Go to Powder for 38 Special +P and 357 Magnum

I'm new to reloading and want to start in the right place.

Is there a go to powder that can be used for both 38 Special +P loads and 357 Magnum loads?

2400 is a good one. Doesn't get much better for the two you mentioned if you have to have only one powder.

I would recommend Universal or HP-38/W-231 for use in both cartridges. Either one of those would give you good all-round performance with 158gr bullets. ...But for magnum velocity in the 357mag you would need a slower powder like Accurate #9 or H-110/W-296. :shock: :shock:

...Jimbo

Go to powder? Unique, Universal Clays, WW231. 2400 is waay tooo sloow for light 38 loads. The above recommended powders work across the spectrum.

A-Ro said:

I'm new to reloading and want to start in the right place.

Is there a go to powder that can be used for both 38 Special +P loads and 357 Magnum loads?

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I use Unique...its all Ive used so far for my 38/357 loads, and I love it.

I use 4.6 grains Unique with 158gr LRN bullets I load for range rounds and 7.5 grains Unique for self defense rounds with store bought jacketed bullets which ends up being a strong 38+p (so the wife can handle the recoil).

Been doing very well so far.

Unique is ideally suited for the usage described. It burns fast enough to work well across the full range of .38 special pressures (including +P), yet burns slow enough for loads well into the higher (but not maximum) pressure range for .357 magnum.

I'd use Herco.

My .357 gets fed W296 for full tilt 140 gr and up weights, and most any "shotgun" powder eg PB, Green Dot, 700X, 4756 etc has given me good service with 148 WCs and light bullets whether in .38 Spl or .357 cases. I especially like GD since I have a lot of it and it gives nice even velocities for slower loads in my .45LC as well.

JMHO, but the double base powders like Bullseye, Unique and 2400 contain nitroglycerin and burn at higher temperatures than single base powders. While they've all given fine service "in their day", there are plenty of even better (and cleaner) powders for most any application and I see no reason to use them anymore for no better reason than nostalgia.... :wink:

Again, JMHO..(And I confess to loading some H2400 under a 358156 now and then in Skeeter's honor :wink: )

Sam Summey said:

2400 is waay tooo sloow for light 38 loads.

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".38 +p" does not infer any "light 38". Unique would be my choice for that. The OP didn't ask about light loads.

2400 is not a "dirty" powder... :roll: and works as well now as it did for Skeeter. I'll stick with what has worked for years...

The bottom line is the OP needs to get a manual and try the different powders in his gun and find what works best in his personal firearm as they do tend to differ.

For your use I recommend Universal.

"But why, Tim?"

Because it, much like Unique, offers splendid accuracy with its +P capability in 38 Special, working well under any bullet weight or construction, yet still allows, much like Unique, a higher level of performance in the 357 Magnum case.
Without difficulty in metering or cleanliness.
It is available and economical.
A large body of safe published data exists.
It meters very well.
It burns cleanly without significant smoke or residue.

"Oh."

Bucks Owin said:

JMHO, but the double base powders like Bullseye, Unique and 2400 contain nitroglycerin and burn at higher temperatures than single base powders. While they've all given fine service "in their day", there are plenty of even better (and cleaner) powders for most any application and I see no reason to use them anymore for no better reason than nostalgia.... :wink:

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To each his own, I guess
Ive been using Unique for over a year and its hardly a problem as far as being 'clean' when loaded in proper amounts.
It was 'dirty' when I took the loading advice of an incompetent person on this forum last year and loaded WAY too light. I added a grain more and its been 'clean'...just as clean as anything Ive ever had to wipe off my guns before.

Theres an aweful lot of folks using Unique without a hitch and swearing by it to make it seem like its somehow substandard

For a single powder in the loading room I would have to go along with the popular choice of Unique.

In my not so humble opinion;

One should weigh powder charges that are listed as "maximum"....and even those that are close.

The specific powder one chooses should be after considering bullet weight, meaning that if maximum velocity is the goal, what works well with a 110-125 weight bullet, probably aint going to work as well with a 158-up bullet.

A guy can get by real well with Unique for most loads in most pistols/revolvers. On the other hand, if I was strictly loading heavyish bullets at max pressures/velocities, I'd pesonaly use 2400 because it'll get ya there with less stess on the gun.

There might be better powders out there...I dunno. What I do know is that I've used them two for 40 years with no complaints. In fact, they're all I use.

Allways-allways, follow the manual.

DGW

COR said:

Sam Summey said:

2400 is waay tooo sloow for light 38 loads.

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".38 +p" does not infer any "light 38". Unique would be my choice for that. The OP didn't ask about light loads.

2400 is not a "dirty" powder... :roll: and works as well now as it did for Skeeter. I'll stick with what has worked for years...

The bottom line is the OP needs to get a manual and try the different powders in his gun and find what works best in his personal firearm as they do tend to differ.

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Didn't say 2400 was "dirty" I was thinking UNQ. But at any rate, I fail to see the logic in using a powder that burns hotter (temp) at higher pressure to achieve the same velocity...(eg 2400 vs W296) But to each his own... :wink:
BTW, it's not hard to reach ".38+P" levels with Green Dot in a .357 and since this ain't the 30's and .357 cases aren't hard to come by like back then, I don't shoot many .38 Spl in my .357...

I don't know why folks seem to think Elmer & Skeeter would be adverse to using any newer powders and switching alliance if better results were achieved... :roll:

Hi,

I'm one of those guys who burns a lot of Unique, cuz it can be used for all my "most used" pistol ammo, some light "pop gun" cast loads in most of my rifles, and has sent a lot of shot flying in 12 and 20 ga loads. In other words, it's probably the most versatile powder I've found for MY uses.

For a long time, finding Universal (Universal Clays) as recommended by Weshoot2 wasn't all that easy in my neighborhood, but I did find a pound recently to try this coming Spring. If it is as versatile for the other uses as Unique, I might consider moving toward using more of it in the future...

Rick C

Rick Courtright said:

For a long time, finding Universal (Universal Clays) as recommended by Weshoot2 wasn't all that easy in my neighborhood, but I did find a pound recently to try this coming Spring. If it is as versatile for the other uses as Unique, I might consider moving toward using more of it in the future...

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Rick, I am sure you will like Universal it meters so good and as a bonus when shooting it you will find that it smells soooo good, like walking through an apple orchard in the fall, not that I ever have?

...Jimbo

Sam Summey said:

2400 is waay tooo sloow for light 38 loads.

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First ... 38 Special +P (as the OP requested) is not a 'light 38 load' .... it's a heavy 38 load, second .... 2400 was virtually MADE for 357 magnum. 2400 is certainly what I would recommend. If you're looking for real 357 magnum loads ... 2400 is a perfect do it all powder for 'heavy loads'.

If, as Sam mentions above ... you want 'light 38 loads', then Sam is absolutely correct ..... 2400 is NOT the powder that you want to use. You'd want to look into unique or 231 for light loads.

REV

Rick Courtright said:

Hi,

I'm one of those guys who burns a lot of Unique, cuz it can be used for all my "most used" pistol ammo, some light "pop gun" cast loads in most of my rifles, and has sent a lot of shot flying in 12 and 20 ga loads. In other words, it's probably the most versatile powder I've found for MY uses.

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Definitely agree.
I did a lot of research before I chose the powder I wanted to start with and it came down to Unique or Universal for being a well rounded, jack of all trades, sort of powder.
There may be more specialized powders, as someone may have pointed out, but why get into 17 different powders if ones like Universal or Unique do the job just fine.

For a long time, finding Universal (Universal Clays) as recommended by Weshoot2 wasn't all that easy in my neighborhood, but I did find a pound recently to try this coming Spring. If it is as versatile for the other uses as Unique, I might consider moving toward using more of it in the future...

Rick C

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Ive considered trying Universal, but so far Ive not seen it in stock here in town. Im betting someones buying it as soon as it hits the shelves at GM.

RugerSP101 said:

Ive considered trying Universal, but so far Ive not seen it in stock here in town. Im betting someones buying it as soon as it hits the shelves at GM.

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Hi,

LOL...

For a long time I thought Weshoot2 was "that guy" but he's always denied it. And since he's never misled us here, I trust his word's good on that subject, too!

When I was first introduced to Universal, it was for 20 ga use. Great stuff there! From there folks learned it's good for all kinds of stuff, so I'd guess Hodgdon's is just behind the curve w/ supply. If you don't mind getting enough to make the haz-mat fee bearable, I do see it showing up more frequently on the various online sites...

Rick C

Personally. titegroup has my accuracy interest, gonna try some soon....

But you'll never convince me to use 2400 over my beloved W296 in anything "full tilt" in .357, .44 mag or .45 Ruger...Never... IMO, 2400 is as obsolete as....well, "Obsolique" :shock:
But then I'm allowed... :wink: