.38 S&W top break loads

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    lseries

    Member
    Dec 11, 2011
    256
    Does anyone have any loads, preferably using Bullseye or Unique, for .38 S&W to be fired in a Smith & Wesson top break? (I wouldn't think of actually shooting a top break by a "lesser" manufacturer.)

    The gun has been pronounced healthy by an excellent gunsmith. The top break locks up tight and it times fine.

    I note that the loads in all the reloading manuals I have, including some going back more than 40 years, say they are for use only in solid-frame revolvers. The lightest load I can find, in the Lyman Handbook, 44th ed., lists 1.8 grains of Bullseye under a 158 grain round nose cast bullet.

    Any suggestions greatly appreciated!
     
    august1410

    august1410

    Marcas Registradas
    Apr 10, 2009
    22,562
    New Bern, NC
    lseries said:
    Does anyone have any loads, preferably using Bullseye or Unique, for .38 S&W to be fired in a Smith & Wesson top break? (I wouldn't think of actually shooting a top break by a "lesser" manufacturer.)

    The gun has been pronounced healthy by an excellent gunsmith. The top break locks up tight and it times fine.

    I note that the loads in all the reloading manuals I have, including some going back more than 40 years, say they are for use only in solid-frame revolvers. The lightest load I can find, in the Lyman Handbook, 44th ed., lists 1.8 grains of Bullseye under a 158 grain round nose cast bullet.

    Any suggestions greatly appreciated!
    Click to expand...

    I had a Harrington and Richardson from 1896 that shot just fine for a "lesser" manufacturer. It, too, was a .38 S&W. If properly maintained, any firearm of any age should operate just fine.
     
    wgttgw

    wgttgw

    Active Member
    Apr 10, 2011
    284
    Cambridge
    According to my notes I loaded 2 gr of bullseye and 3 gr of unique with a 150 gr SWC. I cast the bullet fairly soft and shot it unsized. My gun would have wanted them .360-.361 but I did not have a mold that dropped that. I cast them soft so the bullets could bump up to size when fired (at least that was the hope). Accuracy was OK given the limitations of the double action trigger of the top brakes and no leading. It was in an H&R top break. I say your 1.8 gr of bulleseye is pretty close for your 158gr bullets.
     
    DocAitch

    DocAitch

    Active Member
    Jun 22, 2011
    687
    North of Baltimore
    I have used unsized 140 gr bullets (tumbler coated with Liquid Alox) from Penn Bullet with ~2 gr W231.
    Pretty anemic but they measured .360" and were as accurate as the factory MagTech .38S&W. Felt about the same too.
    I was shooting an Enfield #2 top break(DAO).
    DocAitch
     
    John from MD

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,907
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I use 2.5 of Bulleseye behind a 148gn HBWC bullet. They shoot tight groups about 8 inches above POA at 21 feet from my H&R top breaks.

    The hollow base fills the bore which gives the great accuracy.

    John
     
    DocAitch

    DocAitch

    Active Member
    Jun 22, 2011
    687
    North of Baltimore
    John
    I had a near disaster with 2.5 gr of W231 under the same bullet.

    https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/527x361q90/375/dsc03070edited1it2.jpg
    https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/527x361q90/375/dsc03075edited1ng7.jpg
    https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/575x394q90/375/dsc03077edited1lo5.jpg

    I used these bullets figuring that they would expand to fill the bore, and the charge is a little under the listed max for a 145 gr bullet, but something about the geometry really raised the pressure.
    My experience with the 140 gr LFPRN was after this, and there were no problems.
    The revolver seems fine.
    DocAitch
     
    Pinecone

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    That type of separation is normally not an overcharge, but stretched cases.
     
    John from MD

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,907
    Socialist State of Maryland
    Your cracks appear to be from overworked brass. For my breaktops, I only neck size my cases and I only use them in one particular gun. The reason is that the chamber specs are all over the place and it saves overworking the brass.

    I shoot the same load in my .36 caliber 1851 Colt with a conversion cylinder. It too bulges the cases and also gets the neck size treatment.

    John
     
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