.38 Special loads

I am sitting on a case of once fired Federal cases. All sized primed and ready to load. I need some input on an accurate load for Zero 158 LRN heads. Have 1K of them to use. Powders on hand include N310, Clay's, and 231. Thoughts??

P.S. I also have Winchester AutoComp on hand as well.

4.0 of 231 works very good.

Any idea on the fps?

jrdeadeye1957 wrote:Any idea on the fps?

Average 890 FPS with a standard deviation of 9fps extreme spread 29 for 15 shots fired.

The MAX listed load for 38 Special in Hodgdon data is 3.7 at 834 fps and 14,800 psi.  So 4.0 (which is within “+P” pressures) would be probably close to 900.

That my results with a chronograph; Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook is listed as 837.  In days gone by +P was 5 or better with 231 or HP-38 (same powder different cans).

Your mileage may very

https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t14358-38-special-with-158-grain-swc-loads-for-dr?highlight=38+%2Bspecial

Search is your friend

Nothing will shoot well if you don’t get that long bullet in straight.   I recommend the Lyman M die for case mouth expansion.   I believe based on my own experiments, and others have told me, it makes one heck of a difference.  I also recommend the Redding profile crimp die.      My load of choice is 3.5 of WST.

3.3GR OF 231 WITH SWAGED 158 BULLETS IS AN AWESOME LOAD. 50YD ACCURATE. JP

3.6 of Accurate # 2 is so much cleaner then 231