Casting for the 38 Special

[Gibbs44]

Hey guys, I'm contemplating a mould for 38 special. My main objective is to practice with my S&W 642 at the moment. I imagine I'll be sticking in the 105 to 125 grain area for my purposes. So what's your favorite for the .38? Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks

[Carolina Cast Bullets]

If you want to go light boolit, the Lee 125 grain RNFL is great. It can also be used in 9mm in some cases. If you decide to get a Lee mold, get the 6 cavity. Puts out lotsa boolits quickly and the alignment is much better than the older two holer.

I've used two of them for over three years and they are still going strong.

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets

[Matt_G]

My favorite weighs a bit more than that.
It is the Lyman 358495 wadcutter. (141 grain)
Wish I could find a H&G #50...

[Adk Mike]

I also use the 358495 (141 grains ) I have a four cavity mold. I cast 2500 of them. I tumble lube and shoot as cast. Works Great.

[Ed_Shot]

While I like 358495 in both 38 and 357 Lyman 358311 is outstanding in 38 Spl also.

[MtGun44]

My 342 does the best work with Lyman 358429 HP, 158 SWC HP over 5.0 Unique. Stiff but not
excessive. Accurate and shoots to the sights, which nothing else did.

Less vel for practice is recommended.

Bill

[dbosman]

My favorite is a 148 gr. double end, bevel base wad cutter over Bullseye or W231.

[Beesdad]

I use a Lee 6 cavity 358-140 SWC. They shoot great all of my guns with light loads using HP-38 or Clays. They cast well also.

[Beau Cassidy]

My favorite weighs a bit more than that.
It is the Lyman 358495 wadcutter. (141 grain)
Wish I could find a H&G #50...

Here ya go.... Not mine.....

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?192907-hensley-amp-gibbs-50-10-cavity

[Charlie Two Tracks]

I have a MiHec 359-125 that I really like. Might want to check out one of those MiHec group buys. Very nice brass molds.

[quilbilly]

If you want to go light boolit, the Lee 125 grain RNFL is great. It can also be used in 9mm in some cases. If you decide to get a Lee mold, get the 6 cavity. Puts out lotsa boolits quickly and the alignment is much better than the older two holer.

I've used two of them for over three years and they are still going strong.

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets
Dittos from here. Not only does my 38 and 357 like that boolit for plinking but so does my 357 max and my 9mm T/C carbine.

[Jazzcat]

I have been using the Lee .358 105 gr SWC with great success in 3 different Ruger revolvers (Security Six, GP100 and LCR). I am using 3.5 gr of Bullseye. For the LCR 2.8 gr of Bullseye makes a nice practice round. My wife shot 100 rounds in one session with that load with no discomfort.

I size them to .357 and load 4.2 gr of BE for my Ruger SR9c and 2.7 gr of BE for a Bersa .380.

A nice all around practice/plinking round for .38, 9mm and .380

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Lyman 358477 works for me

[williamwaco]

I don't see a single vote for my favorites.

Lee 358-158-SWC

Lee 358-158-RF

[rexherring]

Dittos from here. Not only does my 38 and 357 like that boolit for plinking but so does my 357 max and my 9mm T/C carbine.

Another + from me on the Lee 125 RNFP. Shoots great in the .38 and .357. Their 110 SWC isn't a bad one either and I load a lot of them for the 2 inch snubbies.

[FLINTNFIRE]

I like the lee 158 grain swc and rn , both shoot great 3.4 grains of promo , so when promo is available again and small pistol primers at a reasonable price.

[Piedmont]

Find out first what bullet weight your gun is regulated for. Mine shoots to the sights with standard 150-160 gr. loads. It is my understanding S&W may have changed what the regulated the guns for in the past few years. Buy a mold that matches what your sights are set for.

[Combat Diver]

I don't shoot my 442 Pro that often. My only mold for it is a Lee single cavity .358-150gr SWCHP. I load these behind a charge of Unique.


CD

[Combat Diver]

edited double post

[Shiloh]

If you want to go light boolit, the Lee 125 grain RNFL is great. It can also be used in 9mm in some cases. If you decide to get a Lee mold, get the 6 cavity. Puts out lotsa boolits quickly and the alignment is much better than the older two holer.

I've used two of them for over three years and they are still going strong.

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets

I second this. I like the LEE 140 gr. SWC as well.

SHiloh

[Trey45]

I'll second what Piedmont said. The new J frames are regulated for lighter bullets, you need the weight your J frame is regulated for. Once you know that, then decide on molds.

[ShooterAZ]

My favorite is the RCBS 38-140-RF (Cowboy Boolit) over 3.5 grains of Titegroup. Second would be the Lee 38-105-SWC over the same powder charge.

[H.Callahan]

If you are going that light, I second (or third or whatever number we are on) the Lee 105gr SWC. Great little bullet that can do double duty in your 9mm or .380 in a lot of instances. MY favorite is my NOE clone of the 358477 that can be cast in HP or FN. I use it to approximate the FBI load and can also load it down to target levels. Very accurate in a wide range of applications.

[mdi]

Since you asked about light bullets, I normally don't go for light-for-caliber bullets but do I cast/shoot a lot of Lee 125 gr RNFP. I size to.358" for my revolvers and .357" for my 9mms. I've got an old single cavity Ideal 148 gr. wadcutter, plain base that I really like too...

[remy3424]

Lyman 358091...over 3.1 gr. of Titegroup, sized to .358, carb red lube in the lower two grooves and seated to the crimp groove with a heathy crimp....this load makes myself look like a decent handgun shooter. Alloy is about 7.5 lbs of cww plus 1 lb of sww and 2 or 2.5 oz of 40/60 solder air cooled. Might try to cut in more soft lead to conserve my cww stash, but that combo is deadly accurate for me and zero leading in a new S&W 14 from the 70s I recently acquired.

[w0fms]

I'm a bit of a noob, but despite this I've had great luck with my 6 cavity Lee 358-158-SWC for punching paper. It's beats any factory ammo I've tried under 3.3 gr of Bullseye... But that's heavy for you apparently. I suspect the lighter SWC's from Lee would be fine too. Enjoy..

[slohunter]

The Lee 38-105 is a accurate little bullet and I like the fact I'm using less lead.