old .38 cast bullet? concave base Double cannilure?

[Colorado1135]

My Dad brought some old cast bullets up he wanted to reload at my house. so I open the box and the bullets look like large .22 lr slugs. they have a concave base looks like a double cannilure, no lube grooves and a round nose, they look almost black in color. they don't seem to want to fit into a regular .38 case so I was wondering if someone could shed some light on where they are from?
would someone want them for a specific gun?
I'd hate to melt them down, recast them and then find out they are rare and someone can really use them.

can anyone give a hand on what I have?

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn313/colorado1135/DSCN1737.jpg

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn313/colorado1135/DSCN1736.jpg

[GRUMPA]

I think you have the boolits for a 38 S&W and "NOT" for a 38 spl. 38 S&W boolits are .360 diameter whereas 38spl are .357 diameter.

Hope that helps.

[Colorado1135]

it sheds some more light, I was wondering if it was something like that, I was thinkin maybe 38-40 as well?

is there any interest out there for something like this? or should I melt em down, recast and not worry about it?

[GRUMPA]

I'm sure that anybody that has a 38 S&W or a 38-40 in all probability they have the mould or access to the boolits. Personally I would melt them down and cast what I want with them.
Just my .02

[stubshaft]

Try and post it in the bullet exchange and see if you can trade it for something you can use.

[NoZombies]

They look like swaged lead bullets for the .38 S&W to me.

[bowfin]

Save a couple for samples. There have been a couple of group buys and a cinsiderable amount of research on .38 S&W / .38-200 / .380 Rimmed boolits.

I would like to get some of them into the hands of the guys trying to figure out original boolits as used. I'll trade you lead or buy from you, your choice.

[Colorado1135]

how many you want and where you want em sent, I'll get em in the mail next week.

[rintinglen]

Those look very much like the older Speer swaged lead 158 grain RN bullets. Back in the 70's, many of the gunshops hearabouts used to carry them. I shot up several thousand before I got my own casting set up. They later changed the design, but the very dark grey color and a waxy feel are dead give-aways. They worked great for standard velocity 38's, not so good in the 357--can you say Leading?

[runfiverun]

38 S&W would be in the 361 range for cast.
a 38-40 takes a 401 boolit it is backwards [nobody knows why they did that]
my guess is that 38-40 sounds cooler than 40-38.