Light load

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  • Last Post 20 February 2015
dcrane 33 posted this 19 February 2015

Hi everyone. Can anyone recommend a light load for my S&W 642. Right now I've been using a cast 158g RN with 3.4g of Red Dot. Little bit of a kick. Would like something lighter so the wife enjoys shooting it. I have a mold for a 105g bullet, but will that matter. When I look in the load manuals, what numbers would help me determine less felt recoil. Velocity? Pressure? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

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giorgio de galleani posted this 19 February 2015

Cowboy Action shooters ose 357 revolvers and 130 grs bullet to have less recoil.

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Bud Hyett posted this 20 February 2015

My light .38 Special target load was always 2.7 grains Bullseye with a 148 grain semi-wadcutter. That was because I had the 148 grain plain base semi-wadcutter mold. Energy equals mass times velocity squared; cut back on velocity first for lessened recoil. You can go too light on velocity and not stabilize the bullet. This load will give you a baseline for testing.

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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RicinYakima posted this 20 February 2015

Recoil is usually calculated as total mass of ejected material times velocity. So, reducing weight of bullet is the most bang for the buck. I shoot lots of Cramer/Lyman 105 grain WC's from 38's. I like 2.7 grains of Bullseye with the bullet seated below the case mouth by 1/4 inch. Ric

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 20 February 2015

also a nice shooting glove might help to spread the recoil to her hand, and of course any weight you could add to the gun. also a really good set of shooter's ear muffs ... muzzle blast can seem like more recoil.

ken

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dcrane 33 posted this 20 February 2015

Great help everyone. Will try all your recommendations. Thanks

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rockquarry posted this 20 February 2015

I shoot the snub nose .38s a good bit and I understand that even the wadcutter target loads have more recoil than some can tolerate for prolonged shooting.

Recently I was given some commercial cast 93 gr. roundnose .358” bullets. I regularly shoot 160 grain SWC in all my .38 Special handguns and expected very poor accuracy with these light bullets. Loading them with 3.5 grs. Bullseye, I was quite surprised with both the good accuracy and significant recoil reduction compared with my regular loads. Muzzle velocity from a 2” barrel would probably be around 800-850 fps.

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pat i. posted this 20 February 2015

I was using Lees 105 gr 9mm bullet with 2 grains of Bullseye in my 642 when letting a female friend of mine get used to shooting.

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Notlwonk posted this 20 February 2015

I've been loading some with 115 gr. plated 9mm bullets. They run about .002” undersize for the 38 but shouldn't be a problem for a moderate amount of shooting.  

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 20 February 2015

i forgot to mention to try round balls ... gotta be the ultimate light load / confidence builder. heck a gal could even help ” reload ” her own ammo at the range !! a lee primer tool, a finger pinch of bullseye and a pencil to seat the ball !! i started my 13 yr-old daughter that way with a 44 mag ... and they can be accurate Enough !!

ken

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