Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .38 Short Colt with .355 | 90gr | Lehigh Defense Xtreme Defense bullet and 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate Solo 1000*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 11,168 psi | 86% | 761 fps | 87.4% |
| ADI AS 30*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 11,690 psi | 90% | 791 fps | 94.3% |
| Alliant RED DOT*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 10,472 psi | 80% | 771 fps | 91.5% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol* | <<locked>> | 96% | 11,400 psi | 87% | 817 fps | 87% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 64% | 10,646 psi | 82% | 728 fps | 97.5% |
| Maxam CSB 4*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 10,965 psi | 84% | 781 fps | 87.5% |
| Maxam CSB 5² | <<locked>> | 64% | 11,560 psi | 89% | 801 fps | 96.7% |
| Rottweil P 801*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 10,791 psi | 83% | 823 fps | 91.7% |
| Vihtavuori N320*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 11,269 psi | 86% | 817 fps | 88.1% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star*ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 9,007 psi | 69% | 751 fps | 93.7% |
Start Load - Barrel Length: 3"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate Solo 1000*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 10,312 psi | 79% | 735 fps | 85.8% |
| ADI AS 30*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 9,050 psi | 69% | 709 fps | 89.9% |
| Alliant RED DOT*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 8,760 psi | 67% | 712 fps | 88.1% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol* | <<locked>> | 92% | 10,704 psi | 82% | 797 fps | 85.6% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 60% | 9,747 psi | 75% | 702 fps | 96.5% |
| Maxam CSB 4*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 10,095 psi | 77% | 755 fps | 85.9% |
| Maxam CSB 5² | <<locked>> | 60% | 10,602 psi | 81% | 774 fps | 95.5% |
| Rottweil P 801*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 9,253 psi | 71% | 774 fps | 88.8% |
| Vihtavuori N320*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 10,414 psi | 80% | 791 fps | 86.5% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star* | <<locked>> | 84% | 6,164 psi | 47% | 636 fps | 85.4% |
* 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 10 powders for .38 Short Colt loaded with the .355 | 90gr | Lehigh Defense Xtreme Defense. Rottweil P 801 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 823 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 728 fps to 823 fps. Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 2 of the 10 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (90 MPa), the top charges use 69–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star 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, Accurate Solo 1000, ADI AS 30, Alliant RED DOT burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Accurate Solo 1000, ADI AS 30, Alliant RED DOT 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.