Sellier & Bellot .38 Special 158gr LRN Ballistics
Brass Case • LRN • MPN: SB38A
Sellier & Bellot .38 Special 158gr LRN Ballistics
Brass Case • LRN • MPN: SB38A
Solved from this product's advertised 997 fps, 158gr bullet and G1 BC 0.170, 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 crosses the line of sight on the way up at 10 yards, peaks +0.1" at 18 yards, crosses back down at 27 yards, and is -1.7" at 50 and -12.7" 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 | 997 | 349 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.2" | -3.74 | -1.09 | 991 | 345 | 0.1 |
| 10 | 0.0" | -0.04 | -0.01 | 985 | 341 | 0.1 |
| 15 | +0.1" | +0.65 | +0.19 | 979 | 337 | 0.2 |
| 20 | +0.1" | +0.58 | +0.17 | 974 | 333 | 0.2 |
| 25 | +0.1" | +0.18 | +0.05 | 968 | 329 | 0.3 |
| 30 | -0.1" | -0.38 | -0.11 | 963 | 326 | 0.4 |
| 35 | -0.4" | -1.03 | -0.30 | 958 | 322 | 0.5 |
| 40 | -0.7" | -1.74 | -0.51 | 953 | 319 | 0.6 |
| 45 | -1.2" | -2.50 | -0.73 | 948 | 315 | 0.7 |
| 50 | -1.7" | -3.29 | -0.96 | 943 | 312 | 0.9 |
| 55 | -2.4" | -4.11 | -1.20 | 938 | 309 | 1.0 |
| 60 | -3.1" | -4.95 | -1.44 | 933 | 306 | 1.2 |
| 65 | -4.0" | -5.81 | -1.69 | 929 | 303 | 1.4 |
| 70 | -4.9" | -6.68 | -1.94 | 924 | 300 | 1.6 |
| 75 | -6.0" | -7.56 | -2.20 | 920 | 297 | 1.8 |
| 80 | -7.1" | -8.46 | -2.46 | 915 | 294 | 2.0 |
| 85 | -8.4" | -9.37 | -2.72 | 911 | 291 | 2.3 |
| 90 | -9.7" | -10.28 | -2.99 | 906 | 288 | 2.5 |
| 95 | -11.2" | -11.21 | -3.26 | 902 | 286 | 2.8 |
| 100 | -12.7" | -12.15 | -3.53 | 898 | 283 | 3.1 |
158gr G1 .170 at 997 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 -2.1" at 50 and -13.4" 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 | 997 | 349 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.2" | -4.40 | -1.28 | 991 | 345 | 0.1 |
| 10 | -0.1" | -0.70 | -0.20 | 985 | 341 | 0.1 |
| 15 | 0.0" | 0.00 | 0.00 | 979 | 337 | 0.2 |
| 20 | 0.0" | -0.08 | -0.02 | 974 | 333 | 0.2 |
| 25 | -0.1" | -0.47 | -0.14 | 968 | 329 | 0.3 |
| 30 | -0.3" | -1.03 | -0.30 | 963 | 326 | 0.4 |
| 35 | -0.6" | -1.68 | -0.49 | 958 | 322 | 0.5 |
| 40 | -1.0" | -2.40 | -0.70 | 953 | 319 | 0.6 |
| 45 | -1.5" | -3.16 | -0.92 | 948 | 315 | 0.7 |
| 50 | -2.1" | -3.95 | -1.15 | 943 | 312 | 0.9 |
| 55 | -2.8" | -4.77 | -1.39 | 938 | 309 | 1.0 |
| 60 | -3.5" | -5.60 | -1.63 | 933 | 306 | 1.2 |
| 65 | -4.4" | -6.46 | -1.88 | 929 | 303 | 1.4 |
| 70 | -5.4" | -7.33 | -2.13 | 924 | 300 | 1.6 |
| 75 | -6.5" | -8.22 | -2.39 | 920 | 297 | 1.8 |
| 80 | -7.7" | -9.11 | -2.65 | 915 | 294 | 2.0 |
| 85 | -8.9" | -10.02 | -2.91 | 911 | 291 | 2.3 |
| 90 | -10.3" | -10.94 | -3.18 | 906 | 288 | 2.5 |
| 95 | -11.8" | -11.86 | -3.45 | 902 | 286 | 2.8 |
| 100 | -13.4" | -12.80 | -3.72 | 898 | 283 | 3.1 |
158gr G1 .170 at 997 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 touches the line of sight at 25 yards and never rises more than 0.1" above it (effectively a tangent zero), and is -1.8" at 50 and -12.9" 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 | 997 | 349 | 0.1 |
| 5 | -0.2" | -3.91 | -1.14 | 991 | 345 | 0.1 |
| 10 | 0.0" | -0.21 | -0.06 | 985 | 341 | 0.1 |
| 15 | +0.1" | +0.49 | +0.14 | 979 | 337 | 0.2 |
| 20 | +0.1" | +0.41 | +0.12 | 974 | 333 | 0.2 |
| 25 | 0.0" | +0.01 | 0.00 | 968 | 329 | 0.3 |
| 30 | -0.2" | -0.54 | -0.16 | 963 | 326 | 0.4 |
| 35 | -0.4" | -1.19 | -0.35 | 958 | 322 | 0.5 |
| 40 | -0.8" | -1.91 | -0.56 | 953 | 319 | 0.6 |
| 45 | -1.3" | -2.67 | -0.78 | 948 | 315 | 0.7 |
| 50 | -1.8" | -3.46 | -1.01 | 943 | 312 | 0.9 |
| 55 | -2.5" | -4.28 | -1.24 | 938 | 309 | 1.0 |
| 60 | -3.2" | -5.12 | -1.49 | 933 | 306 | 1.2 |
| 65 | -4.1" | -5.97 | -1.74 | 929 | 303 | 1.4 |
| 70 | -5.0" | -6.84 | -1.99 | 924 | 300 | 1.6 |
| 75 | -6.1" | -7.73 | -2.25 | 920 | 297 | 1.8 |
| 80 | -7.2" | -8.62 | -2.51 | 915 | 294 | 2.0 |
| 85 | -8.5" | -9.53 | -2.77 | 911 | 291 | 2.3 |
| 90 | -9.9" | -10.45 | -3.04 | 906 | 288 | 2.5 |
| 95 | -11.3" | -11.38 | -3.31 | 902 | 286 | 2.8 |
| 100 | -12.9" | -12.31 | -3.58 | 898 | 283 | 3.1 |
158gr G1 .170 at 997 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
Sellier & Bellot 158-grain LRN is a plain lead .38 Special load made for range and match work. S&B drives the unjacketed round nose to 997 fps, far harder than any other lead load in the caliber, for 349 ft-lbs.
Zeroed at 25 yards, it is 1.8 inches low at 50, the least of any .38 Special lead load, and it arrives there at 943 fps with 312 ft-lbs. Recoil is in a different bracket from the rest of them, and a light alloy-framed revolver will say so.
If you're cross-shopping, HSM's Cowboy Action 158-grain RNFP is next in line at 840 fps, 157 fps and 101 ft-lbs behind. Federal's American Eagle 158-grain LRN is the ordinary version of this bullet, at 770 fps and 208 ft-lbs.
- 349 ft-lbs at the muzzle, the most of any .38 Special load in the caliber, +P included
- 312 ft-lbs left at 50 yards, more than any other .38 Special load carries at the muzzle
- Standard pressure despite the velocity, so a revolver with no +P rating can shoot it
- About 57 percent more estimated recoil than Remington's UMC 158-grain LRN
- An unjacketed lead bullet, which some indoor ranges restrict. Hornady's 158-grain XTP is the jacketed bullet at this weight
- No mild setting to it, where every other lead 158-grain in the caliber has one
Similar Products Compared
| PRODUCT | WEIGHT | TYPE | VELOCITY | ENERGY | BC | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 158 gr | LRN | 997 fps | 349 ft-lbs | 0.17 |
$0.91
50 Rounds
|
|
| 158 gr | LRN | 755 fps | 200 ft-lbs | 0.149 |
$0.44
1000 Rounds
|
|
| 158 gr | LRN | 755 fps | 200 ft-lbs | 0.165 |
$0.57
1000 Rounds
|
|
| 158 gr | RNFP | 840 fps | 248 ft-lbs | 0.159 |
$0.59
1000 Rounds
|
|
| 158 gr | CNL | 800 fps | 225 ft-lbs | 0.15 |
$1.25
50 Rounds
|
|
| 158 gr | LRN | 770 fps | 208 ft-lbs | 0.206 |
$0.95
50 Rounds
|
All Sellier & Bellot .38 Special 158gr LRN Prices
| DEALER | QTY | PRICE | SHIPPING | TOTAL | PRICE/RD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucky Gunner | 50 | $27.00 | $18.43 | $45.43 | $0.91 |
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