First time loading for any pistol round. Loading for my dad, he just plinks, nothing competitive, paper, cans etc. Fun stuff.

I'm just looking for a powder to use. Going to use Flat Point copper plated target bullets.

I need to grab a manual for this round.

thanks

If you aren't trying for dragon-killer loads, grab a powder in the Unique/Universal burn range and load to about 1000fps.

Loading for revolvers is easier than rifles, but you do have to watch for double charges.

Unique, Universal or any of the other medium burning rate powders. It'll be hard to find a powder that doesn't work reasonably well. No need for one of the slower powders such as 2400 or H-110.

And those plated bullets can't be driven as fast as jacketed, it varies with the manufacturer but most aren't good beyond 1200 or so. And don't put a heavy crimp on them, it can cut the plating.

ok, definitely not trying to load hot rounds or dragon killer loads.

I found some FP bullets on bullets.com, 250/$18.

Would small pistol primers suffice, I had some given to me that are just laying around.

This stuff?

Alliant Powder Unique Smokeless Shotshell Powder (says on bottle, 'Good in all popular pistol calibers')

OR

Hodgdon Shotgun and Pistol Powders - Universal Clays

Yup, either one. Unique is my hands down favorite powder, you can find a good load for just about any handgun load from 9mm to 500 magnum. Some tout it as being dirty, and it can be especially with the lighter starter loads, but loaded up to where it burns well it isn't overly dirty and accuracy should be excellent. I've switched to Universal because I had trouble finding unique.

Unique with standard Sp primers.

great! thanks all.

I've been using Unique since the mid 60's & see no reason to change. It works great in so many calibers for mid range loads just using standard primers & a normal roll crimp. If you use a load like 5 grs of Unique you'll get 1400 loads out of 1 lb. of powder. Good luck with your new hobby.

Dick

You can make a .357 rock with WW296. But I like 6 grains of AA#5 for bullets around 158 grains in the .357. It pops pretty good without putting too much stress on the revolver. I used to use Unique for loads in that range, but AA#5 meters a lot better.

In fact, I shoot loads at about the same level in my .357's and my .38 SPL K frames. They're all about the same to me, although I keep my trusty old Ruger Service Six loaded up with full tilt Hornady factory .357 loads for repelling boarders. But for just casual recreational shooting I do up my .38's and .357's at about 950 fps with 158's with AA#5.

Don't forgit Red Dot powder. I've been loading up good plinkin' loads with that powder for a long time.

Add True Blue to the list of useful powders in the .357. 7.0 grains under a 158 SWC will get you around 950 to 1000 fps in a 6" barrel and burns cleanly. I keep a few pounds of it around for the 9mm so it serves a dual purpose.

W231 is another good powder. About 4.5 gr with a 158gr bullets.I think Universal is cleaner though. You can use the same load with Unique or Universal
I buy most of my cast bullets from Dardas Cast Bullets.He makes a good hard bullet and will size them a thousand or two oversize if needed

He also ships in the USPS Flat Rate boxes .About $13 for up o 70pounds

From Alliant's website:

During the latest review Alliant Powder discovered that Alliant Powder's Blue Dot® should not be used in the following applications:

Blue Dot® should NOT be used in the 357 Magnum load using the 125 grain projectile (Blue Dot® recipes with heavier bullet weights as specified in Alliant Powders Reloading Guide are acceptable for use).



You can basically choose any pistol or shotgun powder from 2400 on down for a plinking load. IMHO for best accuracy and to keep pressures down and risks of pressure spikes a medium burning rate powder is the best choice.

If you already have .357 brass, just follow the suggestions you've been given.

But, if dad just wants to plink, you can get used .38 Special brass for next to nothing, and you can choose from a plethora of soft loads at: http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol .

As for powder, I have had good luck with 231 and Clays for softer loads.

Good luck!

thanks for the assistance all.

He has some 357 brass already, but if I can find some 38 brass 'for next to nothing' for him, I'm sure he won't mind. I'll keep my eye out or if anyone has some to get rid of, let me know.

1. I see .38 Special brass out here in Washington state for about 4 cents per piece at the local gun show. Check your local gun show to what your market prices are. If you need help about your local market, send a PM to Grasshopper. He is a Michigan guy. I met up with him when I was out visiting family in Lansing. He picked me up in his Corvette and we drove around to gun stores and then had lunch. He is a good man. Ask him; he'll know.

2. Gunbroker is your friend (not your best friend, but a friend). While there is certainly demand for .38 brass, the supply is endless. It remains a very popular cartridge with the casual shooters. They don't reload, so their once-fired brass is collected and sold. Prices fluctuate. I just did a quick search, and the 6th result ( https://www.gunbroker.com/item/763400210 ) has a lot of 1000 for $40+&16 shipping=$56 (or 5.6 cents per piece). This lot of 500 is $31.50 shipped ( https://www.gunbroker.com/item/765715772 ). Anyway, if you pick through the ads, you'll undoubtedly find something that works for you.

3. Call a local range and ask if they sell brass. You might hit a deal there.

4. If you only need a couple hundred pieces, send me a PM. I'll mail them to you (tumbled, unsized range pick-ups from my club's indoor range). When you get them, look at the box for the shipping cost and then mail me a check for that amount. A USPS small flat rate box is about $7.00, but I have no idea how many pieces of brass it holds. For estimation sake, I know that 200 pieces of 38 brass fill up a small Cool Whip container, but I don't know how that compares to the box at the post office.

Whatever route you go, you'll do way better than buying new brass at 18 cents each.

Don’t see the need for 38 special brass. 4-5.5 grains Unique in a 357 mag case yields 38 special velocity with a 158.

It isn't an issue of "need." That's why I said to go with .357 brass if he already had it.

I was just pointing out an additional option that nobody had mentioned. In my area, it's not impossible to get .38 Special brass for cheap or even free (just pick through the brass bin at the range). If dad only wants plinking rounds, .38 Special rounds will get him there. And, you are correct--light .357 Mag loads will do him just as well. There are just more slow/poopy .38 Special loads available to choose from. The OP originally was talking about powder choices, and he'll get more powders to pick from with .38 loads that will keep him at the desired speeds.

Wade nailed it. I think last time I bought once fired 38 sp. brass I paid ~$50 for 2000 cases shipped in a USPS flat rate box. It works perfectly for plinking loads and since I have both 38's and 357's, works great for me. I rarely see once fired 357 brass, and it's much more expensive than 38 sp.

Waders.... sent you a PM.

I didn't realize there was much price difference between the two. Dad mentioned 357 so I went with it.

as for speed..... don't care really, just going to pick a light plinking load and let him go make some noise.



So, looks like 38 brass it will be with some Universal or Unique powder with small pistol primers.

It's about supply and price. In cowboy action shooting, .38 spec is a popular case in .357 revolvers.

Unique is clean if you burn it hot, dirty in low powered loads. Lots of CAS shooters like Clays. Am. Select is another good one and pretty clean.

I tested of a number of CAS powders, shooting low powered loads. Cleanest was Solo 1000. Clays was almost as clean. Tite Group has more flash but is clean.

As posted before, with light loads that don't fill the case, you gotta be careful not to double charge. Lot of choices, lot of good advice on this thread.

Check out cast bullets for CAS. Those guys know a lot about plinking type loads for .38 spec.

DF

That's no joke--those guys have it dialed in. They'll probably have loads that barely spit out of a 4" barrel that will stick in a 6" barrel!

You been there...

DF

Hard to beat this advice.

I started with this advice in 1974 and still use Unique and cast bullets. Also use a lot of HP-38.

Over the years we tried Bulls Eye, P-5066,Universal, Herco, Red Dot, 700X, SR4756,2400.and HP-38/WW231.
Some Meter better but any medium pistol powder will work well.

If you want to keep it clean and load less than mid range "hot", try HS-6.

In my 357 mag rifles Hodgon Lil'Gun provides some of the best loads, burns clean and provides some of the top velocities with lower pressures (according to Factory info). It does great in pistols also.

Steve.........

Started loading the .357 in the KISS mode. Had some 158gr Montana Gold HP, some Blue Dot, Power Pistol, and H110. Ended up loading a bunch to shoot with 10gr Blue Dot. Trooper MkIII and recoil weren't bad at all. Wasn't shooting groups and didn't bring a chrono. But SWAGing sight adjustment then blasting whatever was on the berm was quite fun. Daughter shot some as well and had a big grin. Same logic and used 15gr Blue dot with a Nosler 240 in a 629 Factory Comp. Daughter really grinned on this one. Was a bunch of fun. Blue dot seems a little dirty but sure works.

Titegroup is great if you just want standard loads but it's so dense and requires so little powder that you could easily double charge a case. A double charge would be catastrophic. Its charges are so small you could actually fit 3-4 charges in many cases and definitely damage or kill yourself if you fired one of those. I used to always run 7g of titegroup with a 200g cast as a light load in my 44s but I had to be very careful on the progressive.

Bb

Late to the show, but I'll opine nonetheless.

1) I used to shoot 38 SPL, but when I got into reloading, I opted for 357 Mag brass and 38 SPL loads. The brass lasts forever. I use Starline brass for my EDC and use 1-fired from Gunbroker for my plinking loads.

2) Universal is cleaner than Unique. I switched to Hodgdon Universal about a decade ago, and was so glad I did. Some folks say they can't get the same velocities with it-- Unique is the faster of the two. At practice load levels, it makes no difference.

3) If you're using a progressive, I use Universal. For single-stage loading I use Titegroup. You can make a pound of it go farther. However, you use so little per round that a Progressive has a hard time sensing no powder or double powder conditions.