Hello gents. I couldn't talk my mom out of buying a ruger lcr in .38 and .357. She and I both think the sites suck but the trigger ir really nice. Now we have a bit of trouble. With Federal 110gr hydra shocks she can shoot minute of pie plate at 5 yards. With 125gr factory loads the recoil is way too much for her and after 10rnds she has to stop shooting. And to be honest it's a bit too snappy for me too about a few cylinders.

So, I'm looking for a soft recoil load for .38 special. I have some CFE pistol and IMR 4227 that I have read can be used for .38 but is supposed to be filthy. So what powders and bullet weights should I look at? Am I stupid for thinking lower fps with a higher weight bullet will equal less felt recoil? I'm a reloading new but I have $$ to spend. Could someone please point me to some reading or load data to consider?

Thanks.

What considerations if any are there when loading wadcutters? Pistol powder is slim around here and data on CFE is slim, would a low fps hit grn bullet load with IMR 4227 result in lower recoil? I'm trying get a feeling for an fps to bullet weight ratio.

 My wife has the same problem with recoil in her 38SPL
until I made a lite load for her, it is-

 38SPL
102gr REM HP   (380ACP bullet)
5.2gr Win. 231
CCI # 500 primer
1.450 COAL

 the 102gr Rem. HP is for a 380 ACP and is .356, 38SPL is .357 but it works good
the 380 bullets use a taper crimp not a roll crimp
I called RCBS and purchased a taper crimp die for 38SPL

I used 3.5 gr. of Bullseye with a 148gr semi wad cutter.  It slings that bullet out there to a scorching 725 FPS.

I would suggest using round nose bullets because they are much easier to reload with, especially so when using Speedloaders.  The 12 gr bullets are plentiful and with a light powder charge, will yield mild recoil.

Use 357 cases whenever you can.  You don't want to use 38 SPL cases and flame cut or build a carbon ring on the cylinder walls, or both.  The flame cutting is irreversible.  The carbon ring is a bear to remove and interferes with a 357 case..

Try Trail Boss powder. It is my powder puff powder for 38, 357, 44, 30-30 and 45-70.

Sorry type O I meant to say low fps hi grain bullet. I'm not sure how energy at the muzzle in feet per second translate to felt recoil. From the loads I have been looking at a larger grain bullet seems to load at a smaller fps at the muzzle.

I don't think that there are specific loads that are a magic bullet for the OP's request.
All you need to do is to load at the bottom of any .38cal recipe with whatever powder is specified and you should be good to go.

I shoot .357 lots, and like the OP's mom, I get tired with magnum loads after a bit. I like to shoot a lot, so all I do is load at the bottom of any of the recipes listed and the .357 is tamed down just the way I like it.

If any light loading of a .38 is too much for mom, then it might be time to get here a .32 and go from there.

I'm using the middle of the road load of the Lee reloading guide with this recipe:

158 grain lead round nose
3.5 grains HP-38 / W231
S&B small Pistol Primer
Range pick up brass

Lee says that HP-38 / W231 should use between 3.1-3.7 grains on the 158 grain lead projectile.

Also, the American Eagle (red box with the eagle) 158 grain LRN is one one of the softest shooting rounds I have shot from my revolver (S&W 586 4 inch).  That might be an option for her too.  The box says it's only pushing about 770 FPS, but I haven't chrono'd it to verify.

You need a faster burning for the best reduced loads. Can she handle standard .38 wadcutter target loads?

My experience with light weight .38 Special fixed sights handguns, even light loads are not pleasant for my wife to shoot. Compact short barreled .38/357 handguns are not plinking guns. If you want something just to plink with then get a .22 rimfire. I've tried 148 wadcutter, 110 and 125 grain jacketed all with lighter charges of fast burning AA#2 powder and my wife still complains. She's slender and older so a younger lady might not find it as bad. To load .38's to self-defense levels or for factory 38's or +P loads it's much too hard kicking for my wife. Plus the fixed sights and different weight bullets and high and low velocities the point of impact will vary 8" or more at 20 yards. Probably ok for short 7 yards or so targets. The wife gets aggravated testing loads that one shoots very high or low or wide right or left. Finding a load that shoots where the sights are aligned with the target isn't easy for fixed sight short barrel .38's. I try to remind her it's a close range defense gun and not a gun to shoot a lot at targets. I remind her that she needs to just get used to shooting a few self-defense level loads and her pistol isn't for plinking. The best powder I've tested for .38 Special by far has been Accurate Arms AA#2 or Winchester 231 and mainly 110 and 125 grain jacketed hollowpoint bullets.

I have used 2.6 grains of TiteGroup under 148 grain wadcutters and it burns cleaner than Bullseye and is very accurate. Recoil is minimal. 148 grain wadcutters are designed for target shooting and should be run around 700 to 750 fps with small charges of fast burning powder. WW-231, Bulleye, TiteGroup, HP-38 all work well. Unique is dirty but can work well in a pinch. Bullseye is very accurate but is dirty.

IMR-4227 is a magnum pistol powder best used in full power .357 Magnum and full power .44 Magnum loads. Even with a full case you won't get good powder ignition or velocity in .38 Special.

A tiny, lightweight 38 revolver is always going to hurt when you're shooting hard-hitting fast/heavy bullets.

An inverted hollow-base wadcutter over a low charge is an easy-shooting cartridge for snub-nose ranges.

Inverted 148 lead semi wad cutter on right in photo below.

Remember, for your Mom (or anyone else) it doesn't matter how fast or how heavy the bullet is when you're at close range and facing a deadly threat...
only hits count (preferably in the center).

If she can't practice it won't help much.  Proficiency comes with repetition.  A flinch is counterproductive.




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There is a real "trick" imbedded in this thread.  

We can advise on how to best meet the OP's needs, however, if he cannot find the components suggested it is all in vain.  

So, to those posting in the thread, I ask, is there a source of available supply for the components you are recommending?

For pistol powder, recently -- nope.