Federal Micro HST .38 Special

I've been looking at the Federal Micro HST in .38 for a carry load.

Anyone know what bullet they're using in that and if it's available as a component?

It looks like the old practice of sticking a HBWC backwards into the case and loading it near the case mouth...something straight out of the 1950s! I'm sure the bullet is a little more than that, but testing reports say that they get great expansion from snobby velocities which was the whole point of the backward HBWC to start with.

I'd like to try to recreate some practice loads as the Federal factory stuff is far too spendy to shoot on any sort of consistent basis.

I know of no one offering the HST as components

I'm pretty new to revolvers, but have acquired 4 this past year...my 3 inch SP101, my sons 4 inch SP101, and my wife's Smith model 60...and the big 41 mag Blackhawk.

Been doing some some tests myself and have found most ammo to shoot pretty darn close to POA in all of those pistols at "defensive ranges" (7 yards)... From cheap soft shooting 38 Specials to top quality 38 +P and 357 Magnum.

My point is, maybe you could practice with cheap Walmart Remington ammo... I don't think one could reload practice 38 ammo cheap enough to make it worth it.

FWIW, I really like the Hornady FTX bullets... They look a little funny (gimmicky) to me, but they work exactly as advertised and will expand even at low velocity, especially in the lighter weights (90 and 110 grain).

Not HST type expansion, but exactly like the old XTP, around 1.5 times diameter... And far, far more consistent expansion than the old XTP ever offered.