Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .38-55 Win. with .376 | 250gr | H&N RN HS bullet and 7 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are ADI AR 2207, Vihtavuori N120 and ReloadSwiss RS 14.
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 ≥ 80% and propellant combustion ≥ 95%. 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.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 20"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2207 | <<locked>> | 90% | 31,038 psi | 89% | 1844 fps | 98.2% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 27,804 psi | 80% | 1188 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 82% | 30,501 psi | 88% | 1755 fps | 99.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 26,890 psi | 77% | 1214 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 82% | 30,356 psi | 87% | 1781 fps | 96.4% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 84% | 30,908 psi | 89% | 1680 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 88% | 29,457 psi | 85% | 1788 fps | 98.7% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 20"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AR 2207 | 26.2 gr | 82% | 23,931 psi | 69% | 1696 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 19,986 psi | 57% | 1056 fps | 100% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,703 psi | 82% | 1722 fps | 98.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 9.4 gr | 80% | 19,435 psi | 56% | 1083 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 80% | 28,340 psi | 81% | 1742 fps | 95.6% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,311 psi | 78% | 1621 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | 25.6 gr | 80% | 23,047 psi | 66% | 1650 fps | 96.3% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 7 powders for .38-55 Win. loaded with the .376 | 250gr | H&N RN HS. ADI AR 2207 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,844 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,188 fps to 1,844 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 7 of the 7 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (240 MPa), the top charges use 77–89 %, leaving at least 11 % headroom. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14 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. ADI AR 2207, Vihtavuori N120, ReloadSwiss RS 14 rank at the top here: for .38-55 Win. with the .376 | 250gr | H&N RN HS they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14 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.