Keith .38 load Question

[paulg]

Would this be safe to shoot in an SP101 in .38 special only?

".38 SPECIAL: For use in heavy-framed guns which today exist only as .357 Magnums, the Keith Lyman 173 grain bullet #358429 over 13.5 grains of #2400 with .38 Special brass. This load goes over 1400 fps. from my 8 3/8" Model 27 and is the most accurate load I have found for it. It will still go 1200+ fps. from a 3 1/2" Model 27 and makes an excellent small game load and defensive load."

If not what is a good starting point for this bullet? Or is it a waste of time in the SP?

[2 Dogs]

Reduce it by 2 grains and work up. Only your sixgun can tell you what's safe.

[paulg]

Jan 29, 2017 11:01:52 GMT -5 2 Dogs said:

Reduce it by 2 grains and work up. Only your sixgun can tell you what's safe.

Thanks Fermin. What are signs to look for before the little Ruger says up yours, I've had enough?!

[2 Dogs]

Well, There are a number of ways people look for pressure. Look at your brass. Compare a fired +P case to a standard load case. Look at the primer and see how the +P is flatter than the other. You can measure your case head expansion with a micrometer as well. Some people load a single case over and over to see how long it lasts before the primer pocket tension gives up. Obviously if your primer is flowing back into the firing pin hole or your cases are setting back against the recoil shield so hard the gun is tying up, you are WAY too hot. There is also sticky extraction and split cases to to tell you that the load is too hot.
Ruger builds the SP101 in .357 Magnum, so Im quite sure the 38 special version is pretty tough. Still, there is no sense in loading a bunch of ammuntion without testing it.

[paulg]

Thanks again! I guess this is remedial information but I've never loaded this Keith load for anything other than my old Vaquero in .357. Sending you a pm.

[dougader]

The only danger is accidentally dropping a hot 357 that's in 38 Spl brass into a weaker 38 pistol. I have no 38 revolvers and every box of 38 brass so loaded is marked all over, inside flaps and all, with danger signs warning against using those handloads in anything except 357 guns.

[JM]

I've heard of someone coloring the base of the brass red on their heavy loads. Can't recall if they used fingernail polish, or some other form of paint.

What about using nickel plated brass for one level of loads & brass for another?

[paulg]

The SP101 in .38 special is the same gun as the .357 just with a shorter cylinder so Keith's load should be ok but like Fermin said I'll back it off 2 grains and see what happens. And being it's a 5 shooter there's plenty of steel around each chamber.

[Fowler]

I personally don't shoot the classic 173gr Keith in anything but full keith level loads. That way I don't mistake it for milder loads, I figure if I'm going to shoot the heavy then I'm going to run it hard. I have lots of other, lighter bullets for mild loads.

[Deleted]

Is your cylinder long enough to chamber a Keith 38? I have shot the Keith 38 in a 357 mag J frame. Only once, one shot. Never again.

[dmize]

I use paint markers on my rounds. Red are Ruger/Marlin only. Green is Colt/Schofield/Rolling block/S$W.

[ezekiel38]

I load for a Colt DS in 38s and an airweight J frame. I use brass colored brass for standard pressure loads. I use nickel plated brass for +Ps. Mark the boxes accordingly. Do the same wih 44 Special and 44 Mag. Don't load a +P 44 Mag, the nickel cases tell me it's a 240-250 grain load at 1,200fps. The other brass 44s are 800 to 1K fps.

Easy to identify. 45 ACP has no +ps. 9mm +P loads are all factory. I don't load 9mm.

[ChiefTJS]

I was having a hard time keeping loads straight several years ago. My solution was to go out and buy one RED plastic ammo box for each caliber I load for and that is where hot loads go. Makes my life easy and easy is good for me.