What are your favorite 38spl cat sneeze loads?

[gtivan]

148 gr wadcutter, pwder coated with 3.1 gr of bullseye if i remember right.

 

[arakboss]

This is a squib in the making.

Unique is not 'fast' enough for this low of a load and becomes very unstable below about 4 grains and does not ignite or burn well.

Try one for a test (and I would consider a 125 grain bullet) but I would have a brass rod & hammer nearby!

But I saw it on the internet, so it must be true.

 

[Knebel]

125grain lead bullet with 3 grains of trailboss. Bunnyfarts that shoot pretty accurate with 0 recoil! Like a 22lr I'd say.

I've used the same load with 158grain plated bullets and they are just as good too. Tad more recoil but very quiet and smooth.

 

[arakboss]

125grain lead bullet with 3 grains of trailboss. Bunnyfarts that shoot pretty accurate with 0 recoil! Like a 22lr I'd say.

I've used the same load with 158grain plated bullets and they are just as good too. Tad more recoil but very quiet and smooth.

I wish I would have bought more trail boss when it was readily available and cheap.

 

[gtivan]

While trail boss makes for a very nice load, it is messy as heck. Bullseye all the way.

 

[flashpan]

Thinking about loading up some quiet 38spl loads with cast bullets (not round ball). These would be for short range plinking fun in my old model 10 revolver 4"-ish barrel. I have a pretty good selection of pistol powders to choose from.

Boss
I have what you need and you have something I need.
I'll give you some proven cowboy powder puff loads to try...plus I have 1000 38 125 grn bullets and two pistol powders that are perfect.
You have CCI 450.
CHEERS

 

[ma96782]

Try looking for "cowboy loads". I forget which powder site actually had some "approved" data.

My cowboy loads are unapproved. So, I won't tell ya. But, if you choose to experiment..... Well, you're on your own.

Aloha, Mark

PS...try this...

http://pulverlehrgang.de/Downloads/Ladedaten/CowboyManualHodgdon.pdf

Of course, if you want to use a different powder brand. Well, start your search at their web site.

BTW....we call it "Mouse Fart Loads".

 

[OldTengu]

I like the hornady hydra shok low recoil.

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[HDR]

These days I've gotta make every SPP count. I'm loading all my 38's near +P and honestly just can't enjoy a soft 38 load. I'm thankful to have a huge stash of .22 if I want soft shooting plinking fun.

 

[TDH]

Just loaded some 125 +Ps myself. But my normal loads are 231 and 700x under a coated 158 RN. I don't recall the weights, but I keep them pretty mild. Very accurate too.
I started buying 700X when I kept seeing it on the shelf and nothing else, and it was cheaper. I've used it for 38/9/380/44, there is load data for lots of loads. I should find an eight pounder.

 

[CLT65]

To ad to that ,I used unique in the beginning, Dec'2011, for loads in .38sp and ,45 acp. It seemed to be very dirty. Uniquely dirty I'd say!

In my experience, when Unique is loaded too light, it tends to burn dirty. When you find the right load, it works just fine. I know some people out there hate Unique, call it "flaming dirt", but there's a reason that it's so popular and has been around for over a century.

My favorite light load for .38 Special is a 125gr powder-coated cast bullet, with enough 700X to go 750fps. I've also used 231 and a couple other similar powders. I have the Lee 105gr mold and like it too. I prefer the 125gr bullet just because it seemed to shoot to the point of aim better in my fixed-sight revolver.

 

[Mikej]

Just loaded some 125 +Ps myself. But my normal loads are 231 and 700x under a coated 158 RN. I don't recall the weights, but I keep them pretty mild. Very accurate too.
I started buying 700X when I kept seeing it on the shelf and nothing else, and it was cheaper. I've used it for 38/9/380/44, there is load data for lots of loads. I should find an eight pounder.

In my experience, when Unique is loaded too light, it tends to burn dirty. When you find the right load, it works just fine. I know some people out there hate Unique, call it "flaming dirt", but there's a reason that it's so popular and has been around for over a century.

My favorite light load for .38 Special is a 125gr powder-coated cast bullet, with enough 700X to go 750fps. I've also used 231 and a couple other similar powders. I have the Lee 105gr mold and like it too. I prefer the 125gr bullet just because it seemed to shoot to the point of aim better in my fixed-sight revolver.

That's the conclusion I came to Re Unique after I'd been loading awhile. I'm glad I've had some around as I started doing .357 Mag for a lever gun. I don't have to worry so much about dirty with the amounts used, or needing mag primers.

700X? Terrible measuring powder. At least in the Uniflow. And I couldn't help but notice it was one of the last powders left on the shelves since the "Rona" hit. For good reason.

 

[TDH]

700X? Terrible measuring powder. At least in the Uniflow. And I couldn't help but notice it was one of the last powders left on the shelves since the "Rona" hit. For good reason.

700x didn't work great in my Hornady PM, so on a whim I bought a Lyman Brass Smith PM and I polished it with steel wool, applied floor wax, and a few other things. It actually meters great now, almost spot on most of the time and +- .1 every so often. Now I don't know if the Lyman works for other powders, as I only use it for 700x. I was happily surprised for once, and it used to be like $18 a bottle.

But I totally understand - it was pretty crunchy in my Hornady Which works great for all other powders I've tried. I like the short hopper on the Lyman, and I think it was $42.

 

[Mikej]

700x didn't work great in my Hornady PM, so on a whim I bought a Lyman Brass Smith PM and I polished it with steel wool, applied floor wax, and a few other things. It actually meters great now almost spot on most of the time and +- .1 every so often. Now I don't know if the Lyman works for other powders, as I only use it for 700x. I was happily surprised for once.

That's curious, it looks pretty much like the RCBS measure? It must be a different design inside. Reasonable price too, for being "Lyman"!

 

[TOVO]

I would recommend using magnum primers to insure the small amount of power gets fully burned. CASS reloading experience.

 

[RVTECH]

And I couldn't help but notice it was one of the last powders left on the shelves

After Sandy Hook and the shelves looked almost like they do now I remember a lone can of 700X on the shelf in SW.

Well it sat there for a while and because I was low on stuff anyway I bought it. In spite of it's poor metering it turned out to give me very accurate .45 ACP loads.

Like TDH I did a little polishing on my RCBS powder measure and that helped but I mostly just hand weighed the charges.

 

[CLT65]

Yeah, 700X does meter a bit like gravel. It's primarily a shotgun powder, and works better with charge bars. I've used it in light pistol loads where a precise charge isn't critical, because it was cheap, efficient, and available. It's definitely not my first choice.

 

[Knebel]

I wish I would have bought more trail boss when it was readily available and cheap.

Same. I used to buy it at Bimart for $15 a can. Its probably one of my most favorite powders, I load 500 magnum with it too I use magnum primers in pretty much all my loads...

Running low on it and cant find any

 

[titsonritz]

How does a cat sneeze load compare to a sparrow fart load?

 

[arakboss]

How does a cat sneeze load compare to a sparrow fart load?

2 dB lower