38 Short Colt & Unique

jski · September 26, 2020, 02:25 AM

I’m looking for a good charge for the 38 Short Colt using Unique. I’ve listened to FortuneCookie45LC’s series on loads for the 38 Short Colt. I’ve read different recipes on different forums but none that used Unique, which honestly is surprising.

What seems like a good starting point Is 4-1/2 grains of Unique using 158 grain bullets ... in my case Berry’s Bullets.

Comments? Questions? Suggestion?

jski · September 26, 2020, 03:42 AM

I believe FortuneCookie45LC was loading his 38 SCs with 4.4 grains of W231 and seating 158 grain bullets. And he saw no signs of excessive pressure. He wasn’t pleased with the accuracy so was intending to push those bullets harder.

Oh yeah and BTW, I’ll be using my brand spanking new
S&W 357 Carry Comp for testing.

Radny97 · September 27, 2020, 11:20 PM

I know a guy who’s been running 38 short colt using berrys bullets and unique with fed mag primers. I don’t know his exact recipe but he’s a top tier shooter and he’s let me shoot his 627 a few times. It was very soft and manageable. So it can be done.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

TruthTellers · September 27, 2020, 11:48 PM

Given the similarities with .38 S&W, I would see if there is any load data for .38 S&W with Unique and try that in the .38 Short Colt. You're going to be shooting these in a .38 or .357 revolver so pressure shouldn't be an issue given .38 S&W has a lower max pressure than .38 Special.

jski · September 28, 2020, 03:12 AM

I’ll be shooting these out of my 2 S&W Performance Center 357s: my brand spanking new K-frame Carry Comp and a 686 L-frame.

And the brass is from Starline. As a matter of fact, I called Starline and spoke to their ballistician to ask about pressure levels. He indicated their 38 Short pieces are capable of handling 357 level pressures. He explained that a major use of this brass is in ICORE competition shoots.

AzShooter · September 28, 2020, 04:06 AM

When I started shooting 38 short colts I was told to use 9 mm data and it works very well.

According to the Lyman Pistol & Revolver Reloading Handbook the loads for Unique for 9 mm would be 3.2 to 3.8 for a 147 gr Lead bullet.

For the 38 Smith & Wesson which is also close the load for a 158 grain LRN is 3.2 to 3.7 grains. I would start at the low load and work up.

Do this on your own and be careful. I do not recommend loads that are not listed in a catalogue.

I was a Master Class shooter for ICORE and one of the first to try the 38 Short Colt. It's a great cartridge but you have to be careful with it. I used Vhita Vhorie N 320 for my loads.

T. O'Heir · September 28, 2020, 02:04 PM

Do not make up your own data. Especially after only watching a YouTube video.
4.5 grains of Unique is a mid range load for a cast 158 .38 Special.
There's proper data on Hodgdon's site, but none for a 158.
Rumour has it that 9mm data will do. Still no 158 grain bullets though.

jski · September 28, 2020, 03:59 PM

Alliant’s data website leaves much to be desired. Compared to Hodgdon’s data website, Alliant’s is primitive. I’d like to choose cartridge, then bullet weight, then select from a list of powders.

TruthTellers · September 29, 2020, 12:55 AM

Yeah, Alliant's reloading data is garbage. As much as I like their powders, I'm finding myself more inclined to buy Hodgdon powders because of the support for load data and because their powders are actually available.

jski · September 29, 2020, 02:06 AM

Well, besides Unique which is perpetually unavailable, I have 3 lbs of RAMSHOT TRUE BLUE. So for now I’m going to play with 9mm loads, maybe some +P loads. The heaviest bullet weight they show in their load data is 147 gr., which is fairly close to my FBI 158 gr. Berry’s bullets (both RN and Plated HP).

September 26, 2020, 02:25 AM	#1
jski Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2016 Posts: 374	38 Short Colt & Unique I’m looking for a good charge for the 38 Short Colt using Unique. I’ve listened to FortuneCookie45LC’s series on loads for the 38 Short Colt. I’ve read different recipes on different forums but none that used Unique, which honestly is surprising. What seems like a good starting point Is 4-1/2 grains of Unique using 158 grain bullets ... in my case Berry’s Bullets. Comments? Questions? Suggestion?

September 27, 2020, 11:48 PM	#4
TruthTellers Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2016 Posts: 3,954	Given the similarities with .38 S&W, I would see if there is any load data for .38 S&W with Unique and try that in the .38 Short Colt. You're going to be shooting these in a .38 or .357 revolver so pressure shouldn't be an issue given .38 S&W has a lower max pressure than .38 Special. __________________ "We always think there's gonna be more time... then it runs out."

September 28, 2020, 03:12 AM	#5
jski Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2016 Posts: 374	I’ll be shooting these out of my 2 S&W Performance Center 357s: my brand spanking new K-frame Carry Comp and a 686 L-frame. And the brass is from Starline. As a matter of fact, I called Starline and spoke to their ballistician to ask about pressure levels. He indicated their 38 Short pieces are capable of handling 357 level pressures. He explained that a major use of this brass is in ICORE competition shoots. Last edited by jski; September 28, 2020 at 03:29 AM.

September 29, 2020, 12:55 AM	#9
TruthTellers Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2016 Posts: 3,954	Yeah, Alliant's reloading data is garbage. As much as I like their powders, I'm finding myself more inclined to buy Hodgdon powders because of the support for load data and because their powders are actually available. __________________ "We always think there's gonna be more time... then it runs out."

September 26, 2020, 03:42 AM	#2
jski Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2016 Posts: 374	I believe FortuneCookie45LC was loading his 38 SCs with 4.4 grains of W231 and seating 158 grain bullets. And he saw no signs of excessive pressure. He wasn’t pleased with the accuracy so was intending to push those bullets harder. Oh yeah and BTW, I’ll be using my brand spanking new S&W 357 Carry Comp for testing.

September 27, 2020, 11:20 PM	#3
Radny97 Senior Member Join Date: July 9, 2015 Posts: 1,021	I know a guy who’s been running 38 short colt using berrys bullets and unique with fed mag primers. I don’t know his exact recipe but he’s a top tier shooter and he’s let me shoot his 627 a few times. It was very soft and manageable. So it can be done. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

September 28, 2020, 04:06 AM	#6
AzShooter Senior Member Join Date: June 20, 2006 Location: Surprise, Az. Posts: 766	When I started shooting 38 short colts I was told to use 9 mm data and it works very well. According to the Lyman Pistol & Revolver Reloading Handbook the loads for Unique for 9 mm would be 3.2 to 3.8 for a 147 gr Lead bullet. For the 38 Smith & Wesson which is also close the load for a 158 grain LRN is 3.2 to 3.7 grains. I would start at the low load and work up. Do this on your own and be careful. I do not recommend loads that are not listed in a catalogue. I was a Master Class shooter for ICORE and one of the first to try the 38 Short Colt. It's a great cartridge but you have to be careful with it. I used Vhita Vhorie N 320 for my loads.

September 28, 2020, 02:04 PM	#7
T. O'Heir Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 12,453	Do not make up your own data. Especially after only watching a YouTube video. 4.5 grains of Unique is a mid range load for a cast 158 .38 Special. There's proper data on Hodgdon's site, but none for a 158. Rumour has it that 9mm data will do. Still no 158 grain bullets though.

September 28, 2020, 03:59 PM	#8
jski Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2016 Posts: 374	Alliant’s data website leaves much to be desired. Compared to Hodgdon’s data website, Alliant’s is primitive. I’d like to choose cartridge, then bullet weight, then select from a list of powders.

September 29, 2020, 02:06 AM	#10
jski Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2016 Posts: 374	Well, besides Unique which is perpetually unavailable, I have 3 lbs of RAMSHOT TRUE BLUE. So for now I’m going to play with 9mm loads, maybe some +P loads. The heaviest bullet weight they show in their load data is 147 gr., which is fairly close to my FBI 158 gr. Berry’s bullets (both RN and Plated HP).