Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .38 Special with .355 | 116gr | Norma SPFN bullet and 7 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Hodgdon TrailBoss 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 ≥ 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: 4"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 68% | 18,420 psi | 85% | 1076 fps | 96% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 68% | 17,927 psi | 82% | 1020 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 16,114 psi | 74% | 945 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 14,678 psi | 67% | 938 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 18,028 psi | 83% | 1060 fps | 87.5% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | <<locked>> | 76% | 18,463 psi | 85% | 978 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N350*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 17,825 psi | 82% | 1076 fps | 88.8% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 4"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliant Herco*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,707 psi | 68% | 974 fps | 92.5% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,344 psi | 66% | 938 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss² | 3.5 gr | 60% | 7,484 psi | 34% | 689 fps | 98.3% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14*² | 3.6 gr | 60% | 7,107 psi | 33% | 682 fps | 94% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,983 psi | 73% | 1007 fps | 85.1% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,343 psi | 57% | 843 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N350*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 15,679 psi | 72% | 1017 fps | 86.1% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
* 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 7 powders for .38 Special loaded with the .355 | 116gr | Norma SPFN. Alliant Herco delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,076 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 938 fps to 1,076 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 2 of the 7 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (150 MPa), the top charges use 67–85 %, leaving at least 15 % 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. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14 rank at the top here: for .38 Special with the .355 | 116gr | Norma SPFN they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2, Vihtavuori N350 burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Alliant Herco, Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol, Hodgdon TrailBoss 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.