I started out my .38 Spl. adventures with two revolvers that I hand loaded for--a blue 4" bbl. Sturm Ruger Security Six in .357 Magnum, and a Charter Arms Undercover, in blue. This was back in the early 1980's, and I hand loaded one cartridge at a time with a Lee loader kit. It had a decapper punch and a resizing die, and I think a powder dipper, and not much else as I recall. I had to supply the mallet/hammer to decap and resize with. Reloading went very slowly! I used Bullseye powder, I think it was 3.5 grains, and swagged Hornady 148 grain Hollow Base Wadcutters and also some Hornady 125 grain JHP's. Still have some of those around somewhere...
Sold the revolvers along the trail a long time ago. The Ruger got hot with sustained shooting. I put Pachmayer Signature grips on it to help, and it did, but it still got pretty hot. The Charter cylinder crane kept loosening, as I recall. Probably could have fixed it with some Loctite, but after awhile, I just was done with it--S&W was calling to me. You know how that is! Besides, 9mmP was coming on strong at the time, and the little .38 Charter just didn't have the charisma.
Sold my Lyman powder scale, and maybe the Lee kit, but still have some .38 Spl. dies around somewhere, and maybe an old Redding press...still have the powder and bullets. Maybe someday I'll get back into it.
