Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .38 Short Colt with .356 | 95gr | H&N RN HS bullet and 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 64% | 11,356 psi | 87% | 768 fps | 95.2% |
| ADI AS 50N*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 11,748 psi | 90% | 787 fps | 89.1% |
| Alliant RED DOT*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 11,095 psi | 85% | 774 fps | 93.9% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol* | <<locked>> | 92% | 11,589 psi | 89% | 810 fps | 89.2% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 103 Pistol*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 11,603 psi | 89% | 807 fps | 87.7% |
| Maxam CSB 4*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 11,458 psi | 88% | 784 fps | 90.1% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 12*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 10,385 psi | 80% | 814 fps | 88.8% |
| Vihtavuori N320*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 11,777 psi | 90% | 817 fps | 90.8% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Starᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 10,254 psi | 79% | 774 fps | 96.9% |
Start Load - Barrel Length: 3"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADI AS 30*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 10,486 psi | 80% | 741 fps | 93.9% |
| ADI AS 50N*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 10,921 psi | 84% | 761 fps | 87.6% |
| Alliant RED DOT*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 9,384 psi | 72% | 719 fps | 91% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol* | <<locked>> | 84% | 9,631 psi | 74% | 751 fps | 85.3% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 103 Pistol*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 10,428 psi | 80% | 771 fps | 85.5% |
| Maxam CSB 4*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 9,819 psi | 75% | 732 fps | 87% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 12*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 8,934 psi | 68% | 764 fps | 85.6% |
| Vihtavuori N320*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 10,095 psi | 77% | 764 fps | 87.6% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star*² | <<locked>> | 76% | 6,077 psi | 47% | 620 fps | 87.1% |
* 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 9 powders for .38 Short Colt loaded with the .356 | 95gr | H&N RN HS. Vihtavuori N320 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 817 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 768 fps to 817 fps. Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 2 of the 9 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (90 MPa), the top charges use 79–90 %, 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, ADI AS 50N, Alliant RED DOT, Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. ADI AS 30, ADI AS 50N, 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.