Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading 38/357 Powder That Checks My Boxes

Hi guys.

I was hesitant to post this, I was hoping simple research would turn up the answer, but I haven’t been able to satisfy my question between lurking here and pouring over reloading data.

So, at the risk of trying to do too much with one approach, here is what I am trying to do.

I am about to begin reloading .38spl and .357mag with a powder coated 158gr flat nose bullet (Lee 358-158-RF).

I have 3 firearms that I am shooting these from; a S&W 642 in .38spl, a S&W 686 with a 4” barrel, and a suppressed Henry 357 X model.

I am trying to pick a single powder that will serve both the .38spl and .357mag loads respectively while satisfying my requirements/desires. So far Hogdon HS-6 seems to be promising, but I am hearing conflicting reports on it’s performance for what I am trying to do.

In order of personal importance these are the most important aspects that I’d like:

1- As clean/complete a burn as practicable in a 17.4” barrel with a suppressor.

2- Subsonic speeds out of a 17.4” barrel with the .38spl load.

3- Moderate to low pressures.

4- Consistent.

5- Acceptable general performance in my hand guns.

Any other beneficial aspects come secondary to those elements.

Besides suggested powders, what are the pitfalls I am looking at? Do these preferred aspects conflict with one another? Am I trying to accomplish too much with one powder?

Thanks in advance!

HS-6 has worked well for me in a similar case to yours. It's makes 38 Spl sing in a carbine.

Unique. 2400. TightGroup. AA#9, LilGun.

I would start with Unique.

I keep a couple pounds of unique around for nostalgia only. Accurate #5 does everything unique does in 38/357, burns clean and meters like water. If 5 didn’t give me what I wanted #9 would be next.

+1 on the A#5. I've used it for a long time. Meters well, good velocity and accuracy and clean burning. Accurate powders are also cheaper on average than Hodgdon powders. I've included the link for Western and Accurate powders below. I believe when you see the load data, you'll be impressed.

https://hodgdonpowderco.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/WesternPowdersHandloadingGuide8.0_WEB-1.pdf

Unique and 2400

I would have to say Unique for me, but it would be a compromise for covering the full range of loads from .38 Special target to full snot .357. Give me some Bullseye and 2400 to round things out (or their near equivalents).

CFE Pistol will do anything Unique will do and a little more if needed.

I've ran it from about 12,000 cup to 30,000 psi..

It won't be the fastest, but it can leaned on, more so than Unique.

Good to know, if and when my powder bunker full of "traditional" powders runs dry, which shouldn't happen until I'm too decrepit to shoot anymore!

I've been using Ramshot True Blue everywhere I used to use Unique and it's proven to be a very satisfactory replacement. It's a fine ball powder that measures very accurately, doesn't leave a lot of soot on the firearm from low to top end loads and has given extremely good accuracy in every revolver I've tried it in, from 750-800 fps .38 loads up to 1100+ fps .357 loads. I've pretty much settled on Win 231 and True Blue for all of my .38 and .357 loads these days.

The nice thing here is that there are several good powders in that intermediate range that will all work well for what you're asking, as can be seen by the reports here.


Still have one each open containers of 2400 and 296 on the shelf but I shoot so few full power loads these days that those partial pounds will likely be a true lifetime supply for me.

I don't know what your definition of, "acceptable general performance" is, but to throw another powder into the mix, Trail Boss checks the other boxes you mention. I've never shot it out of a rifle, but from my snub nose .357 to 4 5/8" Vaquero, it works great. With a 158gr RNFP shooting point of aim out to the end of my indoor range (in my Vaquero), that's acceptable general performance to me. I would also throw Bullseye into the mix because of how well my .38 Special likes that powder with the 148gr wadcutter.

Try to find any Trail boss.lately?