Does anyone have a good load for 357 or 38 spcl for just informal practice or plinking around? Nothing too heavy or hot. I would like something to just keep in practice and not burn out my barrel or bank account. Thank you

What bullet are you planning on using?

These were my favourite low loads:
.38 spl
148gn WC
- 2.4gn Bullseye (target)
158gn SWC or RN
- 3 gn Bullseye (light plink)
- 6.5 gn Blue dot (v. warm load)

.357 mag
158gn SWC or RN
- 4 gn Bullseye (light plink)

Any use?

I am happy with Unique for cast bullets used for plinking and target shooting - i.e. playing around.

Only they should call it Diesel, it is quite dirty. This revolver is actually bright stainless steel.

quote:

Originally posted by Czech_Made:
Only they should call it Diesel; it is quite dirty.

Hodgdon Universal Clays is a near duplicate to Unique, but is much cleaner. Power Pistol is another excellent powder that may be slightly slower burning; it'll give higher velocity at similar pressure.

BTW, is that an older supply of Unique? I thought they had cleaned it up several years ago.

I bought the Unique this year - should be the new one.

I would think that small amount of the many faster burning powders would work out for you. Some of those seem to burn cleaner than others if that's afactor for you.

Any load manual or the pdfs you can download from Hodgdon/Winchester http://www.wwpowder.com/PDF/Ho...20Basic%20Manual.pdf will give you data for loads of WW231/HP38 under 148 and 158 gr bullets. I've never had trouble using the special data in the magnum case which eases cleaning the chambers a little. Likewise using jacketed data under a lead bullet works fine.

I use 4.5 gr. of unique under a 158 lead round nose or 158 gr. SWC, works good for me.
6.5 SWEDE.