP38/WW231 with the 92 gn bullet as a starting load.

This load is for solid frame guns......

OLG

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17 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Do you have a link for that load data?

My Lyman 3rd edition cast bullet handbook, shows 2.7gn for HP38/WW231 with the 92 gn bullet as a starting load.

This load is for solid frame guns......

OLG

 

Have two lemon squeezers (top-break) - an H&R owl head and a S&W Safety Hammerless (3rd gen... I think).  

 

No link to load data.   But I can't provide a link to the loads I use in my .38 spl main match ammo either.

 

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On 5/5/2019 at 5:30 PM, Nasty Newt # 7365 said:

I thought I used Trail Boss, so I went and looked.  Turns out it is 2.3 gr Bullseye and a 125 grain .357 bullet.

The above load is for my Enfield 38.  For my old pocket pistols I use Black MZ.

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I've only loaded Goex FFg and a black powder lubed slug size .360 in my 38 S&W pocket pistols, even if 2 of them are smokeless capable.   Fill case to just touch bottom of slug as seated.

 

Good luck, GJ

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