Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .38-55 Win. with .38 | 240gr | Rim Rock RNFP?BB Top Shelf bullet and 8 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% | 29,936 psi | 86% | 1864 fps | 97.5% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 27,499 psi | 79% | 1214 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 82% | 31,169 psi | 90% | 1795 fps | 96.3% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 82% | 29,892 psi | 86% | 1785 fps | 98.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 26,571 psi | 76% | 1240 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 84% | 31,473 psi | 90% | 1841 fps | 96.3% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 84% | 30,081 psi | 86% | 1709 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | <<locked>> | 90% | 30,458 psi | 88% | 1847 fps | 98.6% |
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 | 27.1 gr | 84% | 24,860 psi | 71% | 1755 fps | 95.4% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 19,827 psi | 57% | 1083 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227 | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,356 psi | 84% | 1762 fps | 95.6% |
| Lovex S053 | <<locked>> | 80% | 27,891 psi | 80% | 1745 fps | 98.4% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | 9.5 gr | 80% | 19,232 psi | 55% | 1109 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 36 | <<locked>> | 82% | 29,399 psi | 84% | 1801 fps | 95.5% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 26,629 psi | 77% | 1650 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N120 | 25.8 gr | 80% | 22,336 psi | 64% | 1667 fps | 95.3% |
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 8 powders for .38-55 Win. loaded with the .38 | 240gr | Rim Rock RNFP?BB Top Shelf. ADI AR 2207 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,864 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,214 fps to 1,864 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 8 of the 8 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (240 MPa), the top charges use 76–90 %, leaving at least 10 % 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 .38 | 240gr | Rim Rock RNFP?BB Top Shelf 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.