The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - .38 Special 125 gr. loads all over the place in pressure?

Sevens · January 27, 2014, 01:50 AM

I can't say that I see a lot of standard pressure.38 Special, 125 grain jacketed bullet loads that run to 1,100 fps and beyond. Hodgdon's online resource shows one such load, using the CFE Pistol powder that does, but their published data shows a 7.7 inch test barrel and I believe you'd be hard pressed to replicate that performance... but I haven't tried. I'll admit that I hadn't yet heard of this powder... is it new to the market?

I did a quick click to Alliant's online published data (which is a lousy source for published data, IMO) and I've also seen first-hand how optimistic some of the data Alliant has published in the past, and they don't list any .38 Special, 125gr jacketed loads that even get to 1,000 fps, and even their +P loads don't show velocity that quite gets to 1,100 fps.

Because I don't care for what ATK has done to absolutely dumb-down Alliant's load data, I hold the 2005 printed Alliant guide very near & dear. This was the last printed source of Alliant powder load data before ATK removed most of the bullet options and replaced almost everything with a Gold Dot slug. In that printed guide, there are three loads that get to 1,000 fps with a 125gr jacketed bullet, but none that eclipse 1,040 fps. And there is but one load that actually approaches 1,100 fps in .38 Special+P with a jacketed 125gr, but it falls short at 1,090 fps.

Accurate's 3.5 printed guide shows nothing in .38 Special or .38 Special +P that would suggest that any Accurate powder will take a 125gr jacketed bullet to anything near 1,100 fps in .38 Special. Not even close here.

My Lyman 49th manual shows three loads with a 125gr jacketed bullet that barely get to 1,000 fps, and all three are +P loads. (I'll submit that this entire manual has always seemed on the "reserved" side to me...)

The guys at BBTI (these are cool folks!) tested two different factory 125gr jacketed .38 Special loads (not +P) and they almost got to 1,100 fps in a Korth revolver, but they really came nowhere at all close in eight other handguns.
http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/38special.html

So...
I'm not finding where we can do what you're seeing.

Can handloaders push a 125gr jacketed slug to 1,100 fps and beyond with a 17,000 PSI ceiling in .38 Special? Well, that doesn't sound like anything I'm familiar with, but I don't have anything more than a chrono, so I can't say that I really know. But a good place to start might be with some Quickload simulations. It's been said that it's not quite as accurate with straight-wall handgun rounds as it can be with bottle-neck rifle brass, but it might help us find a place to look for these fast loads that I'm not finding.

And as I love perusing published load data, I would like to see your sources for 1,100 fps .38 Special loads running 125gr jacketed slugs... even if they are +P loads. Because I'm not sure where you've seen these. Maybe some Ramshot data? I don't have any Ramshot powders. Or Vihtavuori powders... those have a phenomenal reputation amongst those that use 'em.

January 27, 2014, 01:50 AM	#4
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	I can't say that I see a lot of standard pressure.38 Special, 125 grain jacketed bullet loads that run to 1,100 fps and beyond. Hodgdon's online resource shows one such load, using the CFE Pistol powder that does, but their published data shows a 7.7 inch test barrel and I believe you'd be hard pressed to replicate that performance... but I haven't tried. I'll admit that I hadn't yet heard of this powder... is it new to the market? I did a quick click to Alliant's online published data (which is a lousy source for published data, IMO) and I've also seen first-hand how optimistic some of the data Alliant has published in the past, and they don't list any .38 Special, 125gr jacketed loads that even get to 1,000 fps, and even their +P loads don't show velocity that quite gets to 1,100 fps. Because I don't care for what ATK has done to absolutely dumb-down Alliant's load data, I hold the 2005 printed Alliant guide very near & dear. This was the last printed source of Alliant powder load data before ATK removed most of the bullet options and replaced almost everything with a Gold Dot slug. In that printed guide, there are three loads that get to 1,000 fps with a 125gr jacketed bullet, but none that eclipse 1,040 fps. And there is but one load that actually approaches 1,100 fps in .38 Special+P with a jacketed 125gr, but it falls short at 1,090 fps. Accurate's 3.5 printed guide shows nothing in .38 Special or .38 Special +P that would suggest that any Accurate powder will take a 125gr jacketed bullet to anything near 1,100 fps in .38 Special. Not even close here. My Lyman 49th manual shows three loads with a 125gr jacketed bullet that barely get to 1,000 fps, and all three are +P loads. (I'll submit that this entire manual has always seemed on the "reserved" side to me...) The guys at BBTI (these are cool folks!) tested two different factory 125gr jacketed .38 Special loads (not +P) and they almost got to 1,100 fps in a Korth revolver, but they really came nowhere at all close in eight other handguns. http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/38special.html So... I'm not finding where we can do what you're seeing. Can handloaders push a 125gr jacketed slug to 1,100 fps and beyond with a 17,000 PSI ceiling in .38 Special? Well, that doesn't sound like anything I'm familiar with, but I don't have anything more than a chrono, so I can't say that I really know. But a good place to start might be with some Quickload simulations. It's been said that it's not quite as accurate with straight-wall handgun rounds as it can be with bottle-neck rifle brass, but it might help us find a place to look for these fast loads that I'm not finding. And as I love perusing published load data, I would like to see your sources for 1,100 fps .38 Special loads running 125gr jacketed slugs... even if they are +P loads. Because I'm not sure where you've seen these. Maybe some Ramshot data? I don't have any Ramshot powders. Or Vihtavuori powders... those have a phenomenal reputation amongst those that use 'em. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.