Anyone that wouldn't hesitate to own a 9mm K-frame or larger revolver but doesn't think a 38 Special can't surpass it at less pressure don't apparently know how to go about things. I wouldn't load it to 357 levels, but theres a a ton of "room" people just don't equate with the 38 for some reason.
Staying away from old school Winchester cases or new Remington cases helps. And "Blazer" cases may look like Federal or Speer cases, but they aren't.
FWIW, Sierra VI edition lists a 1,200 fps. 158gr. JACKETED load fired from a 5.6 inch barrel with 2400 and two other powders at 1,150. 170 gr loads clock 1,100. These are 38 +P rated loads, meaning they are under 20,000PSI and CUP, a long ways and a lot of safety margin compared to a 9mm that's been chambered in the same/similar revolvers.
Throw in lead slugs and the speeds with the same powder charges get quicker.....
Personally I think the 173 Keith or a 180 dual crimp LBT at 1100-1150 does a whole lot of work with a lot of accuracy and its on the heels of a 357 without as much fuss and way beyond the 9mm with far less pressure than either.
What Hawk wrote is quite true.
The naysayers with this stuff "Based on my reloading manuals and online loads I gotta raise the BS flag on that" just makes me shake my head.
What they are saying is that they have zero personal experience. They are simply reading stuff online and guessing, but they feel qualified to question someone's honesty who has actually put in the work and developed the loads. In the case of custom manufacturers that tends to be some rather
extensive research and development.
But hey if the armchair expert says based on his online research it can't be done, then that trumps the people who actually do it for a living.
The funny thing is that in the case of the +P .38 SWC Poly-Coat I referenced above, there was room to go faster, and attain more velocity, and in fact I did with some T&E loads. But due to the fact that there are some people who may put it in a gun that is not mechanically sound, I settled on the velocity window I did, in addition to the fact that it showed excellent accuracy. There is always a sweet spot, and that was it.
People forget (or don't know) that there are modern propellants (cannister powders) that are not available to the general public. When they are trying to guess and make assumptions about what a manufacturer is using, they are quite often/usually wrong.
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/spvuu3Tl.jpg)
Jacketed, hard cast, and poly-coated projectiles all will give different velocities when pushed with the same powder charge. That is a fact that is lost or simply unknown to a good many.
That is called a "Clue"..
