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125-gr, 38 spl loads. RANGE REPORT

Colonel PlinkColonel Plink Member Posts: 16,460
edited October 2009 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
I went with the 231. I worked up to, then settled on 4.5 grains. Accuracy was decent, recoil mild and when this can is gone, I'll never run that filthy stuff thourgh my beloved S&W's again. [8D] Damn, that's dirty powder!

Thanks again for all the help
I'm looking for some experience.

I've only got Unique and 231 in any kind of quantity, but here's the problem. The 2 books I rely on heavily (a Speer from 1998 and a Lee from 2004) are all over the board with those two powders, using a 125-gr jacketed bullet.

One shows a Do Not Reduce load that equals a +P load in the other.

Please don't suggest any other powders, I'm looking specifically for your experience using Unique and 231, in 38 spl (not +P) pushing a 125-grain jacketed bullet.
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Comments

  • reloader44magreloader44mag Member Posts: 18,783 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I don't load that grain bullet in 38spl...but I will give you starting and max(non +p) recommendationas from the Lyman 48th Edition reloading handbook, using a Hornaday 125gr JHP (#35710) with a OAL of 1.470. Unique 4.0gr starting.. Unique 6.0gr max.... 231 3.9gr starting...231 5.1gr. max....the manual does not list a +p load with Unique...but it does list a +P load for 231...that would be 5.4grs of 231....pushing the bullet mentioned above....hope this helps...reloader44mag
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  • Colonel PlinkColonel Plink Member Posts: 16,460
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by reloader44mag
    I don't load that grain bullet in 38spl...but I will give you starting and max(non +p) recommendationas from the Lyman 48th Edition reloading handbook, using a Hornaday 125gr JHP (#35710) with a OAL of 1.470. Unique 4.0gr starting.. Unique 6.0gr max.... 231 3.9gr starting...231 5.1gr. max....the manual does not list a +p load with Unique...but it does list a +P load for 231...that would be 5.4grs of 231....pushing the bullet mentioned above....hope this helps...reloader44mag

    You.
    Da.
    Man.
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  • haroldchrismeyerharoldchrismeyer Member Posts: 2,213 ✭
    edited November -1
    The Hodgdon site, which now supplies the data from Winchester says starting load is 4.3 of 231, and max is 4.9 of 231. This is for 38 special, not +p. They don't list a load with 231 for +p.

    Here is their website http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp
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  • Colonel PlinkColonel Plink Member Posts: 16,460
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by haroldchrismeyer
    The Hodgdon site, which now supplies the data from Winchester says starting load is 4.3 of 231, and max is 4.9 of 231. This is for 38 special, not +p. They don't list a load with 231 for +p.

    Here is their website http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

    Thanks for the link.

    I appreciate all the help, guys.
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  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    From my loading records it looks like I was driving the 125 JHP in a 38 case with 5.5 grains of Unique. It was not considered +P 25 years ago.
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  • Colonel PlinkColonel Plink Member Posts: 16,460
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by bpost1958
    From my loading records it looks like I was driving the 125 JHP in a 38 case with 5.5 grains of Unique. It was not considered +P 25 years ago.

    You oughtta see what the 1960's-era Hornaday book I have allows. It's ove six grains of Unique. I guess, back in the day, everything was "+P"
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