Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .38-45 ACP with .357 | 125gr | Speer JSP bullet and 50 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Alliant Herco, Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol and Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star.
Important Notice: DO NOT go below Minimum Charge or above Maximum Charge. Since we have no control over the equipment and components used, any responsibility and liability for the results achieved is rejected.
Only powders/loads that match the current filter criteria are displayed: max pressure of a load ≤ 90% of max. standardized pressure, fill rate ≥ 60% and propellant combustion ≥ 80%. Use the sliders above the tables to adjust these thresholds.
Charge: Powder weight in grains. Start with the minimum load and work up carefully.
FR (Fill Rate): Case fill as a percentage. Values above 100% mean compressed loads.
MaxP / %: Maximum chamber pressure in bar and as a percentage of the standardized maximum for this caliber.
V(0): Muzzle velocity in feet per second (fps) at the standardized barrel length.
z (Powder Burn): Estimated propellant combustion percentage at bullet exit.
A valid access license is required to use the Personalized Load Calculator.
You can find more information in our FAQ: How can I use the Personalized Load Calculator?
Max Load - Barrel Length: 5"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 2² | <<locked>> | 68% | 28,007 psi | 82% | 1289 fps | 99.9% |
| Accurate Solo 1000² | <<locked>> | 68% | 28,340 psi | 83% | 1207 fps | 100% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 76% | 30,589 psi | 90% | 1299 fps | 100% |
| ADI AP 100* | <<locked>> | 92% | 30,008 psi | 88% | 1391 fps | 94.4% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 68% | 30,835 psi | 90% | 1132 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 68% | 29,733 psi | 87% | 1152 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 72% | 30,661 psi | 90% | 1211 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 50N² | <<locked>> | 68% | 30,066 psi | 88% | 1247 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 72% | 28,616 psi | 84% | 1260 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BULLSEYE² | <<locked>> | 64% | 28,297 psi | 83% | 1322 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 72% | 30,472 psi | 89% | 1257 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco | <<locked>> | 88% | 28,572 psi | 84% | 1332 fps | 100% |
| Alliant POWER PISTOL*² | <<locked>> | 76% | 30,226 psi | 89% | 1434 fps | 93.7% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 72% | 29,472 psi | 86% | 1214 fps | 100% |
| Alliant UNIQUE² | <<locked>> | 76% | 29,936 psi | 88% | 1358 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 72% | 30,545 psi | 90% | 1247 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol | <<locked>> | 88% | 28,863 psi | 85% | 1237 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 103 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 68% | 30,400 psi | 89% | 1263 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 76% | 29,196 psi | 86% | 1145 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 15,751 psi | 46% | 968 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Universal² | <<locked>> | 68% | 29,124 psi | 85% | 1289 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S020² | <<locked>> | 68% | 29,385 psi | 86% | 1312 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 76% | 28,166 psi | 83% | 1260 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 76% | 30,589 psi | 90% | 1299 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 72% | 28,761 psi | 84% | 1243 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 68% | 28,645 psi | 84% | 1224 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 5² | <<locked>> | 64% | 28,776 psi | 84% | 1175 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 12² | <<locked>> | 64% | 29,602 psi | 87% | 1270 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 14,359 psi | 42% | 965 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20² | <<locked>> | 76% | 28,921 psi | 85% | 1342 fps | 100% |
| Rottweil P 806 | <<locked>> | 84% | 28,761 psi | 84% | 1440 fps | 97.7% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 76% | 28,355 psi | 83% | 1289 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan A1² | <<locked>> | 68% | 28,471 psi | 84% | 1250 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA 9² | <<locked>> | 68% | 27,499 psi | 81% | 1253 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA10² | <<locked>> | 64% | 29,718 psi | 87% | 1152 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2 | <<locked>> | 84% | 30,429 psi | 89% | 1368 fps | 98.5% |
| SNPE Vectan BA9 1/2² | <<locked>> | 72% | 30,676 psi | 90% | 1306 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 2² | <<locked>> | 72% | 29,559 psi | 87% | 1437 fps | 95.2% |
| Somchem MP200² | <<locked>> | 68% | 28,442 psi | 83% | 1322 fps | 100% |
| Somchem MS200² | <<locked>> | 72% | 28,485 psi | 84% | 1302 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S221*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 27,963 psi | 82% | 1362 fps | 89.8% |
| Vihtavuori 3N37² | <<locked>> | 76% | 28,747 psi | 84% | 1362 fps | 98.7% |
| Vihtavuori 3N38* | <<locked>> | 92% | 29,646 psi | 87% | 1407 fps | 88.4% |
| Vihtavuori N105*ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 30,748 psi | 90% | 1490 fps | 93.3% |
| Vihtavuori N320² | <<locked>> | 68% | 29,994 psi | 88% | 1247 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Starᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 29,066 psi | 85% | 1165 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N330² | <<locked>> | 68% | 28,587 psi | 84% | 1289 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N340² | <<locked>> | 72% | 28,442 psi | 83% | 1306 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N350 | <<locked>> | 84% | 30,792 psi | 90% | 1391 fps | 99.3% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 76% | 29,878 psi | 88% | 1302 fps | 100% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 5"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 21,988 psi | 65% | 1181 fps | 98.6% |
| Accurate Solo 1000² | <<locked>> | 60% | 23,003 psi | 67% | 1122 fps | 100% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 60% | 19,174 psi | 56% | 1106 fps | 100% |
| ADI AP 100*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 18,057 psi | 53% | 1138 fps | 85.6% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 60% | 25,585 psi | 75% | 1060 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 60% | 24,134 psi | 71% | 1070 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 60% | 23,395 psi | 69% | 1102 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 50N² | <<locked>> | 60% | 24,598 psi | 72% | 1165 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 60% | 19,827 psi | 58% | 1115 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BULLSEYE² | <<locked>> | 60% | 25,324 psi | 74% | 1270 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 60% | 22,887 psi | 67% | 1138 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco² | 6 gr | 60% | 14,141 psi | 41% | 1014 fps | 95.7% |
| Alliant POWER PISTOL*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 20,740 psi | 61% | 1234 fps | 87.1% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 22,292 psi | 65% | 1099 fps | 100% |
| Alliant UNIQUE² | <<locked>> | 60% | 19,566 psi | 57% | 1161 fps | 99% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 21,567 psi | 63% | 1109 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | 5.6 gr | 60% | 13,663 psi | 40% | 961 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 103 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 23,250 psi | 68% | 1161 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 60% | 20,247 psi | 59% | 1007 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss² | <<locked>> | 60% | 7,165 psi | 21% | 709 fps | 99.7% |
| Hodgdon Universal² | <<locked>> | 60% | 23,409 psi | 69% | 1198 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S020² | <<locked>> | 60% | 22,756 psi | 67% | 1204 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 18,405 psi | 54% | 1083 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 19,334 psi | 57% | 1115 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 60% | 20,856 psi | 61% | 1115 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 60% | 22,553 psi | 66% | 1125 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 5² | <<locked>> | 60% | 25,454 psi | 75% | 1125 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 12² | <<locked>> | 60% | 25,773 psi | 76% | 1211 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14² | <<locked>> | 60% | 6,817 psi | 20% | 705 fps | 96.8% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20² | <<locked>> | 60% | 17,477 psi | 51% | 1125 fps | 99.4% |
| Rottweil P 806*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 14,344 psi | 42% | 1109 fps | 86.3% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 60% | 18,579 psi | 55% | 1102 fps | 98.5% |
| SNPE Vectan A1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 23,206 psi | 68% | 1165 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA 9² | <<locked>> | 60% | 22,336 psi | 66% | 1165 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA10² | <<locked>> | 60% | 27,282 psi | 80% | 1119 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,316 psi | 45% | 1043 fps | 88.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA9 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 21,654 psi | 64% | 1158 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 2*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 19,595 psi | 57% | 1224 fps | 88.4% |
| Somchem MP200² | <<locked>> | 60% | 22,640 psi | 66% | 1217 fps | 99.4% |
| Somchem MS200² | <<locked>> | 60% | 20,639 psi | 61% | 1158 fps | 99.7% |
| Somchem S221*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 24,105 psi | 71% | 1286 fps | 87.1% |
| Vihtavuori 3N37*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 17,506 psi | 51% | 1129 fps | 92.5% |
| Vihtavuori 3N38* | <<locked>> | 88% | 26,600 psi | 78% | 1352 fps | 86.3% |
| Vihtavuori N105* | <<locked>> | 88% | 21,567 psi | 63% | 1302 fps | 86.4% |
| Vihtavuori N320² | <<locked>> | 60% | 23,525 psi | 69% | 1152 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | 4.4 gr | 60% | 12,169 psi | 36% | 869 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N330² | <<locked>> | 60% | 22,655 psi | 66% | 1194 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N340² | <<locked>> | 60% | 19,899 psi | 58% | 1148 fps | 99.3% |
| Vihtavuori N350*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,243 psi | 45% | 1066 fps | 90.6% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 60% | 19,174 psi | 56% | 1115 fps | 100% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
* not dangerous but load has suboptimal powder burnt with possible characteristics such as extensive muzzle flash or inaccurate loads.
² fill rate low - you might want to consider using a filler to ensure proper ignition.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 50 powders for .38-45 ACP loaded with the .357 | 125gr | Speer JSP. Vihtavuori N105 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,490 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 965 fps to 1,490 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 11 of the 50 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (235 MPa), the top charges use 42–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14, Vihtavuori N105 reach 100 % fill or more at maximum charge, so these are compressed loads: they need a long drop tube to seat cleanly and react sensitively to the case capacity of your own brass lot. Alliant Herco, Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol, Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star rank at the top here: for .38-45 ACP with the .357 | 125gr | Speer JSP they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, ADI AP 100, Alliant POWER PISTOL, Somchem S221 burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Accurate Solo 1000, Accurate Solo 1250, ADI APS 350 stay subsonic at start load. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.