Recommend Me A Load For 38 Special With 141gr WC / Win231

[1tfl]

I need some recommendation for 38 Special load using 141gr DEWC and Winchester 231 powder that will get me about 750 fps from 2" barrel or 825 from 4" barrel.

I did some trading last few days and I ended up with over 20k pieces of 141gr DEWC cast bullets (from Lee mold) sized to 0.358" and 16 pounds of Winchester 231 powder. Got some 38/357 Special dies too.

I have been loading 45ACP for many years but never loaded 38 Special except just few practice runs. I want to use these cast bullets and powder to come up with a load that can be used in my snub nose revolvers and service size revolvers. I don't want wimppy loads so I want to try to reach about 750 fps from 2" barrel and about 825 fps from 4" barrel which should be possible without going up to +P pressure.

All my reading this weekend seems to suggest loading 4.2gr of 231 with this cast bullet. Does that seem about right?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Sevens]

An old Winchester book I have suggests anything from 3.1 to 3.6 grains of W231 for a 148 grain wadcutter and says it's 800-900 FPS. Given that your bullet is touch lighter, I'd say 4.0 to 4.2 is a fine place to start. The same guide suggests 5.6 grains of W231 for a 125-grain JHP producing +P pressures.

 

[Jim Watson]

That would be a good place to start. You might have to work up to what was once known as the full power wadcutter. Most current data is for mid-range wadcutters at 750 fps tops.
Check a Lyman manual, it has loads for cast wadcutters a good deal heavier than most places show for soft swaged HBWC.