You should try Clays in a 9mm sub compact. Just something about it that eliminates the snappiness typical of these small guns.I have a 38spl snubbie lcr I shoot 158s. I tried 4 powders, power pistol, hp-38, and clays, and cfe pstol
power pistol was too slow, had massive fireballs, and was painfully snappy, had inconsistent velocities, but gave the most velocity.
hp-38 has some snap, slightly reduced velocities, and minimal flash.
Clays gave lower velocities, but was super consistent, and very pleasant to shoot even at max. I could shoot those loads in my snubbie all day long.
cfe pistol, was super inconsistent. I suspect the ball powder is having a hard time igniting due to to low pressure of the 38spl cartridge. velocity was poor as well.
I have used power pistol in 357 mag, but it is a 6in gun. it gives great velocities with 120 and 125s, up in the 1575fps range. not sure how it would perform out of a snubbie, but it does not need magnum primers which is nice.
Its on my list already, but there are quite a few projects i have to finish up before i get to itYou should try Clays in a 9mm sub compact. Just something about it that eliminates the snappiness typical of these small guns.
The problem with the snubbies is that they don’t push the bullet hard enough to expand n JHP
My understanding was you did not need gas checks until around 1200fps... which you could do in a longer barreled 357.For fun and practice a 148 grain wadcutter (Lyman #358495) and either 2.7 gr. Bullseye or 3.1 gr. W231/HP38. Serious load run a 156 gr. semi-wadcutter (Lyman #359156 gas checked) over 5.0 gr. Unique. I use the loads in an S&W M60 snubby and in full sized .38 Spl. revolvers as well. FWIW, the W321 load is the more accurate load with the wadcutter in my revolvers.
Paul B.
My goal was to get a more complete burn of the powder. Which i achieved. With the powders i had power pistol had the best velocity. It also had a fair bit of unburnt powder coming out along with fairly large fireballs.Snubbies will produce plenty of velocity to expand bullets even with .38 specials +p rounds. A .357 magnum can propel 125gr bullets to over 1200 fps in a snubby. I believe Paul Harrell has a video comparing both with a chrono for both of these rounds.
The fast powder for short barrel is a myth. It doesn't work that way. If you want the highest velocity for a short barrel you want the powder that can give the highest velocity period in any barrel. This has been proven over many times and I am surprised the myth continues. I'll let you guys that still think fast powders are what get the highest velocities out of snubbies do your own dd. That way you'll understand the combustion process. Otherwise Bullseye would get higher velocities from a short barrel than H110.
warnerwh said:The fast powder for short barrel is a myth. It doesn't work that way. If you want the highest velocity for a short barrel you want the powder that can give the highest velocity period in any barrel. This has been proven over many times and I am surprised the myth continues.
I'll let you guys that still think fast powders are what get the highest velocities out of snubbies do your own dd.
It's not really a myth. It is a misapplied principle. The powder that produces the fastest velocity in my .357 mag Contender carbine is not the same powder that produces the highest velocity in my snubnose. The Snubbie will actually blow raw powder using the Contender load.Snubbies will produce plenty of velocity to expand bullets even with .38 specials +p rounds. A .357 magnum can propel 125gr bullets to over 1200 fps in a snubby. I believe Paul Harrell has a video comparing both with a chrono for both of these rounds.
The fast powder for short barrel is a myth. It doesn't work that way. If you want the highest velocity for a short barrel you want the powder that can give the highest velocity period in any barrel. This has been proven over many times and I am surprised the myth continues. I'll let you guys that still think fast powders are what get the highest velocities out of snubbies do your own dd. That way you'll understand the combustion process. Otherwise Bullseye would get higher velocities from a short barrel than H110.