Black Hills Cowboy .38 Special 158gr CNL Ballistics
Brass Case • CNL • MPN: DCB38N1
Black Hills Cowboy .38 Special 158gr CNL Ballistics
Brass Case • CNL • MPN: DCB38N1
Solved from this product's advertised 800 fps, 158gr bullet and G1 BC 0.150, with the sight 0.5" over the bore at standard conditions. Compare every zero for .38 Special.
How to read it: filled circles are the near and far zero, where the bullet's path crosses the line of sight;the triangle is the peak (max ordinate). The shaded band is the 4" vital zone, ±2" either side of the line of sight. The dashed line marks the edge of the hold-dead-on window. The chart is zoomed to where the zero matters; the tables below run to 100 yards.
.38 Special 158gr with a 10-yard zero
Zeroed at 10 yards with a 0.5" sight height, this load touches the line of sight at 10 yards without ever climbing above it (a tangent zero), and is -3.7" at 50 and -21.7" at 100 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -0.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 800 | 225 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.2" | -3.27 | -0.95 | 796 | 223 | 0.1 |
| 10 | 0.0" | -0.04 | -0.01 | 793 | 221 | 0.1 |
| 15 | 0.0" | +0.20 | +0.06 | 789 | 219 | 0.2 |
| 20 | -0.1" | -0.35 | -0.10 | 786 | 217 | 0.2 |
| 25 | -0.3" | -1.21 | -0.35 | 782 | 215 | 0.3 |
| 30 | -0.7" | -2.23 | -0.65 | 779 | 213 | 0.4 |
| 35 | -1.2" | -3.36 | -0.98 | 776 | 211 | 0.5 |
| 40 | -1.9" | -4.54 | -1.32 | 772 | 209 | 0.6 |
| 45 | -2.7" | -5.77 | -1.68 | 769 | 207 | 0.7 |
| 50 | -3.7" | -7.04 | -2.05 | 765 | 206 | 0.9 |
| 55 | -4.8" | -8.33 | -2.42 | 762 | 204 | 1.0 |
| 60 | -6.1" | -9.65 | -2.81 | 759 | 202 | 1.2 |
| 65 | -7.5" | -10.98 | -3.19 | 756 | 200 | 1.4 |
| 70 | -9.1" | -12.33 | -3.59 | 752 | 199 | 1.6 |
| 75 | -10.8" | -13.70 | -3.99 | 749 | 197 | 1.8 |
| 80 | -12.7" | -15.08 | -4.39 | 746 | 195 | 2.0 |
| 85 | -14.7" | -16.47 | -4.79 | 743 | 194 | 2.3 |
| 90 | -16.9" | -17.88 | -5.20 | 740 | 192 | 2.5 |
| 95 | -19.2" | -19.30 | -5.61 | 737 | 190 | 2.8 |
| 100 | -21.7" | -20.73 | -6.03 | 733 | 189 | 3.1 |
158gr G1 .150 at 800 fps, 0.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to cross. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.38 Special 158gr with a 15-yard zero
Zeroed at 15 yards with a 0.5" sight height, this load touches the line of sight at 15 yards without ever climbing above it (a tangent zero), and is -3.8" at 50 and -21.9" at 100 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -0.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 800 | 225 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.2" | -3.47 | -1.01 | 796 | 223 | 0.1 |
| 10 | 0.0" | -0.23 | -0.07 | 793 | 221 | 0.1 |
| 15 | 0.0" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 789 | 219 | 0.2 |
| 20 | -0.1" | -0.54 | -0.16 | 786 | 217 | 0.2 |
| 25 | -0.4" | -1.40 | -0.41 | 782 | 215 | 0.3 |
| 30 | -0.8" | -2.43 | -0.71 | 779 | 213 | 0.4 |
| 35 | -1.3" | -3.55 | -1.03 | 776 | 211 | 0.5 |
| 40 | -2.0" | -4.73 | -1.38 | 772 | 209 | 0.6 |
| 45 | -2.8" | -5.97 | -1.74 | 769 | 207 | 0.7 |
| 50 | -3.8" | -7.23 | -2.10 | 765 | 206 | 0.9 |
| 55 | -4.9" | -8.52 | -2.48 | 762 | 204 | 1.0 |
| 60 | -6.2" | -9.84 | -2.86 | 759 | 202 | 1.2 |
| 65 | -7.6" | -11.17 | -3.25 | 756 | 200 | 1.4 |
| 70 | -9.2" | -12.53 | -3.64 | 752 | 199 | 1.6 |
| 75 | -10.9" | -13.89 | -4.04 | 749 | 197 | 1.8 |
| 80 | -12.8" | -15.27 | -4.44 | 746 | 195 | 2.0 |
| 85 | -14.9" | -16.67 | -4.85 | 743 | 194 | 2.3 |
| 90 | -17.1" | -18.07 | -5.26 | 740 | 192 | 2.5 |
| 95 | -19.4" | -19.49 | -5.67 | 737 | 190 | 2.8 |
| 100 | -21.9" | -20.92 | -6.08 | 733 | 189 | 3.1 |
158gr G1 .150 at 800 fps, 0.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to cross. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
.38 Special 158gr with a 25-yard zero
Zeroed at 25 yards with a 0.5" sight height, this load first crosses the line of sight at 7 yards, peaks +0.2" at 16 yards, returns to zero at 25, and is -3.0" at 50 and -20.4" at 100 yards.
| Range (yd) | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) | Drop (MIL) | Velocity (fps) | Energy (ft-lb) | Wind drift, 10 mph (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | -0.5" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 800 | 225 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.1" | -2.03 | -0.59 | 796 | 223 | 0.1 |
| 10 | +0.1" | +1.21 | +0.35 | 793 | 221 | 0.1 |
| 15 | +0.2" | +1.44 | +0.42 | 789 | 219 | 0.2 |
| 20 | +0.2" | +0.90 | +0.26 | 786 | 217 | 0.2 |
| 25 | 0.0" | +0.04 | +0.01 | 782 | 215 | 0.3 |
| 30 | -0.3" | -0.99 | -0.29 | 779 | 213 | 0.4 |
| 35 | -0.8" | -2.11 | -0.61 | 776 | 211 | 0.5 |
| 40 | -1.4" | -3.30 | -0.96 | 772 | 209 | 0.6 |
| 45 | -2.1" | -4.53 | -1.32 | 769 | 207 | 0.7 |
| 50 | -3.0" | -5.80 | -1.69 | 765 | 206 | 0.9 |
| 55 | -4.1" | -7.09 | -2.06 | 762 | 204 | 1.0 |
| 60 | -5.3" | -8.40 | -2.44 | 759 | 202 | 1.2 |
| 65 | -6.7" | -9.74 | -2.83 | 756 | 200 | 1.4 |
| 70 | -8.2" | -11.09 | -3.23 | 752 | 199 | 1.6 |
| 75 | -9.8" | -12.46 | -3.62 | 749 | 197 | 1.8 |
| 80 | -11.6" | -13.84 | -4.03 | 746 | 195 | 2.0 |
| 85 | -13.6" | -15.23 | -4.43 | 743 | 194 | 2.3 |
| 90 | -15.7" | -16.64 | -4.84 | 740 | 192 | 2.5 |
| 95 | -18.0" | -18.05 | -5.25 | 737 | 190 | 2.8 |
| 100 | -20.4" | -19.48 | -5.67 | 733 | 189 | 3.1 |
158gr G1 .150 at 800 fps, 0.5" sight height over bore, standard conditions (59°F, sea level), 10 mph full-value crosswind. Positive drop is above the line of sight. This load is subsonic from the muzzle, so there is no transonic zone to cross. Source: Manufacturer's advertised velocity and BC.
Product Overview
Black Hills Cowboy 158-grain CNL is a cast lead .38 Special load made for cowboy action shooting. Black Hills files it under Authentic Cowboy Action, with a conical lead nose at 800 fps for 225 ft-lbs.
Zeroed at 25 yards, it is 3.0 inches low at 50, holding 765 fps and 206 ft-lbs. Estimated recoil sits between the 755 fps lead loads and HSM's Cowboy Action 158-grain RNFP, about midway between the two. The drop at 50 yards is half an inch less than the 755 fps loads.
If you're cross-shopping, HSM's Cowboy Action 158-grain RNFP is the other cowboy load, 40 fps faster at 840 fps with 23 ft-lbs more. Federal's American Eagle 158-grain LRN is 30 fps slower at 770 fps on a round-nose bullet.
- A power factor of 126, clear of the 125 USPSA minor floor where the 755 fps lead loads fall short
- 225 ft-lbs at the muzzle, more than any of the caliber's plain-lead practice loads
- About 8 percent less estimated recoil than HSM's Cowboy Action 158-grain RNFP
- An unjacketed lead bullet, which some indoor ranges restrict. Hornady's 158-grain XTP is the jacketed bullet at this weight
- Black Hills quotes velocity only, and the energy figure is worked out from it
- Firmer in the hand than Remington's UMC 158-grain LRN
Similar Products Compared
| PRODUCT | WEIGHT | TYPE | VELOCITY | ENERGY | BC | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 158 gr | CNL | 800 fps | 225 ft-lbs | 0.15 |
$1.25
50 Rounds
|
|
| 158 gr | RNFP | 840 fps | 248 ft-lbs | 0.159 |
$0.59
1000 Rounds
|
|
| 158 gr | LRN | 755 fps | 200 ft-lbs | 0.149 |
$0.44
1000 Rounds
|
|
| 158 gr | LRN | 997 fps | 349 ft-lbs | 0.17 |
$0.91
50 Rounds
|
|
| 158 gr | LRN | 755 fps | 200 ft-lbs | 0.165 |
$0.57
1000 Rounds
|
|
| 158 gr | LRN | 770 fps | 208 ft-lbs | 0.206 |
$0.95
50 Rounds
|
All Black Hills Cowboy .38 Special 158gr CNL Prices
| DEALER | QTY | PRICE | SHIPPING | TOTAL | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucky Gunner | 50 | $44.00 | $18.43 | $62.43 | $1.25 |
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