Your favorite bullet molds for the 380 ACP, 38 Special & 38 Super

[ryan richards]

Gentlemen:

You have a new pledge to your bullet casting fraternity.

I live in the Peruvian Amazon and bullets costs $1.10 a piece here.

We can carry anything up to a 38 caliber. Therefore, I'm interested in the 380 ACP, 38 Special & 38 Super.

I need your advice on bullet molds for the above mentioned calibers.

For practice, SWC's make nice, clean holes in targets, so what are your favorites in these calibers?

For stopping the bad guys, we can't use "expanding bullets" (something about the Geneva Convention and being humane), so what would you recommend?

Do you have any which will serve as both practice and self-defense?

It's absolutely incredible that someone in the Amazon, who knows nothing about bullet casting can have the opportunity to contact experts willing to share their knowledge..........thank you very much for your time and interest.

Sincerely,

Ryan

[Wayne Smith]

Absolutely amazing, yes. What mold sources are available to you? Can you get delivery from the US or are you limited to local stuff? Mold makers both here in the US and in Oz (Australia) are routinely recommended on this board. Search the archives, do a search and see what has already been posted.

[DLCTEX]

Welcome! Lyman's 358431- 160 gr. SWC should fill the need for target and defense work in 38 Spc. Water dropped from the mold wheel weight alloy, should be hard enough for humane purposes. DALE

[MT Gianni]

358477 in the 38 special. Gianni

[dubber123]

The Lyman 358091 wadcutter, very accurate in .38 spl., and has enough lube capacity to be run quite hot for defence. Oh, and Welcome!

[Alchemist]

Welcome Ryan!

You didn't say if you can use .357 Magnum....but it's the same bore diameter as the .38 Special. Magnum velocities would help compensate for having to use non-expanding bullets. A hard cast SWC would indeed be sufficient for both practice and defense, as Dale noted.
If you can procure wheel weights or other lead alloys at a decent price, you'll be able to recoup the equipment costs very quickly once you start making your own. Are your component prices (powder & primers) expensive also?

Hope to hear more from you...especially about what it's like in the Amazon basin. I get an image of lots of creepy-crawlies & huge slithery critters. I must watch too much Discovery Channel.

Cheers :drinks:
Alchemist

[Ricochet]

Since I've started using the Lee TL355-124-TC for 9mm Para and it's in a 6-hole mould so I can make lots of them fast, I expect I'll load a lot of those in .38 Special as well. It has a fairly small meplat and won't transfer energy to a target as rapidly as a semiwadcutter, but it's better than the semi-spitzer FMJ 9mm ball. It should feed well in a .38 Super as well as a 9mm. My Lyman manual shows the Lyman version of it in that cartridge. Mine are coming out of the mould at .357" on the front band, .360" on the rear band. As mentioned, if you water drop wheelweight metal or use type metal, it can't be considered an "expanding bullet." (Even FMJ bullets will deform if they hit something hard.)

What I'd pick for primarily defensive use in the .38 revolver personally would be the Lyman #358432 160 grain full wadcutter, of hard water dropped alloy. (Because I have a mould for it.) That full diameter nose shoulder will transfer energy effectively. I use 158 grain SWC loading data. My next choice would probably be the venerable Keith design #358429.

[mooman76]

The Lee 105g swc is a fine shootin bullet for those calibers. It may be a little light for self defence though but you can load the 38 with a considerably heavier bullet than the 380 so it might helf for you to deside which caliber you want.

[HeavyMetal]

For the 38 super I 'm going to suggest the Saeco 925 F8b. This is a 356/357 diameter semi wadcutter in 125 grain weight range depending on alloy. wheel weights will be about right.

You should be able to get this in the 1300 FPS range with several powders including Bluedot. You didn't mention issues on powder so I'll figure you got that issue licked.

I'm not a fan of heavy bullets in the 38 special. The shorter the barrel the more you lose in velociity. for a 4 inch gun I'd not go heavier than 150 grains and would suggest you try some of the Saeco 925's in it as well.

If your lucky enough to have a six inch gun you can get the 150's into the 1100 FPS range but you'll need a strong gun.

I know many south american countries forbid "military" and "police" rounds. So that means any of the magnums and 9mm/ 45 auto are no go's. Yopu can't even own a weapon marked for these cartridges!

It's the main reason the old "Super" hasn't disappeared completely.

I'd use the .380 for training, the 38 special as a back up gun and load the snot out of the Super. With luck you have a Colt goverment or clone of same in 38 super and I believe that to be your best bet for for both practise and self defense.

If the 925 runs through it with out jamming use that bullet for both!

[crabo]

I haven't bought what I hope to be my favorite for the 38 Super. It is the H&G 81.

http://hgmould.gunloads.com/molds/81.jpg

It is patterened after the H&G 68 plainbase for 45 and we all know what a great bullet that is.

So far I have never seen one or heard of anyone that has one. I'm afraid I just need to bite the boolit and order one from ballisticast.


CRabo

[HeavyMetal]

The 925 is very close to that design except it's a bevel base.

Crabo you might call redding and see if a plain base version is sold.

[StrawHat]

Not at all sure about your laws in that area but to echo some of what has been said;

For defense with the 38 Special, I would use one of the full wadcutter bullets, ie Lyman #358432 or Lyman 358344 or Lyman 35863 (358063).

A good SWC is the Lyman #358429, or the Lyman 358156.

If Lyman molds are not available, Lee makes 158 SWC and 148 WC molds in 2 or 6 cavities.

Is handloading a popular option in Peru?

What powders are available?

Too bad about the caliber ceiling, otherwise the 44-40 or 44 Special would work for you also.

[ryan richards]

[QUOTE=ryan richards;344780]Gentlemen:

You have a new pledge to your bullet casting fraternity.

I live in the Peruvian Amazon and bullets costs $1.10 a piece here.

We can carry anything up to a 38 caliber. Therefore, I'm interested in the 380 ACP, 38 Special & 38 Super.

I need your advice on bullet molds for the above mentioned calibers.

For practice, SWC's make nice, clean holes in targets, so what are your favorites in these calibers?

For stopping the bad guys, we can't use "expanding bullets" (something about the Geneva Convention and being humane), so what would you recommend?

Do you have any which will serve as both practice and self-defense?

It's absolutely incredible that someone in the Amazon, who knows nothing about bullet casting can have the opportunity to contact experts willing to share their knowledge..........thank you very much for your time and interest.

Sincerely,

Ryan

Your answers:

1) Reloading equipment, including molds, powder, cases, primers, etc. will be imported from the USA. Reloading in Peru is in the Dark Ages.

2) Wheel-weights are available locally in small quantities. Since there are no road connections, you fly in or take a slow boat from China. There are thousands of motorcycles but unfortunately, they don’t use wheel-weights. I think the local source will be sufficient, if it isn’t, I’ll hop on a plane, fly 700 miles to the capitol and buy my supply there. Peru is a major producer and exporter of lead. So it has to be very inexpensive in Lima.

3) About the .357 magnum. Good question. I’ll ask the authorities if I am able to import it and use it for personal defense. It is a 38 caliber bullet!

4) I have never heard of anyone handloading in Peru. The other day, I asked a bank security guard if I could inspect one of his 38 Special bullets. My God, the brass was heavily tarnished, the primer was definitely 3rd world and the round-nose lead bullet looked as if it was hand made by school children who couldn’t do their homework. Dirt was packed around the primer and the rim. Overall, it looked like something you would find on a WW I battle field. Someone is handloading, but with what? Certainly not here, but on the coast, 700 miles away and the ammo is shipped in by plane and that is getting expensive.

5) I just read in the newspaper today. A politician was caught in Lima for having a firearm without a license. It is a crime and carries a sentence of a minimum of 6 years to a maximum of 15 years in prison. I wonder how they will handle that hot potato. It pays to respect the laws of Peru. It’s a lot easier getting a carry permit here than in the USA. All said, the laws in Peru are probably better than in the USA while their interpretation and application are probably better in the USA.

Thanks again for your time and interest.

"There are times when gentlemen are morally bound to go to war, but they are not morally bound to use poision arrows." Baltazar Gracian (1601-1658)

[HeavyMetal]

Real curious about how they define "38 " caliber! You might get lucky and be able to buy a 357!

However As a died in the wool auto loader fan I'd still carry a 1911 style in 38 super before I buy a 357 wheel gun. Reason? You can get the super into low end 357 power ranges and 8 or 9 rounds of that is better than 6 from a "wheelie".

Don't let anyone sell you the old wheel guns don't jam line! I've seen it happen, I've had it happen! Anything mechanical can and will break! Proper maintenece is the key to survival!

I also think, with a spare mag or two, that you can reload an auto pistol a lot faster than a wheelie.

Hey think about it and let us know how the caliber defination works out.

[Rooster]

Heavy Metal,

That was post #357 for you! Too funny.

[Ricochet]

I'd love to have a .38 Super, and back in 1977 when I bought my Government Model it was a tough decision which caliber to get it in. I ended up going for the .45. Now that I have 2 9mms, I doubt I'll ever get a Super, because they're in the same class though the Super's a good bit ahead of the 9. But I'd feel well armed with a 1911 in .38 Super.

The only downside of autos for me is finding the cartridge cases after shooting!

I've heard of the restrictions on civilians owning military calibers in lots of countries. Never really heard what the rationale for that is supposed to be. ???

[HeavyMetal]

The idea behind not allowing Civilains to own "military" rounds / guns is to keep us wayward "civvie's" from starting another revolution!

Revolutions seem to be as popular in south american countries as french fry's are here!

[docone31]

Have you considered a 38/45?
I had one and I loved it. 45ACP case necked down to .357. Very accurate and almost jam free!
Just a thought, the barrel is a drop in, uses 45 clips, head spaces on the shoulder. The rounds are fairly simple to make. Gotta dress the neck.

[docone31]

I should have added 38/45 Bain Davis.

[Ricochet]

.357 SIG would be in that class, too.

[JIMinPHX]

The idea behind not allowing Civilains to own "military" rounds / guns is to keep us wayward "civvie's" from starting another revolution!

Revolutions seem to be as popular in south american countries as french fry's are here!

That’s why the 9 x 21 is available in Europe. It is exactly the same as the 9 x 19 except the case is 2mm longer to make it technically a different cartridge. The exact same loading data is used. The exact same ballistics are produced.

[HeavyMetal]

357 Sig would be an excellent choice! However I think finding Sig brass in Peru would be like finding.. well I'll bet it's difficult.

The Super option is a sound one! This caliber is very popular in Mexico and other South American countries because of the already mentioned bans.

Ryan won't have as much trouble finding brass like he might with other, newer loadings.

The 9X21 is also a good choice but I have no idea how easy it would be to find brass for that either. Although I seem to remember that round was also called the 9mm Largo?? It may have been exported to S. America in some quantities, we'll have to wait for Ryan to weigh in on this and let us know.

I'll bet he's running into a restriction on how many guns he can own as well.

I'm very interested in what he finds out concerning the 357 magnum.

[Ricochet]

9mm Largo is another round. Very similar to a .38 Super without the enlarged, semirimless rim. Spanish military cartridge. .38 Super cartridges may work in 9mm Largo pistols and vice versa, or so I've read.