Hot .38 Special with H110?

[CraigC]

Why not? It's no different than loading anything else at a heavier level than industry standards. Like "Ruger only" .45Colt. The .38-44 loads will do all I'll ever need from a .357" bore. So I did not hesitate to buy a USFA .38Spl and load it with .38-44 loads, rather than another maker's .357. There is simply no technical reason not to, if the guns and the brass can handle it.

 

[Rugerbilly]

Actually, the reaction of my 50th Anniversary Blackhawk firing those "hot" .38 Special reloads of CCI550 magnum primer, 125 gr. XTP bullet, and 14.5 gr Alliant 2400 was not very much different than that which I receive from factory .357 ammunition that I fired at that same firing range session. My Blackhawk recoiled somewhat with those handloads, which it does not do with standard .38 Special handloads. Of course, the .357 Magnum is not what one would call a hard-bucking caliber, either. As we all know well, a .44 Mag, or even a Ruger only .45 Colt handload recoils harder than does a .357.

In hindsight, there is no reason to hotrod .38 Special +P handloads any more than with 14.5 grains of 2400 for a 125 grain bullet, or 13.5 gr with a 158 gr. Hodgedon H110 is not a good idea in a .38 Special, and that is evidently why reloading data is nonexistent.

Thanks for all the helpful discussion, boys.