What powder would give the best performance in a
38 spl. load for a 2 inch barrel? I normally use AA#5 for 38spl. loads ( 6 inch barrel ) but I think the 2 inch barrel could use a little faster powder . Any help will be greatly appreciated .

Thanks , Dyno

I have been using the Sierra 125 grain JHC bullet on top of 10.5 grains of Blue Dot and CCI-550 primers. They have worked just fine.

HOWEVER...

I just loaded up around 1000 using the 125 grain Nosler JHP on top of 7.1 of Power Pistol with the CCI-550 primer. Fired a couple, they are controllable, but haven't done any extensive testing...but they do clock at 1,164 fps.

Try Hodgdon's Titegroup or AA's Solo 1000. Both are fast, clean burning powders. I use 3.8 gr. of Titegroup with Hornaday 158 gr SWC's. If your .38 snubbie is for self-defense you should use factory ammo because of potential legal ramifications! 125 gr. Federal Nycads were designed for .38 snubbies and they work well in mine ---

they do clock at 1,164 fps.[/QB][/QUOTE

ricciardelli ,
Is this out of a snubbie.

Thanks,Dyno

That is out of a Ruger Security Six with a 2-3/4" barrel.

If the weather ever breaks up here, I will be running them through a Taurus with a 2-1/4" barrel.

10.5 grs. of Blue Dot in a .38 snubbie with a jacketed 125gr. bullet. What manual are you using?

"Me thinks Ricci has reloaded just enough to be dangerous."

Let me see...how do I define "enough"?

Cound it be that I have been reloading since 1962?

Could it be that I reload over 60 different calibers?

Could it be that I have NEVER, EVER has a firearm destroyed from one of my loads?

Or, could it be that every time another manual hits the market, the SAAMI spec (or the the company lawyers) decrease the "maximum" load?

The loads I used 40 years ago, even though beyond what is "accepted" today by "All The Great Gods", are still working fine today, as are the firearms, and as am I!

"The primary work of SAAMI is done by its Technical Committee in the setting of industry standards. Product standards for firearms and ammunition are developed by two Product Standards Task Forces, one for ammunition and one for firearms. Recommendations of the task forces are submitted for review by the entire Technical Committee. Other key areas of technical expertise and standardization include pressure measurement, muzzle loading, and working toward universal, internationally recognized standards by working with the Commission Internationale Permanente (CIP)."

In addition, "It is ANSI and SAAMI policy that every five years the standards be revised."

That means that SAAMI has changed the "standards" 8 times since I started reloading...

I would say it is fair to state that I am more stable than SAAMI...

You wanna go bashing me, go right ahead...but from some of the posts I have seen with your name attached, you have no justification!

In this debate here, I must side with ricciardelli. If one works up his/her loads with due care, noting the changes in performance made when a given variable is changed, one will get exceptional performance levels with complete safety. What Pecos45 asserts here is only applicable to those who start out with max loading data, from whatever source, and work up from there!! Or, those who "interpolate" loads for powders of "approximate" performance based on someone else's figures for other propellants. It is possible to get into trouble this way. But I'll venture that ricciardelli has discovered many things that those who stick strictly to data developed by someone else will never know, believe, or understand. We are fortunate that he is willing to share his info with us! This is more than most would do!! We should be thanking him, rather than trying to put him down!!

My general purpose load for 38 Special is:
6.0gr of Power Pistol
140gr Oregon Trail Cast Flat Nose Bullet
Winchester WSP Primers
960fps from a 4" barrel

Seems a bit warm but it is very consistant and the accuracy is good.

ZM

In 1972 I loaded some Speer 140 gr. hollow points for my 357 mag. using 13.0 gr. of SR4756 which was max per the 1970 Speer manual. This didn't seem to be excessive. The 1987 Speer manual lists 8.7 gr. of SR4756 for the 140 hollow point as max. OOPS. Maybe Ricciardelli isn't as far out in left field as some people think.

Pecos

No offense intended bud. But that's not the point. Unless you can read
"10.5 grs. of Blue Dot in a .38 snubbie with a jacketed 125gr. bullet. What manual are you using?"
as somehow NOT implying that one should ONLY load STRICTLY by what is published. That being the case one could NOT combine info from parent cases and interpolate into a starting load for a wildcat. I think the only thing we disagree on is the interpretation of Dans post.