Working up a load for the Enfield .38S&W

spencerhut · May 31, 2009, 08:49 AM

After pouring through every online source I could fine and going through several reloading manuals I finally started to fiddle with my .38S&W loads today.
Here are the loads I tried. Not the two on the bottom of course.

I was trying to get a 125 Power Factor load from the old warhorse and managed to with 3.3 grains of Unique. What I am wondering, is if these loads are safe.

Speer tested in a S&W Model 33 and all of my loads shot much faster than listed in the Speer manual. For instance Speer shows 694 FPS for the 3.1g Unique load and my Enfield managed a 765FPS average with that load. A small bump to 3.3g of Unique got me to my goal of 802FPS and a 127PF.

The Lyman folks used a universal receiver with a 5.5" barrel for testing and the Ramshot True Blue loads recommended by them all shot much slower in my Enfield. I should have been well over 700FPS with the 3.3g True Blue load, but was instead 20FPS shy of even that modest velocity.

My own experimental loads of HP-38 seemed to be going fine up to the stopping point of 2.8g. Seemed to be no reason not to keep going to higher charge weights.

The problem I'm having is there are no pressure signs of any sort, all the primers and cases look and measure identical for all the loads. With no pressure signs and the likelihood I will never see any before this things blows apart I'm wondering where I should stop.

Someone with some sage knowledge, please chime in.

spencerhut · June 1, 2009, 12:22 AM

I guess I'm on uncharted ground here.

RamSlammer · June 1, 2009, 01:41 AM

I would wonder if some .361" properly sized bullets would get you any more than those .358" Magtechs. And, yes, you are on uncharted ground with that Unique load IMHO . . . that's a bit wooly for an old top-break.

darkgael · June 1, 2009, 05:23 AM

Stop at loads that duplicate original loads. Stay with what the gun was designed to shoot.
Pete

spencerhut · June 1, 2009, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Stop at loads that duplicate original loads. Stay with what the gun was designed to shoot.

Got any cordite stick powder?
Know which modern powder duplicates or comes close to cordite pressure curve?

I think this more complex than just matching a velocity and bullet weight.

The loads I developed are not in theory any different (power wise) than the two known original loads for this gun. I'm using lighter, slightly undersized hollow base 158g bullets which should based on the bullet weight alone have less pressure, right?
But the powders I am using are nothing like the old cordite stick powders used back then.

spencerhut · June 2, 2009, 04:20 PM

I loaded a bunch of the 3.1g Unique with 158g LRN. Two FPS slower than the old 158g load the Brits used.

I'll work up some fresh loads when I get my Lyman 195g LRN mold

Scorch · June 3, 2009, 12:52 AM

FWIW, Cartridges Of The World lists a 38 S&W load with 3.0 gr of Unique at 705 fps. You are not totally out there.

spencerhut · June 3, 2009, 08:40 AM

Quote:

You are not totally out there.

I just wish there was some way to measure pressure available to regular schmucks.

May 31, 2009, 08:49 AM	#1
spencerhut Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2006 Location: Idaho Posts: 147	Working up a load for the Enfield .38S&W After pouring through every online source I could fine and going through several reloading manuals I finally started to fiddle with my .38S&W loads today. Here are the loads I tried. Not the two on the bottom of course. I was trying to get a 125 Power Factor load from the old warhorse and managed to with 3.3 grains of Unique. What I am wondering, is if these loads are safe. Speer tested in a S&W Model 33 and all of my loads shot much faster than listed in the Speer manual. For instance Speer shows 694 FPS for the 3.1g Unique load and my Enfield managed a 765FPS average with that load. A small bump to 3.3g of Unique got me to my goal of 802FPS and a 127PF. The Lyman folks used a universal receiver with a 5.5" barrel for testing and the Ramshot True Blue loads recommended by them all shot much slower in my Enfield. I should have been well over 700FPS with the 3.3g True Blue load, but was instead 20FPS shy of even that modest velocity. My own experimental loads of HP-38 seemed to be going fine up to the stopping point of 2.8g. Seemed to be no reason not to keep going to higher charge weights. The problem I'm having is there are no pressure signs of any sort, all the primers and cases look and measure identical for all the loads. With no pressure signs and the likelihood I will never see any before this things blows apart I'm wondering where I should stop. Someone with some sage knowledge, please chime in.

June 1, 2009, 05:23 AM	#4
darkgael Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2006 Location: Homes in Brooklyn, NY and in Pennsylvania. Posts: 5,473	Stop Stop at loads that duplicate original loads. Stay with what the gun was designed to shoot. Pete __________________ “Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” Ernest Hemingway ... NRA Life Member

June 3, 2009, 12:52 AM	#7
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	FWIW, Cartridges Of The World lists a 38 S&W load with 3.0 gr of Unique at 705 fps. You are not totally out there. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

June 1, 2009, 12:22 AM	#2
spencerhut Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2006 Location: Idaho Posts: 147	I guess I'm on uncharted ground here.

June 1, 2009, 01:41 AM	#3
RamSlammer Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 2008 Location: Arkansas Posts: 722	I would wonder if some .361" properly sized bullets would get you any more than those .358" Magtechs. And, yes, you are on uncharted ground with that Unique load IMHO . . . that's a bit wooly for an old top-break.

June 2, 2009, 04:20 PM	#6
spencerhut Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2006 Location: Idaho Posts: 147	I loaded a bunch of the 3.1g Unique with 158g LRN. Two FPS slower than the old 158g load the Brits used. I'll work up some fresh loads when I get my Lyman 195g LRN mold