Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .38 Short Colt with .355 | 124gr | Speer Hollow Point Gold Dot bullet and 5 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above.
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.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 3"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol*² | <<locked>> | 76% | 11,342 psi | 87% | 679 fps | 93.9% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss*ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 8,441 psi | 65% | 581 fps | 93.3% |
| Maxam CSB 2*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 11,371 psi | 87% | 709 fps | 92.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14*ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 7,803 psi | 60% | 571 fps | 86.5% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 84% | 10,805 psi | 83% | 653 fps | 99.6% |
Start Load - Barrel Length: 3"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 7,252 psi | 56% | 558 fps | 85.3% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 5,453 psi | 42% | 472 fps | 85.1% |
| Maxam CSB 2*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 9,181 psi | 70% | 646 fps | 88.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14* | <<locked>> | 96% | 7,310 psi | 56% | 554 fps | 85.2% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 6,396 psi | 49% | 525 fps | 93.9% |
* 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 5 powders for .38 Short Colt loaded with the .355 | 124gr | Speer Hollow Point Gold Dot. Maxam CSB 2 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 709 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 571 fps to 709 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 3 of the 5 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (90 MPa), the top charges use 60–87 %, leaving at least 13 % 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. As outliers, Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol, Hodgdon TrailBoss, Maxam CSB 2 burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol, Hodgdon TrailBoss, Maxam CSB 2 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.