.38 Spec. 148 BNWC load data needed!

Is anyone shooting these .38 148's from Brizos in a Model 15 S&W?

If so if you would share your load data I would greatly appreciate it!

I've tried Bullseye, WST, 231, Tight Group, and True Blue with both lead and coated and can't even get them in the black yet at 25 yds.



Thanks!

How does it shoot with factory match ammo?

And what are the charges for each powder you’ve tried?

I found some 148 HBWC with 2.4 Red Dot I had loaded a long time ago and they are X ring. Red Dot would be my next "experiment".

I was shooting basically the same projectile from Dardas with 2.8 231 and they were at least ten ring. Also 3.9 231 with 158 LRN shoot very well. Just about anything I've tried with 148 HBWC have been good.  

I just figured I could come up with something usable to practice with using these and just use the HBWC when I needed to. (I should just stop thinking...)

2.8 231 and 3.0 321
2.7 WST 
2.8 BE
I forget what the TG was, but I've never been a TG fan and just had a pound I bought for something else.
True Blue was 3.6, 3.8, and 4.0 just because I had some.

There were other charges I tried, but something should have at least grouped in the black...

3.1 ww231

Do you like 'em like this, or just pushed in up to the crimp groove?

I tried both in the above "testing".




Thank you for the assistance!!

I like them that way for speedloaders

I haven't tried the Brazos version of that bullet but the Dardus one for me was very crimp sensitive, I had to use barely any crimp at all and I had some lead just proud of the case.  It's been a while but that is what I remember.  I don't remember the exact load but it was with CLAYS.
- Dave

Looking at your sample round I would concur with Dronning that you might be crimping a bit much.

That's interesting. I reload quite a bit of 9mm, .40, and .45 using coated and lead and have never crimped any of it. Only removed the slight bell from the case mouth. I started reading on here about what I would consider very heavy crimps and just matched the crimp that was on some Remington "Target Master" or whatever the factory 148 HBWC is called, as well as some other 148 HBWC that someone gave me from Georgia Arms that shoot pretty well.

I was heading toward Clays as well, as it's what I have always used for .45 ACP LSWC, as I have plenty of the original Austrailian made stuff.

Thinking back though, I've seen a number of people struggle trying to make 9mm 147 coated projectiles work, only to find that any crimp at all would cause accuracy issues.

Thanks for the info!

I've got some work to do now!

What pistol are you shooting?
Jon

With the bevel base wadcutters I have upped the powder charge a bit, on a lark I finished off a can of Unique and with a 148 grain bbwc and 4.1 grains of Unique they shot much better than the same bullet with 3 grains of Bullseye.  This was in my S&W model 27 with a 5 inch barrel.  In both loads I use a roll crimp and try to make they match the Rem factory bullets.  

Good luck and have a good memorial day.

Jon,

S&W Model 15

Unique is another powder I have that doesn't have a use. I'd be fine with using up some of those powders that aren't being used for anything else. Green Dot is another.

I'll start with Jim's 231 suggestion this afternoon and play with crimp a bit as well and see how it goes, and then maybe tinker with some other powders.

Thanks for all of the suggestions!

It's just a "fun gun" as I put an Ultradot on it and shoot it in DA to work on trigger control. It's a good tune up!

I tried the Unique because I had it and like DA/SA did not have a use for it and I hate to toss perfectly good flaming dirt.

Try 3.0 to 3.2 Green Dot, 3.5-3.9 Unique. I used the 3.5 Unique in my 0ython and it shot very well. And Ken Waters found 3.0 Green Dot to be the best load for 2 out of 4 pistols and se nod best in one when he did a 38 Special Wadcutter article in the October 1976 issue of Handloader magazine.

troystaten wrote: and I hate to toss perfectly good flaming dirt.

LOL!

Thanks, Wobbley!

Solid base WC you need to push faster . 2.8grs - 3.5grs BE , 2.9 - 3.5grs N-320 , 3.6 - 4.0 grs N-340 , 3.3 - 3.7grs WST , 2.7 - 3.4grs 700X , 2.8 - 3.3grs AA #2 , 3.5 - 4.2grs W231 , 3.5 - 4.2grs Unique .

boatbum101 wrote:Solid base WC you need to push faster . 2.8grs - 3.5grs BE , 2.9 - 3.5grs N-320 , 3.6 - 4.0 grs N-340 , 3.3 - 3.7grs WST , 2.7 - 3.4grs 700X , 2.8 - 3.3grs AA #2 , 3.5 - 4.2grs W231 , 3.5 - 4.2grs Unique .

Those look like .45 loads, not 38 special loads!!!

No I assure you they're 38 special . Data is Lymans . Have recently shot the above BE , WST , W231 & 700X . Gun was a Colt OMM . Starline cases , Fiocchi SP std primer , Brazos 148 BNWC , OAL 1.360" , taper crimp .369 . My gun shows a preferance for WST , BE was a close second .

Greetings,

Wear safety glasses if you plan to shoot those stiff loads in a "bottom feeder" (1911 or M52)

You will soon start to "blow the heads off" which, in turn, removes the left grip, if right handed.

How do I know this?

Cheers,

Dave

Graduate of the School of Hard Knocks 1982

Forgot to mention I for a 148 grain cast non hbwc I used 4.1 grains of Unique and it worked well in my model 27

Greetings,

Revolver fully supports the case head.

Bottom feeder barrels have that open area for the feed ramp.

Caveat! Some 1911 barrels have integral feed ramps that fully support the case head.

Cheers,

Dave

Rather hard to blow the head off a solid base bullet . OP asked about the Brazos BNWC & stated he was shooting a revolver . FWIW I'd stick with the swaged HBWC pushed soft in a semi-auto . The Zero HBWC over your favorite charge of BE , WST , W231 or 700X will work just fine .