.38 DEWC full power loads

I use "hard cast" to differentiate between "cold swaged" or pure lead.

The bullets I would guess are 18 based on my experience and familiarity with them, but were purchased at a time when the rating wasn't stamped on the box. Even cast 12's should handle full power standard power .38 loads.
 
The following information is from the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook (1973)

38 Special....148gr double end wadcutter with #2 alloy.

Bullseye 3.5gr......920fps

Red Dot 3.7gr......930fps

Green Dot 3.8gr.....925fps

Unique 4.7gr.......980fps

357 Magnum.......141gr button nose wadcutter with #2 alloy.

Bullseye 4.5gr.........1065fps

Unique 7.5gr.........1420fps

2400 15.0gr........1590fps

This information is just as good today as it was the day it was printed.
Click to expand...
I would not jump to that conclusion. Back in the day (middle sixties), when I started shooting the Keith load of 22 grains of 2400 under a 2450250 cast Kieth type bullet, there was a very noticeable amount of burdened powder ejected on each shot. Years later, the same load will produce no un-burned powder, indicating that the formula for 2400 has changed over the years. Not only that, but the maker of some of the powders have changed, that with what I have observed, implies that the burn characteristics of a given powder may also have changed.
 
I thought I'd dig this post up and post my results. I did 5 loads and fired them from my Taurus 85 snubby. I shot 5 shot 50 ft groups at the indoor range with no rest. The largest spread was 4" at 50'. All loads showed similar accuracy. The Red Dot load was tightest, and most centered on the target. The others averaged a couple inches low. The limiting factor besides no rest was my vision. All were quite acceptable accuracy for a CCW load. I was able to get outdoors Monday after work and Chrony them. All were 148gr DEWC seated and crimped in the cannelure except the final load was seated farther out, and crimped between the cannelure and the center lube groove.

3.5gr Bullseye
798fps (average)
16fps spread

3.7gr Red Dot
867 fps
32 fps

4.7gr Unique
903 fps
69

7.1 gr Blue Dot
947 fps
51

7.5gr Blue Dot seated out
918 fps
27

The first 3 loads produced a noticeably larger puff of smoke, even outdoors. No loads showed any signs of excessive pressure. The Bullseye and Red Dot loads had noticeably less recoil.

I had previously theorized Blue Dot would perform well with the deep seating of a wadcutter, even from a short barrel. The 7.5 load seated out left a few unburned flakes of Blue Dot. The 7.1gr Blue Dot load has been in my carry gun since my very first test, and will stay there.

Thanks to all who contributed load data.
 
Your 4.7gn Unique is the one I'd be inclined to try. I shoot a lot of DEWC's and I shoot them in competition. I do like to practice with something more powerful than my target level match shooters - a bit like a batter warming up with a doughnut weight on his bat.
 
Nick, What gun do you use for competitions? None of these had even noticeable recoil from my 6" GP100, but then I'm a big magnum frequent shooter. The Unique load did have noticeably more recoil than Bullseye and Red Dot, but the Blue Dot loads had significantly more than that.

None of the first 3 published loads were even in the +P range which is why I started at max. By my estimation the Blue Dot loads might have been on the lower edge of +P. I can't help but think that I probably could have increased the first 3 loads, as I first mentioned, lack of published data for full power WC loads stared me down.
 
I shoot a Smith model 67, 4" bbl.

"Recoil" is a relative term, of course. In competition, even a little recoil means recovery time. I like my practice rounds to snap harder than my competition rounds - how 'bout if we use that word - snap - over "recoil" in this context. :p

None of these rounds I'm talking about have recoil on the order of magnum type rounds. Nothing close to that for sure.
 
Ah, okay. Like rapid fire or timed multi hit stuff? I understand exactly. .22 rimfire type "snap". :D I've taught a handful of recoil fearing women with those type loads. Very easy to empty the gun into a small target quickly when it doesn't move after you fire it, kind of like the ones in all the 1950's movies. :) That Unique load WILL make the gun move for your prctice. :D
 
Two of the three action pistol competition disciplines I shoot have "Power Factor" rules. That is, [(velocity X bullet weight) / 1000] must reach a certain number. In the case of IDPA for Stock Service Revolver it's "105." For ICORE, it's "125." Steel competition has no PF rule - so I just use my IDPA rounds; as they are plenty soft shooting.

My IDPA round is a 148gn slug going 710 fps minimum (mine are actually in the 740 fps neighborhood).

My ICORE round is a 158gn slug going 760 fps minimum (mine are actually in the 785 fps neighborhood).

Hopefully this will give you a notion of what kind of "recoil," uhh, "snap" :p we're talking about. Yes, you often have to shoot in fairly rapid succession in all three of these action shooting disciplines (especially Steel), so quick sight recovery time is paramount.
 
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