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Old February 3, 2012, 07:08 PM   #1
bossman
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Who shoot a heavyweight 38 spl bullet

Who reloads and reguarly shoots a heavy 38 spl bullet. Where do you find them and how do you load them. I use 158 gr now and would like to try some of the big thumpers .
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Old February 3, 2012, 07:51 PM   #2
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158 are a good balance for the 38spc. much heavier & pressures build qwikly trying to get fps. out of it.

Simply put ,time to step up in caliber .

But that said I cast from 120gr to 187 gr 38 caliber bullets ,but never tried the heaveis in 38 I mainly shoot the 140 gr. bullets as they hit rite where the front site rests on the target on my fixed site revolvers .
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Old February 3, 2012, 11:38 PM   #3
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Hello, bossman. Few summers aga, I was having trouble with a Colt S.A.A. shooting low..non adjustable sights..so cast up some Lyman 358430..200gr.
That brought impact up alright..but even with light loads of TrailBoss recoil was up there too!
I finally solved low impact problem by changing grip hold & now shoots to sights with 158gr. Those big o'l bullets just kicked too much!
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Old February 4, 2012, 06:12 AM   #4
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38 spl. shooters often can not find their 'zero's' (bullet path intersects line of sight) as easily with the "Heavies" as they can with the 140 to 160 grain loads.

Example: Using a B27 targer at 7 yrds or 15 yrds or 25 yrds, most 38 spl. shooters quickly discover 'Kentucy Windage', better known as Hold-Over, without ever needing the Zero concept explained. With the 110s or less and or the 160s or more, the shooter(s) are often totally lost to the concept of zero.

Is this scientific? No. Is this what happens on the range, alot...Yes.

In the old old olden-days, Bonnie & Clyde era, those old boys were shooting something 38... 38s&w, 38 long colt, 38 long, and they often reported posetively on their 38 whatevers, and...and...the 38 whatevers, as I recall, used a heavy bullet for that particular 38 whatever. By the mid 1950s all those 38 whatevers were standardized with the new and powerful 38 Special.
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Old February 4, 2012, 11:52 AM   #5
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If you’re looking for Lead give Penn a try. They have up to 230 GR in 38’s.
I don’t shoot 38’s but I do shoot 44’s and they make some 320’s that work VERY well in my Ruger 77/44. A friend took a deer last year +200 LB with the 320’s and said that it fell in its tracks.



http://www.pennbullets.com/38/38-caliber.html
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Old February 4, 2012, 12:04 PM   #6
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I would say if you are thinking of heavier bullets then step up to .357 Magnum. For even heavier then the Encore in .357 Maximum is the ticket.

I stick to 158 in my Mod 67-1 and Colt Pythons. Now with .357 Wildey Mag it shoots best with 190 grain or heavier. Light bullets do ok, but the heavier ones turn it into a tack driving cannon at 100 yards or less.
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Old February 4, 2012, 12:24 PM   #7
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Ozzieman, outstanding info. I've looking at Penn bullets and have been thinking of trying the 270 Thunderhead in my 45 Colt. Didn't even think to look for a thunderhead in 38 spl. I think both of those will make some mean looking bullets. I can see the 270 gr 45 Colt, but that's one huge chunk of lead for a 38 spl. Think I'll give them a go just cause I can.
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Old February 4, 2012, 12:44 PM   #8
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I've been running MBC 180s in my .357 for a while. I run them with light charges for double action bowling pin use. Fun & accurate.
I would think that with a bit of cautious experimentation, one could get them to work in a .38 special. Data might be a bit sparse, but I'm sure it's out there somewhere. Several decades back, I recall my father talking about a 200gr load for .38 spec he played with at one point. So this sort of thing has been done before.
I would think that data will be easier to find if you were to step up to .357mag, if possible.
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Old February 4, 2012, 01:00 PM   #9
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Yeah, I was thinking 180 gr maybe 200 gr. Man a 230 gr 38 spl, just to cool. Now if I can find someone to shoot them.
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Old February 4, 2012, 01:09 PM   #10
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I am thinking that too long of a bullet in a .38 spcl would not work in a .38 spcl revolver due to them sticking out of the cylinder. You would have to seat them awfuly deep reducing case capacity greatly.
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Old February 4, 2012, 01:18 PM   #11
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They say they give two crimp grooves one of the 38 and one for the 357. The 38 has a lot of unused space in the brass, so maybe.
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Old February 4, 2012, 01:25 PM   #12
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I will stick with 158 grainers for my .38 spcl. Though the Wildey is fun to light off those 190 grainers with. I am not sure of the velocity I do know it is in the Oh My Goodness range.

.357 Wildey Mag is a .475 Wildey Mag necked to a .357 Mag diameter. It looks like a rifle round, and sounds like an elephant gun when fired. Out of a 14 inch barrell it will shoot MOA at 100 yards. Though I usualy shoot it at minute of cantaloupe. Mellon sallad anyone?
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Old February 4, 2012, 01:39 PM   #13
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I tried some 180 gr. hardball in my 6.5in. blackhawk, I forget the exact load data, but the accuracy went RIGHT out the window.

I went back to the 158 gr. and never looked back, Note: the gun is a .357 mag. and is heavy, so I really can't speak to abnormal recoil.
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Old February 4, 2012, 02:01 PM   #14
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I not trying to make these an everyday shooter type of thing, I love the 158 LSWC. Just kind of a showoff thing and to try them on some bowling pins.
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Old February 4, 2012, 03:36 PM   #15
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IMR lists 200 gr Remington lead RN loads for .38Spl. Maybe Rem still makes them...? I agree that if you want something heavier than this, step up in caliber.
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Old February 5, 2012, 01:58 PM   #16
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200's are fun, but they are really pokey at normal 38 special pressure levels. Go up to 38/44 and they are more interesting.

I found that 200's are reasonably accurate and more like a long push than a kick shooting them.
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Old February 7, 2012, 01:26 AM   #17
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I have shot 200 grains. They are kind of slow but they are fun rounds. If you adjust for drop they are extremely accurate and low recoil.
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Old February 7, 2012, 01:31 AM   #18
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I like the 173 grain Keith type for a heavy .38 Special bullet.

As an example: with something in the power range of 4-5 grains of Unique it makes a decent standard pressure load, for targets, small game and defense in a pinch.
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Old February 7, 2012, 09:15 AM   #19
bossman
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PETER M. EICK
Go up to 38/44 and they are more interesting.
If I loaded for 38/44 I'd need to shoot them out of a 357 instead of a 38 spl,right?
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Old February 7, 2012, 11:34 AM   #20
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I'm with Nate. The Lyman 358429 (Keith bullet) or an equivalent clone is one sweet shootin' bullet.
http://westernbullet.com/3535738caliber.html
http://www.mattsbullets.com/index.ph...ort=20a&page=2
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