beginner 38 special cast bullets question

[Walkalong]

In general, you'll be better off with .358 for lead.

 

[RealGun]

I buy bullets that are not necessarily a great fit for my guns, so I have been doing much better with leading by supplementing bought bullets with a coating of alox. Coated cast direct from the bullet maker are not a panacea and they smell when the gun fires. I prefer the smoke I get from using plenty of lube on bare lead. Leading can drive you nuts when not casting your own to custom fit the gun, so the alox is worth the trouble.

 

[mdi]

Lots of commercial bullet casters can be found with google. The most important thing to remember is to buy bullets that will correctly fit your gun. If you're shooting a .38 Special, slug the cylinder throats and specify a bullet of the same diameter. Much less chance of barrel leading and increased accuracy. (Today's revolvers have cylinder throat diameters a few thousandths of an inch larger than the barrel's groove diameter, so a bullet that is the same size as the throats will seal the barrel, reducing leading). Most good commercial casters will supply bullets with a few different finished diameters...

 

[larry7293]

Lots of commercial bullet casters can be found with google. The most important thing to remember is to buy bullets that will correctly fit your gun. If you're shooting a .38 Special, slug the cylinder throats and specify a bullet of the same diameter. Much less chance of barrel leading and increased accuracy. (Today's revolvers have cylinder throat diameters a few thousandths of an inch larger than the barrel's groove diameter, so a bullet that is the same size as the throats will seal the barrel, reducing leading). Most good commercial casters will supply bullets with a few different finished diameters...

If I shoot 38specials in a rifle am I correct in saying that the .358 would be a better fit than the .357 diameter bullet?

 

[USSR]

Larry,

Copper jacketed bullets are typically .357" in diameter, while lead bullets are typically .358" for both the .38 Special and .357 Magnum. With lead bullets, you want .358".

Don

 

[larry7293]

Larry,

Copper jacketed bullets are typically .357" in diameter, while lead bullets are typically .358" for both the .38 Special and .357 Magnum. With lead bullets, you want .358".

Don

Looking at Rocky Mountain bullet website they have 38cal 125grTCFP and 38cal 158gr. rocky mountain thundercast semi wad cutter bullets. Which of these if any would be appropriate to load in a lever action tubular magazine? My lyman catalog does not have load data for 125gr leaded bullets, only jacked hp bullets.

thanks

 

[RealGun]

Looking at Rocky Mountain bullet website they have 38cal 125grTCFP and 38cal 158gr. rocky mountain thundercast semi wad cutter bullets. Which of these if any would be appropriate to load in a lever action tubular magazine? My lyman catalog does not have load data for 125gr leaded bullets, only jacked hp bullets.

thanks

You should take advantage of the online reloading data offered by Accurate, Alliant, Western, Hodgdon, and others. There you should find a number of loads for the 125 gr lead 38 Special.

My tube-fed rifle in .357 caliber is a pump action Lightning, but it feeds just fine with SWC bullets.

 

[USSR]

Larry,

I have heard that lever guns can be finicky to feed properly with some bullet profiles. Since I don't shoot a lever gun, I'm sure one of the guys with lever gun experience will fill you in.

Don

 

[mdi]

If I shoot 38specials in a rifle am I correct in saying that the .358 would be a better fit than the .357 diameter bullet?

Slug the barrel and do a chamber cast to measure the throat. Check to make sure the bullets that are .002" over groove diameter does not stretch the case mouth to make a tight fit on the chamber/throat (the case needs to expand a bit on firing to release the grip on the bullet. Without facts, measurements, it's all a WAG...

Or you could just guess at it; put a .358" bullet in a case and see if it chambers...

 

[RealGun]

Slug the barrel and do a chamber cast to measure the throat. Check to make sure the bullets that are .002" over groove diameter does not stretch the case mouth to make a tight fit on the chamber/throat (the case needs to expand a bit on firing to release the grip on the bullet. Without facts, measurements, it's all a WAG...

Or you could just guess at it; put a .358" bullet in a case and see if it chambers...

The OP's premise is purchasing lead bullets. One would have to look pretty hard to find a lead bullet that wasn't simply .001 over nominal. The objective is more to save money on bullets than to achieve one-hole groups with no leading.

 

[mdi]

The OP's premise is purchasing lead bullets. One would have to look pretty hard to find a lead bullet that wasn't simply .001 over nominal. The objective is more to save money on bullets than to achieve one-hole groups with no leading.

All you have to do is visit a few commercial caster's websites and see what the "real", finished diameter is of their bullets. Many will size their .38 ca. bullets to .357", and some to .358", but that doesn't fit all guns. Many, many times just .001" over groove isn't enough (that's only .0005" on the sides). Undersized bullets will not only be inaccurate, but lead the barrel, and yep they'll be cheap, but the only reason, besides counting pennies, to buy too hard, undersized, poorly lubed bullets is to find out how not to do it...

 

[RealGun]

All you have to do is visit a few commercial caster's websites and see what the "real", finished diameter is of their bullets. Many will size their .38 ca. bullets to .357", and some to .358", but that doesn't fit all guns. Many, many times just .001" over groove isn't enough (that's only .0005" on the sides). Undersized bullets will not only be inaccurate, but lead the barrel, and yep they'll be cheap, but the only reason, besides counting pennies, to buy too hard, undersized, poorly lubed bullets is to find out how not to do it...

Generally, .001 over nominal for the cartridge is all you will find, especially if shopping price. I think we're trying a little too hard to disagree here.

 

[mdi]

Generally, .001 over nominal for the cartridge is all you will find, especially if shopping price. I think we're trying a little too hard to disagree here.

OK by me, I don't buy commercially cast bullets