Reloading .38 special question.

[ChiefStealth]

Yep. For hollow base wad cutters, target loads, we used 3.0 gr. Bullseye. And for SD rounds, we seated them upside down. No penetration, at all. But, they went from 35 cal to 65 cal real quick.

 

[FA9]

Needs more crimp...

 

[noylj]

This is not just sarcasm but:
Who cares about soot? I shot several seasons of IPSC and PPC with 200gn L-SWCs and 5.0 or 6.0gn of Unique and cleaned my gun once a year.
If you clean your gun when you come back from the range, what does it matter?
I swear, until about 15 years ago, folks put accuracy way above cleanliness or smoke.
If the load shoots accurately enough for you, it is good to go.
In your case, you would probably be better served with TrailBoss, N310, Bullseye, AA2, N320, or HP38/231. I have no idea which are cleaner, as it simply isn't something I note.
The only really CLEAN powder I ever found was PB, and it is discontinued or will be this year. My cases were as clean after firing as when I loaded them.
Fillers have been used for decades (more than a century?) and I still read about barrels getting bulged/rings from the use of fillers (used to call it "ringing the barrel"). Never understood toilet paper as I could see the powder getting distributed through the case by moving around the TP. That doesn't sound like consistency to me.
Review the history of .38 Spl target loads and you'll see that few have ever "needed" fillers.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Unique is a wonderful powder. So is Bullseye. Red Dot falls smack dab twixt.. for about a hundred years all

 

[Sabertooth]

158 gr LSWC's no gas checks over 2400 - .38sp, .357mag. Send them screaming or lob them in like lead pumpkins..