I've had excellent results with AA#5 propellant. Typically, it is used for "range quality" semi-auto ammo - 9mm, 40 cal, that sorta thing. But I used it mostly for low power/recoil 10mm Auto (180 grainers).
In 38 Special, I used it for +P with 125 JHP's. I consider AA#5 to be on the fast end of the "intermediate burn rate" powder spectrum, if that makes sense. It's faster than say - Unique, BE-86, Power Pistol, HS-6 - the intermediates I've used. But being an intermediate none-the-less, I still reserved it for +P applications in 38 Special.
Are your Berry's "148 WC's" the hollow base or double-ended variety? Because everything I write beyond this point applies to the double-ended variety. And the two are not interchangeable. In fact, I do not recommend using the hollow base variety for any +P application - it's strictly a low power target bullet.
I had to dig deep into my records, and I did find that I once used AA#5 with 148 Plated DEWC's. I use(d) a Rainier PDEWC, and it is very similar to the Berry's DEWC (not the hollow base). In my loading, I used 4.8 grains of AA#5 and through a 4" bbl Smith 686, it yielded a lumbering 723 f/s. My notes state: "
Supposed to be a near-+P practice round. Nowhere close. Try 5.2g next time." That was March of 2014. It appears there was no "next time."
Given the velocity, I think it's safe to say that it was just my starting point for this load workup. A workup I never continued.
I shoot a lot of paper with my Smith M67 38 (a gun I bought right after the above-mentioned chronographing). And these days, I load my Rainier 148's from pure target level performance, to near +P (mostly for support-hand-only practice). But I use W231 - 4.6 grains to be exact.
Also of note: I do not seat my DEWC's flush. I seat them to an OAL of 1.210" - which is some 60-thousandths above the case mouth. They speedload easier that way. I also taper crimp - I don't roll crimp.
So that's all I have. Hope it's of
some help.
