Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .38 Special with .4295 | 155gr | Sierra Pro-Hunter bullet and 12 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>> | 72% | 18,086 psi | 83% | 866 fps | 97.4% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 72% | 17,941 psi | 82% | 820 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 14,562 psi | 67% | 728 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 64% | 19,218 psi | 88% | 853 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 13,387 psi | 62% | 728 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20² | <<locked>> | 64% | 18,666 psi | 86% | 892 fps | 99.2% |
| Rottweil P 806*² | <<locked>> | 76% | 19,174 psi | 88% | 965 fps | 89.8% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 64% | 19,624 psi | 90% | 869 fps | 98.1% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 18,463 psi | 85% | 869 fps | 90.3% |
| Vihtavuori 3N37*² | <<locked>> | 64% | 18,536 psi | 85% | 889 fps | 91.6% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 80% | 17,927 psi | 82% | 771 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N350*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 17,767 psi | 82% | 876 fps | 91.4% |
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% | 13,431 psi | 62% | 764 fps | 93.4% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 12,850 psi | 59% | 728 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss² | 2.3 gr | 60% | 6,846 psi | 31% | 535 fps | 98.8% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 16,926 psi | 78% | 810 fps | 99.9% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14*² | 2.3 gr | 60% | 6,295 psi | 29% | 522 fps | 94.5% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 20² | <<locked>> | 60% | 16,505 psi | 76% | 850 fps | 98.2% |
| Rottweil P 806*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 16,969 psi | 78% | 922 fps | 87.5% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 60% | 17,448 psi | 80% | 830 fps | 96.9% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,446 psi | 66% | 784 fps | 85.7% |
| Vihtavuori 3N37*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 16,027 psi | 74% | 840 fps | 89% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | <<locked>> | 60% | 11,255 psi | 52% | 653 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N350*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 14,083 psi | 65% | 794 fps | 87.1% |
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 2 powders for .38 Special loaded with the .4295 | 155gr | Sierra Pro-Hunter. Hodgdon TrailBoss delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 728 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 728 fps to 728 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 2 of the 2 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (150 MPa), the top charges use 62–67 %, leaving at least 33 % 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 .4295 | 155gr | Sierra Pro-Hunter 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.