.38 125g Softpoint

[battleop]

I found a bag of .38 125g soft point bullets in my father-in-law's shop.  He wasn't a reloader but it's in stuff that came from his best friend when he passed away 15 years ago so even when my father-in-law was alive he would not have known what they were.  

 

I don't know who makes them so I'm making some guesses at finding load data for these.   Visually they look exactly like this bullet.  http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1601195913/remington-bullets-38-caliber-357-diameter-125-grain-jacketed-soft-point

 

Should I use copper data or lead data for these?  Should I use starting data out of the Hornady Manual for a 125g bullet since that's my closest weight match?  I'm not looking to get anywhere near max pressure, I'm looking for a decent target/plinking load for one of my Pythons. 

[Dolomite_supafly]

Load it by weight and NEVER start out at the max recipe. I normally take the minimum and maximum and average them and use that as the starting load.

[Jonnin]

soft points usually use copper data.  The copper is what will go down the barrel, usually the soft point is narrower and inside the friction.  So you use the copper data.

 

IMHO if you use data for something the same weight and if you can approximate shape,  and use the lightest load for that, it should be fine. 

 

are you loading it as 38 or 357??

 

38 in a 357 will be safe unless you go way, way off the deep end.  

if making 357s, just use like 85% or so of a copper 125gr starting load and work up or down until it hits where you want and feels good.  Theres tons of room to play in a revolver, all it has to do is exit the barrel and hit where you aim on the light side.   On the heavy side, you said you were not going there, and I wouldn't.  Light bullets and hot loads are hard on the gun.

[battleop]

"Load it by weight and NEVER start out at the max recipe"

For what I'm loading I usually end up a little shy between the low and high point.


"are you loading it as 38 or 357??"

I usually load .38 data in .357 brass so it does not create a ring in the cylinder that can be a pain in the ass to clean.

[Dolomite_supafly]

"Load it by weight and NEVER start out at the max recipe"

For what I'm loading I usually end up a little shy between the low and high point.


"are you loading it as 38 or 357??"

I usually load .38 data in .357 brass so it does not create a ring in the cylinder that can be a pain in the ass to clean.

Be aware your velocities might not be as high when using 357 magnum brass for 38 special loads. More case capacity generally reduces the pressures and it is the pressure that determines velocity.

[Jonnin]

I usually load .38 data in .357 brass so it does not create a ring in the cylinder that can be a pain in the ass to clean.

 

Doing this, whatever you cook up should be safe.  If you seat them like wadcutters they will be approximately actual 38s of that data, but this may have some other effect on accuracy or something that I am unaware of.  Ive only shot a few of those, when a 357 sneaked into my 38 brass pile.

 

Edit, mixed threads.

Edited July 19, 2015 by Jonnin