Load data for .38WCF caliber pistol

[Buck Stinson]

What hand load do you use for your USFA .38-40?  I'll be using a standard hard cast 180 grain bullet.  I'm looking for accuracy.  Powders, charges, velocity and groups would be helpfull.  Not interested in high performance loads, but I'm not looking for wimp SASS loads either.

[Tascosa Joe]

Unique works well.  Mike Venturino wrote a pretty good article on the 38-40 in Handloader several issues back.  I use 7.8 and it shoots real nice in both by SA and my 92 out to 80 yards or so.

[August]

Well, since you do not want to be wimpy, fill the case with FF Goex, seat the bullet to compress the powder, rock and roll.

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[Buck Stinson]

August,
I don't load blackpowder in my pistol ammo much anymore.  When I do, I use FFF Goex or Elephant and yes, it is fun to shoot.  however, I should have mentioned that I'm interested only in smokeless loads and in particular something with W-231.  Trailboss works very well in my .44-40 and I'll use that in the .38-40 also, but I have some great rifle loads for both calibers using W231, but nothing for the .38-40 pistol.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Buck;  Have you tried your rifle loads in your revolvers?  In some cases loads will work well in both rifle & pistol.

[August]

I'm using Trailboss in my 38-40 for Wild Bunch rifle loads.  It works great.

I won't tell you the load, though, for fear of being called wimpy or warthog or some other thing.  The loads do exceed the required power factor, however.

I owned my rifle for many years and never shot smokeless out of it until I got involved in Wild Bunch.  I felt dirty and ashamed to put anything through it other than gunpowder.  But, I've come to terms with it.

Trailboss burns clean and efficiently.  I like it.

Hodgdon's website will provide you with loads.

[Buck Stinson]

I just wanted to say thanks for the info I received in answer to my post.  After working up various loads and powder charges, I have settled on 8 grains of Unique.  It works extremely well in my new shooter, with exceptional accuracy.  This is not a wimp load, yet very comfortable to shoot.  Shooting off hand, I can put 5 rounds inside a 2" circle at 40 ft.  Titegroup was the next best, with Trailboss nearly the same as the Titegroup.

[August]

Sounds like it's on the wimpy side of things.

[Buck Stinson]

I've been shooting big bore single actions for nearly fifty years and high-vel loads don't impress me.  I don't plan to hunt elk with this pistol and with the groups I'm getting at the distances I'm shooting, it will work just fine on coyotes, skunks and gophers.

[Tascosa Joe]

8.0 gr of Unique is pushing a 180 gr over 900 ft per sec.  That is not particularly wimpy. 

[Buck Stinson]

Joe is correct.  In fact, on a chronograph John Taffin measured the 180 grain hard cast with 8 grains of Unique at just over 1000 FPS, when  fired from a 4 3/4" SA.  I agree that this is a very mild load for an 1892 Winchester, but in a short gun it works very well.  I actually use 11 grains of Unique in my 1892 Winchester .38WCF carbine.