Put up in 38 Special cases, 11.0 grains of 2400 is a right healthy load. My 357 load that duplicates my old shop's carry load (W-W 357 Magnum 158 grain JHP "Super-X") used Lyman #358156 @ .358" atop 13.5 grains of 2400 for 1225-1235 FPS from a 4" S&W 686, to compare results. I don't recall what Elmer Keith's load was for the 38 Special Heavy Duty/Outdoorsman N-frame revolvers of the pre-357 days; it did use his #358429 bullet under a healthy charge of 2400, so 11.0 grains is likely in Mr. Keith's ZIP Code, if not on his doorstep.
I need to be careful with my 38 Special loadings, now that I will be shooting the caliber in larger numbers. 2 of my 3 in-house 38 Specials have no business firing +P loads, so what I have done in the past is load my +P 38s with the red-coated pretenders to set them apart from more tractable standard-pressure charges I feed to my older arms. It is a little counter-intuitive to my 1950s-model mind that an aluminum J-framed S&W can run +P ammunition with the maker's blessing inscribed onto the barrel, but similar loads in the late-40s Colt I-frame and early-60s S&W K-frame are not a good idea. I catalog this "caveat" on the same page where I shelve the idea that an AR-15's chrysanthemum-form bolt lugs can safely contain more backthrust/pressure than can a Mauser turnbolt. It seems like a screen door-to-bank vault analogy to me, but I was a social science major--so maybe I should just stay low and keep dark. FOR DARN CERTAIN--I wouldn't want one of Mr Keith's HD loads finding its way into any of my safe's current 38 Special residents. Things might get bent. Now, if a nice, old Heavy Duty or Outdoorsman were to come along, I could make further arrangements--but for now, this system will answer.
