Standard bullet weight .38/.357?

[DeanMk]

158 grain slugs are the weight the factories use to regulate the sights on non-adjustable revolvers in 38 or 357. My plinking load is a 148 DEWC in a 38 case sitting on top of 4.0 grains of 231 and any standard primer. Clean your cylinders well and the carbon and lead residue will not hamper 357 length loadings. Hot 38/44 level loads shot in 38 cases will over time erode the front of the cyylinder, and spoil 357 accuracy. 38/44s are not loaded commercially anymore, they are 24-25OOO psi pressure levels that typically drive a bullet from a heavy frame 38 at 1000-1100fps. This was common before WW2. After WW2 357s became plentiful and the 38/44 load was relegated to history. SAAMI spec for modern 38+P loads is 20K. I don't shoot any 38s with anything hotter than +P.

Colt shot across S&W's bow when they came out with their .357 during WWII.
Before then, it was all S&W's game.
The Colt gun eventually became the Trooper Mk.IV.

Dean

 

[Certaindeaf]

If you want it to expand at standard .38 pressure go with a ten grainer. In .357 THE classic stopper is a 125gr sjhp.

 

[DeanMk]

10 grains seems a bit light for a bullet, Certaindeaf.

 

[RVTECH]

I am currently 'stuck' on 7 grains of Unique with 158 grain plated FP bullets.

They shoot well out of both my Mod 66 and Henry rifle.

 

[DeanMk]

Sounds pretty "+P", RVTECH.
Feel like a .357, to shoot it?

 

[RVTECH]

Sounds pretty "+P", RVTECH.
Feel like a .357, to shoot it?

Yea, probably on the heavy side of + P - and not at all like a .357! But it's accurate, easy on the gun and my hand and cheap to load!

 

[DeanMk]

Right on!
Thanks for the review.

 

[Pete F]

I don't know what it is about wad-cutters but in my short experience with them, they shoot so accurately. I inherited some 38s and 357 mags before i had a gun for it, when i bought my 6inch revolvers, they surprised me in how well they shot on target paper. When i ran out, never saw any in a store. Maybe, i will keep my DW and shoot WCs when i roll my own.

Good luck.

They still make factory wad-cutters. Here are three examples, but I have seen other manufacturers making wad-cutters.



I wold buy some, but I sill have over 2000 rounds of reloads from my Dad.

 

[DeanMk]

Any target load uses a wadcutter bullet. That's what they're made for. Punching paper.

 

[Scout 38S]

Wadcutters are also a great snub load. Check out Lucky Gunner