38 spl win 231 with berry 124gr FP data ??

[Rsadams]

Iam just starting to reload 38spl. I've been reloading for over a year now useing berry bullets in my 9mm no problem. But the reload data in the books,speer and hornady are way different. I will be reloading for a ruger for in 38 spl.

Any favorite plinker-practice loads useing 125gr FP berry bullet and win.231 powder? The cast data for 125gr lead round nose flat point from Winchester is 3.8 to max of 4.8. Just fyi..

 

[Shaggy357]

I have not used that bullet. I do have several 38 special loads with 4.0-4.5 grains of WW231 and a bulk 125gr bullet. They are quiet, mild, and accurate enough to keep the wife and kids happy. WCC cases, WSP primer, and the 231 are in about 500 rounds of my "Zombie Apocalypse" ammo I have vacuum packed for that day SHTF......

Good selection of components. You didn't say which Ruger. A 101 or short barrel BH would like the 4.0-4.5 grain loads....do a couple of steps up at 0.2 of a grain and see where your gun likes it best.

Steve

 

[Rsadams]

Sorry, a shorty ruger lcr for my wife's concealed carry.. Trying to make some plinkers for her to practice the double action trigger pull with. Thanks for your reply, I think iam gona try 4.2gr to start with. Thats what I load my 9mm plinkers at with a 124gr berry bullet.

 

[joshb]

I sure wish I could find some W231. Been looking for a year at the LGS's.

 

[Rsadams]

It's out there now.... Any one else got load data for berrys 125gr in 38 spl??? Thanks guys and gals..

 

[riflewoman]

Use starting loads. Hodgdon publishes 4.3 for Hornady 125 XTP at 840 Fps and 3.8 for cast SWC at 875 Fps. So if start with 4.0 and go from there.

 

[IrishJim]

Since you already have Berry’s plated bullets, you can load them the same as if you were using a lead bullet. See Berry’s frequently asked questions on their site. I have loaded down to 3.4 grains of W-231 in 38spl with a 124 bullet for a very soft firing load. You can certainly load a dozen at 4.2 grains as you stated, or at 3.8 grains to see how comfortable you and your wife are with them, then decrease by two-tenths of a grain until you find a level that you feel is best. Feel the level of the primers after you have fired them, and when you begin to feel them protrude from the primer pocket, you will know that is far enough, add back two-tenths and you are at a reliable minimum with your particular revolver. You will find that W-231 gets sooty at low volumes, but it is a fine graphite like soot that easily wipes off with a dry patch or cloth. The problem I have with plated in a revolver, is that you cannot properly roll-crimp them, in order to get the best combustion and accuracy. They do not have a crimp cannelure, so all you can do without ruining the thin plating is apply a mild taper-crimp as you would with a pistol. When looking to save money for plinking ammo, I much prefer lead for revolvers, and actually coated-lead has advantages in cleanliness of loading, firing, lack of smoke, and no leading of barrels. Have fun finding your 38spl load!

 

[Rsadams]

Thank you...

 

[Rsadams]

Just wanted to update this... With a load for win 231 and useing cast lead data the charge stated is 3.8 to 4.8.. I loaded them at 4.2 firing outa a Ruger lcr the bullets were flying half the speed of a 125gr blazer round. So slow they would penetrate a 4×4 1 inch and bounce back out the next round just stuck in the wood and I popped it out with a pocket knife..The fps out of the factory blazer was about 750 fps and my loads were about 430 fps..

I sure am glad I bought a crono. Now to step it up some. Iam just trying to find a nice practice round for my wife so the recoil isn't so rough,the light weight 13oz of the Ruger lcr has a pretty sharp recoil. All charges were double checked so I know they were 4.2 but Iam useing a s/b primer instead of cci becouse they are half the price. But Iam getting alot of what appears to be unburnt powder,Iam wondering if the s/b primer is weaker, they sure seem like it. Even my 9mm load seems softer with them over the cci primer. Will post again after I find a better load for anyone interested in loading for the short barrel lcr. As a matter of fact the 4.2 charge of win 231 is what I load my 9mm with 125gr berry bullet flying at 1028 fps. Just a accurate paper punching load.

 

[snert]

tighter taper crimp

 

[riflewoman]

Or roll crimp. Better for rimmed loads. But 430fps indicates poor burning.

 

[Buzz]

Are you using the .355/.356 124fp bullets that you're using in your 9mm?

If so, it may work depending how tight your bore is, but you're going to lose quite a bit of velocity. Velocity will also be lost because your sizing die is sizing down for a .357/.358 bullet so you're not getting much tension. A hard roll crimp will likely take care of it but those plated bullets don't like a roll crimp or really much of a crimp at all.

 

[Rsadams]

The crimp is tight but not to tight to deform the plating. I know at such a low fps the chance of walking is slim but I tried 1 round and left it last 6 times with 0 increase in coal. Just fyi to further thought...
And believe it or not outa that 13oz pistol it still had some recoil. Also I have loaded thousands of berry preferred bullets in 9mm without a single problem. I shoot between 5 and 10 thousand rounds a year so I been at this awhile. Iam 48 and an ex police sharp shooter many many years ago.
I just don't understand berrys in .38 with a cast lead load data at 3.8 to 4.8 and hornady or speer data in a fmj being way higher basically the max charge for lead would be the min. for a hornady fmj bullet. Just posting this for food for thought. If i was just shooting a hornady 125gr xtp it would be so simple I would just load 2 or 3 tenths off max and call it a day. But berrys no data BS is such a pain in the behind.lol. But I really like their bullets for paper. I live in a small town and drive 70 miles to get a box at cabelas becouse only in the last week my local academy started selling powder. And they want $40 for a brick of cci primers.. I don't think so...

 

[Rsadams]

Oh, sorry Iam not useing 9mm .356 Iam loading .38 bullets in . 357. Once again I could pay a bit more for hornady fmj But I like the berrys. There's just nothing out there on them info wise. I've spent a year getting the crimp right on them in 9mm and at 20 yards I can normally keep then in a 3 inch circle.(glock 19)

I know I just need to bump them up about 3 or 5 tenths and they will catch up to factory. Iam really wondering if the s/b primers are not lighting it off? Iam gone do some test over the crono and find out for sure. Once again thanks everyone on your time. Iam just gona see what's going on and post it for a little more data on berrys. I know the charge is light but I want to see if the primer problem is part of whats going wrong. Iam feeling pretty good about the crimp becouse I use WAY less in 9mm and don't have this problem. Any way thanks guys for reading...

 

[jonbearman]

If you use hard cast load data you are fine and the berrys can take more and if you call them they can help, speak to a bullet tech.

 

[Rsadams]

Just a update here...

Found out today that my lee FCD has the wrong crimp sleeve in it. I knew something was wrong with it , just wasn't crimping right even trying for a super light crimp with the berry bullets. Now I've got 50 more junkers to test with higher charge rates to try and compensate for the low velocity and not all the way burned left over powder I was getting. What a waste off time. Anyway lee is sending a new crimp sleeve to me so I guess I'll start over.

 

[joshb]

And I have an update: I found some 231!!!! Bought 2 lbs. they only had 3.

 

[Rsadams]

And I have an update: I found some 231!!!! Bought 2 lbs. they only had 3.

That's great!!! iam seeing it more and more, although they have repackaged it with a different label.. Happy shooting...

 

[joshb]

Yup! New label. I almost missed seeing it. When I realized what I was looking at, I almost dove over the counter.