38 special snubby loads.

B

Brutus

New member
Just bought a new 2" Colt Cobra and I took it out for the first time yesterday with some handloads. Also have an old Colt Alum. frame Agent.

First up was a 158gr. lead semi wadcutter with 5.5gr of AA#5, which should yield about 750/800 fps.
Very pleasant to shoot but shot about 3 inches high at 31ft in both the Agent and the Cobra.
Next I tried some 125gr. Hornady XTP's with 6.5gr. of AA#5 for about 900/950fps. Didn't shoot these out of the Agent.
Not quite a +P load based on the new Western powder reloading manual. They start +P loads at 6.8gr. for 1074fps. out of a 7.75" barrel.
My guesstimated velocities are base on the 2" barrel. Went to an indoor range and I didn't bring the Labradar along, will do that next week when I'm outdoors.
This load was quite accurate at 31ft. but still shot about an 1" high from POA. The AA#5 was very clean burning in both loads.
So the question is what's your favorite 38 Special handload?
 
Did some load development for what's known as "the FBI Load" for my 2.5" snubbie a number of years ago. Powders used were AA#5 and HS-6. Loads were as follows:

158gr Cast HP, 6.4gr AA#5, standard primer: 845fps
158gr Cast HP, 7.0gr HS-6, magnum primer: 940fps

Results shown below with middle bullet being the AA#5 load, and bullet on right being the HS-6 load.

Don
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A possible option

This reload was made for my nephew's Ruger LCR. An online source said that 6.8gr of AA5 replicates the Speer 38-135gr Gold Dot load. From an online source both the NYPD and LAPD claim that the factory loaded 38-135 Gold Dots performed well under real shootings. This photo is my reload shot through two 1 gal jugs of water at 10 feet from my 6" S&W because I didn't have my nephew's LCR to test with.
 
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Guys, to answer your questions:

USSR - Are these your cast bullets? Whose molds are you using? Are you using wheel weights?
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Yes, these are my cast bullets. I use MP Molds brass molds for hollowpoint bullets exclusively. Wheel weights as an alloy would be too hard and you would not get good expansion at low handgun velocities. The alloy used for these sub-1,000 fps bullets consists of 97% pure lead, 2.5% tin, and 0.5% antimony. You've got to keep the tin content high and the antimony content low to get this kind of expansion at low velocities.

USSR. What medium were they fired into? Thanks!
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I use water soaked newsprint as my medium. It is better than shooting into water filled plastic bottles, which is too hard of a medium, and it provides physical evidence of the destruction along the bullet's path.

Don
 
my short barrel .38 Spl. go to load is 3.5 grains of Bullseye under my cast 158 grain SWC. I have about 30 boxes loaded up for when the grand kids want to go shooting. hdbiker
 
Brutus,

It sounds like you dropped 1" every 12.5 grains. Now you need a 112.5-grain bullet to be spot on. I'm guessing a 110-grain bullet will be close enough and it's available. Should be easier shooting out of a light gun, too.
 
12.5 grains?:confused:
Looking to develop a load with 158gr. SWC's just anaconda I'm an old fart and stuck in my ways. :D
 
Lyman # 358432 discontinued ...but available from NOE as #360-160-WC PB
this is a wadcutter type bullet , cast of 50/50 COWW - soft lead , sized .358 .

loaded over 5.0 grains of Unique for a good all around standard pressure load , this has been my favorite 38 spcl. load for 40 years .

For the aluminum framed Agent I would go with 4.7 grains of Unique .

5.3 grs. of Unique will get you into 38 special +P load .

This bullet design has proven extremely accurate in all of my 38 and 357 magnum revolvers . this one is a wadcutter but designed to not be loaded flush ...
Gary
 
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Brutus,

I was just saying you lost an inch of POI for every 12.5 grains that came off the bullet weight, starting at 158-grains. If the front sight can be replaced with something taller, you'd have it nailed.
 
For self defense 3" high ain't bad. 1" high is perfect for me on about any handgun, just set the target on top of the sight and shoot. 1" high ain't high.
 
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