Well, here I go

[John McCorkle]

Got inspired to try something out on a recent thread on 38 spc.

I recently picked up a used model 10 in poor aesthetic shape but great functional shape (she's ugly but shell shoot very well)

Did the break down on the lighter target loads for 38 spc...and and collecting lead now for the goal....20k rounds down the tube.

Building a berm to help recollect/recast lead on the property but I estimate I'll need 400 lbs +/- for 125 RF (happen to have a Lee six banger for the role)...

Now to get primers in bulk (suggestions appreciated on where I should look for best economy) and powder (thinking bullseye or hp38/231...again open to suggestions)

I grew up with a long gun in my hands and am really pretty decent...but we never shot pistol much...and I'm mediocre at best. I want to change that and I estimate 20k rounds will be a good starting point.

I may grab up a snub nose 38 at some point to get some refinement in on shorter barreled small frame revolver but my plan is to shoot the snot out of this one.

Any suggestions on where to get a few ten thousand pistol primers and powder load suggestions for bulk economy rounds? Not trying to put down animals with these just ring steel and paper.

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[RED BEAR]

i have been using unis ginex small rifle primers from gaf and sons $109 per 5000. seem to work just fine. i have read on here there is no difference in small rifle and small pistol not sure about that but i can't see any difference.

[Thumbcocker]

Promo

[jdfoxinc]

Fiochi from Graf. 12,000 for $255.99 when in stock.

[Walter Laich]

I use Red Dot powder

powder valley is my 'go to' place for primer/ammo

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I'd start small...a pound of powder and 1k Primers.
It'd be a bummer to find out your brass or powder measure or gun doesn't like the powder and/or primers you just bought in mass bulk.

I load quite a bit of 38 spl...but never in batches larger than 500rds, and that is only after I have proved a load, if I'm trying a different powder or primer.

Below are my suggestions to try first:

I like Winchester primers, they seem to fit many brands of brass without issue, I like CCI also, but they seem to fit too snug in some brass. Primers are not all the same.

I like Bullseye powder for 38 spl. It meters better than Red Dot/Promo and other flake powders in my Lee auto-disk measure.

[John McCorkle]

I'd start small...a pound of powder and 1k Primers.
It'd be a bummer to find out your brass or powder measure or gun doesn't like the powder and/or primers you just bought in mass bulk.

I load quite a bit of 38 spl...but never in batches larger than 500rds, and that is only after I have proved a load, if I'm trying a different powder or primer. Below are my suggestions to try first:

I like Winchester primers, they seem to fit many brands of brass without issue, I like CCI also, but they seem to fit too snug in some brass. Primers are not all the same.

I like Bullseye powder for 38 spl. It meters better than Red Dot/Promo and other flake powders in my Lee auto-disk measure.Good advice thank you

I've tried cci in other 38 spc loads and they seem to work well...my go to powder has been Tite group for pistol (38 spc and 9mm) but unique runs up there for nostalgic reasons (load in my 06, 08, 300 blk, 303, 9mm and 38...) But not sure it's the right powder for this....but there again I could be wrong. Don't care how dirty it shoots as long as it shoots well...I can clean the gun

I shoot heaps of 9mm and have in the past shot alot of 38 spc...but never as a focused discipline of intentional goal of marksmanship (like I did with my 22 when I was a kid or my 300 blk when I graduated to centerfire reloading)

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[toallmy]

I usually order primers when they go on sale + discounts on shipping and has/mat . I like CCI large rifle and mag large rifle , federal small rifle , and Winchester lg , and small pistol . I try to catch a Midway USA sale and stock up once or twice a year don't forget shot shell primers when ordering . Good call on the powder try a little before you buy a lot is a good rule .

[rking22]

My expe rience with the 38special and 125 gr cast is faster powderz than unique are better. Bullseye for me but I had a keg and it shot better groups than unique. Wish red dot metered better!

[Cherokee]

Don't forget Winchester Super Target (WST) for your loads. I use a lot of it for 32-20, 9mm, 38 Spl, 44 Spl, 45 Colt, 45 ACP. Meters well, bulky so it fills the case more than other fast powders. I also like 231/hp38 for similar applications.
I would start slower, develop my load(s) and then go for bulk buy.

[John McCorkle]

I have on hand:

Hp38/231
Tite group
Unique

I'll test these to see what I can get from accuracy on the Lee 125 RF...I'd like to stick with that one since I have a six gang mold already...

I have several other molds I'm sure would also be great...148 wc, 158 RF, and a few 9mm molds that would likely work too but they are two gang molds...very doable but I can make a mountain of bullets easy with that six gang mold...and it gets more MPG on lead. Lead is getting harder to come by btw....good grief. Tire shops around here either a) won't give any away as they have a contract with some lead disposal company b) only get zinc or iron weights anymore....or c) have little quantity on hand...

Scrap yard will sell lead for a Kings random but I still buy some here and there...but would still like to recover as much as I can if possible. If I can recover half I'd be happy but that'll require a nice berm. Currently just set out cans and targets where I can and go blasting away...never gave much thought to recapturing the bullets after.

All will be powder coated...it's just my new go to...clean efficient and effective...

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[GhostHawk]

Agree with a couple of posts above, Red Dot/Promo for powder, get either and primers at BPI. Ie google Ballistics products. Good company, good prices, good service, good support if needed.

[pls1911]

Red Dot and Unique are tough to beat.

[John McCorkle]

Red Dot and Unique are tough to beat.What is a good light loads for unique in 38 spc? I have a 148 wc mold and 125 RF mold...I'd like to use the 125 if I could as it is a six gang mold...

But all the load data I've seen for 38 spc is using 4+ grains not the <3 grains of Tite group or bullseye ...if I had a choice I know unique works well in 9mm for me...as well as 30 06, 300 blk, and a host of other rounds I cast for.

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[Bookworm]

I use that same Lee 125gr FRN in my 38s, using 4.3 great HP-38. I shoot a bunch. Very pleasant load.

That load gives me ~825fps in a 6" S&W Model 14. Somewhat slower in shorter barrels. I worked up that load to get good accuracy in several revolvers, if you are looking to shoot just one you may find a smaller powder charge works better for you.

As for catching the lead, I use a 5 gallon bucket filled with shredded rubber. The rubber is available at garden supply stores, as mulch. I screw the lid back on the bucket, and tape cardboard discs over top of the lid, to which the target is stapled.

When the cardboard is shot out, I either tape another over top of it, or replace it. To recover the lead, I dump the rubber out, a bit at a time, on a sheet of cardboard, and pick out the lead. Very little fuss or muss, and no digging in a berm.

[robg]

true blue similar speed to unique but cleaner and meters better .try shooting double action only so you can just concentrate on sight picture and trigger squeeze .

[Hardcast416taylor]

What is a good light loads for unique in 38 spc? I have a 148 wc mold and 125 RF mold...I'd like to use the 125 if I could as it is a six gang mold...

But all the load data I've seen for 38 spc is using 4+ grains not the <3 grains of Tite group or bullseye ...if I had a choice I know unique works well in 9mm for me...as well as 30 06, 300 blk, and a host of other rounds I cast for.

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I cast and shot `UMPTEEN` thousands of Lyman 148 Gr. WC boolets when I shot an indoor PPC course as well as ran it every Friday night. I started out with straight wheel weights just because I had plenty of them. I later went to 50/50 alloy. My load for indoor shooting was 3.5 gr. of either HP-38/Win. 231 with Winchester or Federal std. small pistol primers. When lube sizing a WC boolet that won`t be driven fast you`ll only need to put lube in the bottom grease groove. Good luck.Robert

[mdi]

Normally I think "fun" rather than quantity. I have a 2 hole Lee 125 RNFP and because I like casting, 200 bullets in a session is really easy, and I often combine sessions with a second mold. I can't remember my 38 Special Unique loads, but I know I shot many rounds with 158 gr. SWC over Unique. But for the 125 gr. bullet I have settled on W231. Loads that give around 850 fps. I also have a Lyman 148 gr WC mold and one of my house gun loads is the wadcutter over a near max./max load of W231. This load clocked 860 fps outta my 3" 38.

BTW I get my load data straight outta my Lyman manuals (47th through 50th, Cast bullet Handbooks 3rd and 4th).

[David2011]

It’s hard to beat a 148 gr wadcutter driven by 2.8 gr of Bullseye. It’s very accurate and economical. That or something close has been a mainstay of bullseye shooters for decades. I’ve gone as low as 2.3 gr for virtually no recoil. It’s pretty dirty at that low pressure though.

[Petrol & Powder]

First - Two big thumbs up for the 38 Special project. I load and shoot more 38 Special than any other cartridge. It's a fantastic round and one of my all time favorites.

Two - I agree with the advice to start with a smaller batch just in case there's an issue with the load. You don't want 20K rounds that your gun doesn't like.

I understand the OP has a mold for a 125 grain bullet but I would strongly suggest getting something closer to the 150-160 grain bullet weight. The temptation is to save lead with the lighter projectile but the 38 Special really does its best work around 150-160 grains. It's not that the 125 weight is bad, it's that the 158 grain is better. A good 158 grain SWC or 148 WC is a marvelous thing in a K-frame S&W.

For many years ww-231 [HP-38] was my primary powder for 38 Special. Bullseye has become my new standard but 231 is perfectly acceptable. I cannot offer much opinion on the newer powders such as titegroup.
Unique will work but it results in a higher charge weight per cartridge AND it isn't real powder measure friendly. I keep Unique on hand but it is not my powder of choice for 38 Special.

As for a bulk source of primers, there are no real bargains. When you check prices, shipping and hazmat fees you will find there's a floor to the total cost that you will just not be able get below. My suggestion there is to pick a brand of primers that work for you and then shop via internet for the supplier that fits your needs. When you look at the total cost (price, shipping and hazmat fees combined) you will find that there are no big winners in terms of actual cost.
In terms of primer performance, CCI has a well earned reputation of having the hardest primer cups and can be difficult to reliably ignite with a weak hammer spring. Federal Match primers tend to be the easiest to light off. However, with a properly seated primer and an un-modified gun - the CCI primers will work just fine.

Good Luck on your project and keep us informed.

[David2011]

Gotta agree with Petrol and Powder on 231. It’s very clean and a little goes a long way.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I never thought that I`d find a boolet that I liked as well or better than the 148 Gr. WC in my K 14 S&W. Well for the past 20 years I have been shooting the `daylights` out the RCBS 38 - 150 SWC mold. I`m using the same 3.5 gr. powder and same primer loads and it shoots as well as the WC does. There are other clone molds of the RCBS, but I stay with the `green box` model.Robert

[Texas by God]

I'm still shooting boolits from a 1980's Lee 150 swc 2 cavity. They shoot better than I can hold in our 4" K frames. I use Bullseye, Red Dot, and sometimes Unique when I want more thump. I love the .38 special.

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[trooperdan]

i have been using unis ginex small rifle primers from gaf and sons $109 per 5000. seem to work just fine. i have read on here there is no difference in small rifle and small pistol not sure about that but i can't see any difference.
On sale at Graf's (dealer) for $98/5,000. A C&R license gets you dealer status.

[rbuck351]

How you practice can save you a bunch of ammo. You need to be able to see your mistakes in trigger control. Load one loaded round and the rest empty. Close the cyl and start "firing" until you find the loaded chamber. This will show you very quickly any bad habits and give you lots of practice developing good habits without burning lots of ammo wondering if you held solid our if the recoil hid a less than good follow through. Don't play while shooting, concentrate on making every shot a good shot. 1k rounds will go farther than 10k rounds of just blasting away. Also dry fire until you can keep the front sight solid on target all the way through the trigger pull.

[John McCorkle]

How you practice can save you a bunch of ammo. You need to be able to see your mistakes in trigger control. Load one loaded round and the rest empty. Close the cyl and start "firing" until you find the loaded chamber. This will show you very quickly any bad habits and give you lots of practice developing good habits without burning lots of ammo wondering if you held solid our if the recoil hid a less than good follow through. Don't play while shooting, concentrate on making every shot a good shot. 1k rounds will go farther than 10k rounds of just blasting away. Also dry fire until you can keep the front sight solid on target all the way through the trigger pull.That's great advice, a coach once told me to practice 100 dry fires at night per every live round I fired at the range....don't know if this was literal or figurative but I come close to that in dry fires...

I think continuing that coupled with 20k rounds.... would take a long time (not going to burn through that many like that in a month or two) and would really boost my confidence and skill.... guess I should set what attainable milestones I'm looking for as "skill set markers" ie...what size target at what distance how many % of the time...

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[MT Gianni]

Remember practice does not make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. Focus on the front sight all the time you have your finger on the trigger. Routinely practice moving your trigger finger until you move it rearward and nothing else in your hand moves. Any movement other than your trigger finger will move your gun, in a handgun it doesn't take much to through a group off. Shoot double action if you wish but get good at single action first.

With an empty gun, checked and verified empty, stand in your bedroom doorway and aim at the opposite corner of ceiling and wall. Drop your arm and repeat ten times trying to reacquire the sight picture as quickly as possible.

http://www.hensleygibbs.com/edharris/backcreekdiary.htm
I like these articles Ed Harris has written re the 38 special. If it were me I would get a 6 cavity Lee TL Wadcutter mold and 8 lbs of Bullseye. That and the 90 ge 32 SWC of Lees are the only ones I TL and shoot them at under 900 fps. I think there is no quicker way to make a lot of shootable bullets.

[psweigle]

My go-to 38 spc. load is a 158gr. Boolit behind 3gr bullseye. I shoot it out of rifle and revolver and even the coonan.

As far as primers go, I get mine from a local reloading supply shop by the thousand.

As others have said, 125gr will work, but heavier boolits are better in 38 spc.

A good place to find lead is at boat yards. The keel on sailboats to be spacific.
Good luck and enjoy the project. Keep us posted.

[slughammer]

In 38spl I know I've burned both an 8lb jug of Winchester Super Target and an 8lb of Clays. The Clays was used with 125's and 130's. The WST was 150's and 158's.

I will go on record here and say Clays is way cleaner than bullseye, red dot and unique in 38 spl. Most of this shooting was stainless S&W's. Way less permablack in my cylinder flutes. Clays is also less position sensitive from the holster and gives consistent velocities.

I will also say that WST while similar to Titegroup in burn rate is better. I found my forcing cone hot as heck when practicing with Titegroup.

I keep both around. For the last few years I've just been shooting 158's with WST. If I switch to 125's for cheaper boolits (save lead), then I'll be using Clays again. (I also have Bullseye and Unique around, but I use them elsewhere than 38spl).

[Echo]

try shooting double action only so you can just concentrate on sight picture and trigger squeeze .

I think you must mean single-action...

[robg]

meant don't cock the hammer just press the trigger ,pull is longer but you don't mess about changing your grip etc

[shafer44]

unique...only thing is it does not meter as well as some other powders

[MT Gianni]

meant don't cock the hammer just press the trigger ,pull is longer but you don't mess about changing your grip etc

I find it much easier to cock the hammer, reacquire a proper grip and focus on sights with a much shorter trigger release than DA. Most Bullseye shooters did also.

[Hondo 60]

Any suggestions on where to get a few ten thousand pistol primers

My go-to place for primers & powder is Powder Valley.
They usually have the best prices

https://www.powdervalleyinc.com/

& here's a place to start with load info

http://www.reloadammo.com/9mloads.htm

[John McCorkle]

Man, loving all the responses from you all. I've loaded and shot alot but not much 38 spc (<3k in my lifetime) this is a going back to focus on fundamental marksmanship with pistol...much like I did growing up with .22 rifle (translates to rifle in general)...work on fundamentals

However this is why I really enjoy this forum...I'd likely never get to meet any of you in person and certainly not get the broad range of experience from all the like minded fellows as I do here. Keep em coming

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[tazman]

I have tried many different boolit weights in the 38 special and the ones that shoot the best for me in my S&W revolvers are the 148 wadcutters, the lyman 358311, and the150 grain SWC boolits from either Lyman, NOE, or RCBS.
For target work, any light load will do. Try to keep velocities over 750fps. This seems to be a sweet spot for the S&W guns.
I have used HP38/231, WST, Bullseye, Titegroup, CFE Pistol, and a couple of others and they all gave acceptable results. Consistency on your casting and loading process is more important than what powder you use.
I am not going to give advice on shooting technique. Others have already covered the bases there. I am still working on my own technique and doing it in much the same way you are going.

[robg]

used to shoot practical pistol years ago found I shoot better shooting da under pressure as only had to think about sight picture and trigger press even at 50 yards.seems wrong at first but for fast shooting it works.bullseye was never my sport.

[dverna]

Have shot likely 150k .38 Spl. loads. Any of the fast Shotgun powders will work as well as Bullseye. Although I have over 60 lbs of Promo (Red Dot...is the same), I prefer HP38 for light loads as it meters better. Saving money of pistol powder is of no concern to me as each load uses so little. I also prefer the Winchester primers but any primer that fits easily should be fine for plinking.

Many places offer reduced cost HazMat fees during promotions...must be patient. Combine powder and primers on the same order and you can save a lot over the LGS. I also buy components at major trap competitions. A fed years ago I got Promo for $68/8lb jug at the Ohio State shoot. Good deals at times.

I would not worry about buying in bulk for the .38 unless you are trying some off brand powder or primers...with primers being the worst if they do not fit the primer pocket. The .38 is the easiest caliber to reload for. Any of the popular powders mentioned will work either well or extremely well.

My light loads are 2.8 gr of HP38 with the 125-130 gr bullets I typically use for plinking and CAS. 1" groups at 30 yards with the rifle. 1" groups at 7 yards offhand with the pistols. Good enough for my needs.

[John McCorkle]

Have shot likely 150k .38 Spl. loads. Any of the fast Shotgun powders will work as well as Bullseye. Although I have over 60 lbs of Promo (Red Dot...is the same), I prefer HP38 for light loads as it meters better. Saving money of pistol powder is of no concern to me as each load uses so little. I also prefer the Winchester primers but any primer that fits easily should be fine for plinking.

Many places offer reduced cost HazMat fees during promotions...must be patient. Combine powder and primers on the same order and you can save a lot over the LGS. I also buy components at major trap competitions. A fed years ago I got Promo for $68/8lb jug at the Ohio State shoot. Good deals at times.

I would not worry about buying in bulk for the .38 unless you are trying some off brand powder or primers...with primers being the worst if they do not fit the primer pocket. The .38 is the easiest caliber to reload for. Any of the popular powders mentioned will work either well or extremely well.

My light loads are 2.8 gr of HP38 with the 125-130 gr bullets I typically use for plinking and CAS. 1" groups at 30 yards with the rifle. 1" groups at 7 yards offhand with the pistols. Good enough for my needs.150k is quite a few!!! Thanks for the advice...my goal is to start at the end of hunting season (property doubles as deer hunting grounds/target range)

The deer are rather used to regular shooting but need to fill the tags first to eat on next year then focus on this dandy project...but already sourced 1k cases (which if i load light from what I can tell will last me the rest of my life) keeping my eyes open for online deals black Friday for powder primers, and making weekly trips to the local tire shops with donuts in hand to trade for their old lead (which most of is now iron or zinc but there is still some here and there...worth collecting still)

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[OS OK]

I make my .38S. FWC's on an old restored Green Machine, this is the current recipe...I just try to keep this jar full and don't load by the thousands, just by the hundreds...

https://i.imgur.com/93S0gRZ.jpg?1

I admire your quest to master the handgun after so many years of rifle, I did the same thing. Got tired of being a lousy shot with the pistol. From the .38S. I moved to the 1911 with the same attitude. Now it's this jar that I try to keep full...

https://i.imgur.com/4pZYiI3.jpg?1

Once you have settled on a recipe you like the next objective, at least for me was to get the lead back with the least amount of effort. I built a backstop catcher that'd put my lead into a 5 gallon metal bucket. Then it'd go directly to the smelt pot...no digging in the berm, I'm too old for that anymore.

Practice on this side...

https://i.imgur.com/TQJ31yv.jpg?1

Get the lead back on this side...

https://i.imgur.com/flWBvRh.jpg?1

It was a lot of work to build this gizmo but that part is in the past now...

https://i.imgur.com/PhSILcD.jpg?1

today it's practice, practice, practice...then after about 3,500 rounds with the .38S. there's about 75 lbs. of your lead waiting in the metal bucket. Then it's off to the smelt pot to turn that into this...

https://i.imgur.com/8wHOmei.jpg?1

You know the rest of the story after that...it's a real pleasure to get all that silver stuff back.
Good luck with your project...

[John McCorkle]

I make my .38S. FWC's on an old restored Green Machine, this is the current recipe...I just try to keep this jar full and don't load by the thousands, just by the hundreds...

https://i.imgur.com/93S0gRZ.jpg?1

I admire your quest to master the handgun after so many years of rifle, I did the same thing. Got tired of being a lousy shot with the pistol. From the .38S. I moved to the 1911 with the same attitude. Now it's this jar that I try to keep full...

https://i.imgur.com/4pZYiI3.jpg?1

Once you have settled on a recipe you like the next objective, at least for me was to get the lead back with the least amount of effort. I built a backstop catcher that'd put my lead into a 5 gallon metal bucket. Then it'd go directly to the smelt pot...no digging in the berm, I'm too old for that anymore.

Practice on this side...

https://i.imgur.com/TQJ31yv.jpg?1

Get the lead back on this side...

https://i.imgur.com/flWBvRh.jpg?1

It was a lot of work to build this gizmo but that part is in the past now...

https://i.imgur.com/PhSILcD.jpg?1

today it's practice, practice, practice...then after about 3,500 rounds with the .38S. there's about 75 lbs. of your lead waiting in the metal bucket. Then it's off to the smelt pot to turn that into this...

https://i.imgur.com/8wHOmei.jpg?1

You know the rest of the story after that...it's a real pleasure to get all that silver stuff back.
Good luck with your project...Yo!!! I like that bullet trap! Never thought of something quite like that but that dog will hunt!!

I have access to a welder if I can get some steel and some time something like that would work beautifully

And thank you, selling off a couple safe queens to fund it all...better to wear out what I have than have more and use them none.

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[OS OK]

I wrote several articles over at The Reloaders Network on this project...this one pretty much sums up the design of this gizmo. Hope that it helps if you decide to build one too.

https://thereloadersnetwork.com/2018/07/15/new-pistol-target-backstop-_-it-works-part-2/

c h a r l i e

[John McCorkle]

I wrote several articles over at The Reloaders Network on this project...this one pretty much sums up the design of this gizmo. Hope that it helps if you decide to build one too.

https://thereloadersnetwork.com/2018/07/15/new-pistol-target-backstop-_-it-works-part-2/

c h a r l i eThanks again, did a little looking into bullet traps in general... everything from dirt berm to design like yours....which I dub "the Cadillac"...found a good "midsize sedan" version that looks inexpensive enough and simple enough I might just be able to do it.

https://youtu.be/gdPSAoPx3R0



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[OS OK]

Thanks again, did a little looking into bullet traps in general... everything from dirt berm to design like yours....which I dub "the Cadillac"...found a good "midsize sedan" version that looks inexpensive enough and simple enough I might just be able to do it.

https://youtu.be/gdPSAoPx3R0




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Ha! That's the guy who inspired me to do one too...I just sized mine up a wee bit so that hopefully I wouldn't/couldn't miss the thing. Then after getting a quote on the steel (sticker shock) the project sat on the back burner for several years.

I made a backstop using a 55 gallon barrel and rubber tire mulch...it would stop anything I owned, rifle included at point blank range. Used this gizmo for a while but soon grew tired of a 2 hour tear-down and cleanup for the lead recovery...this is the last batch I took out of the barrel when I moved into the new backstop...

https://i.imgur.com/OMCtK0i.jpg?1

Also the diameter of a drum is not that wide so it really was a pain when the rim of the barrel got hit and I had to get the ball peen hammer out to repair the barrel band and rim before re-assemblly...also had to keep replacing the 1/4" plywood that held the targets. On the plus side, tire mulch doesn't deform the rounds and it was a good backstop to recover rounds from if you wanted to inspect them.

I forgot about that post...I did a post on that build here last year...

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?342719-Building-a-gt-gt-gt-LEAD-MISER-BACKSTOP-lt-lt-lt-for-Practice-Load-Workups

...too bad you don't live near by or I'd give it to Ya.

https://i.imgur.com/7KQEVZo.jpg?1

[John McCorkle]

Ha! That's the guy who inspired me to do one too...I just sized mine up a wee bit so that hopefully I wouldn't/couldn't miss the thing. Then after getting a quote on the steel (sticker shock) the project sat on the back burner for several years.

I made a backstop using a 55 gallon barrel and rubber tire mulch...it would stop anything I owned, rifle included at point blank range. Used this gizmo for a while but soon grew tired of a 2 hour tear-down and cleanup for the lead recovery...this is the last batch I took out of the barrel when I moved into the new backstop...

https://i.imgur.com/OMCtK0i.jpg?1

Also the diameter of a drum is not that wide so it really was a pain when the rim of the barrel got hit and I had to get the ball peen hammer out to repair the barrel band and rim before re-assemblly...also had to keep replacing the 1/4" plywood that held the targets. On the plus side, tire mulch doesn't deform the rounds and it was a good backstop to recover rounds from if you wanted to inspect them.

I forgot about that post...I did a post on that build here last year...

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?342719-Building-a-gt-gt-gt-LEAD-MISER-BACKSTOP-lt-lt-lt-for-Practice-Load-Workups

...too bad you don't live near by or I'd give it to Ya.

https://i.imgur.com/7KQEVZo.jpg?1Awfully nice of you, thanks!

I had the same thought about the tire mulch in a 55 gal drum...that may work for me in the interim too...where did you find your tire mulch and was it decently priced to fill a 55 gal drum?

Also, how do you separate the mulch and boolits ? I wouldn't need to make it routine, maybe once or twice a year would be fine...55 gal buckets round here can be had for 12$ ea (plastic ones) and I bet if I look I can find bulk mulch decently priced too

Looks like you've given this bullet recovery alot of thought

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[OS OK]

Awfully nice of you, thanks!

I had the same thought about the tire mulch in a 55 gal drum...that may work for me in the interim too...where did you find your tire mulch and was it decently priced to fill a 55 gal drum?

Also, how do you separate the mulch and boolits ? I wouldn't need to make it routine, maybe once or twice a year would be fine...55 gal buckets round here can be had for 12$ ea (plastic ones) and I bet if I look I can find bulk mulch decently priced too

Looks like you've given this bullet recovery alot of thought

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Yeah bullet recovery out here in KaliFornia is paramount...that stuff is getting hard to find. I enrich my COWW blend with tin up to 1.5~2% so I especially want that stuff back. It makes beautiful casts.

I think I used 8 bags of this stuff...

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Vigoro-0-8-cu-ft-Mocha-Brown-Rubber-Mulch-HDVMBMN8CB/203714943

Notice in the post, I made a plug for the bottom of the barrel to reduce it's volume by 1/3...nothing penetrates beyond about 18" if you tamp the mulch as you fill the barrel.

Cleanup is done on a tarp...pull the trap onto the tarp and open the front end and start digging out the mulch and casts together...most of the pistol cast is in the front end not deeper than about 12". You can grab the cast as the mulch falls onto the tarp or just put the mulch in a pile first. My brother helps on this cleanout...you can see the casts all mixed with the mulch.

https://i.imgur.com/pXGGZi2.jpg

I found it easier to empty first and use the little buckets to put the mulch back in the drum...we would spread the mulch around on the tarp & then scoop handfulls off the top and put them in the buckets. The casts being much heavier will sort themselves to the bottom of the mulch and collect directly on the tarp...then when most of the mulch has been put back into the barrel you have to hand pick all the casts and place them in another bucket...then final cleanup.

I would replace the 1/4" plywood front at the same time. All the bags the mulch came in was layered on top of the barrel under the plywood...they would stop the mulch from coming out of the front when the plywood got shot up real bad.

[kir_kenix]

I kind of went the other way in .38 special the last couple of years. I load thousands of very light for caliber boolits...group buy 77gr DEWC. Pushed hard enough (3.2-3.5 gr BE) they stabilize in 4" revolvers well enough for me to reliably hit my 6-8" gongs out to about 40 yards. Great for young and/or female relatives to get some serious trigger time without getting beat up.
No idea how many have gone down the tube in various j,k,l and n frames but I try and keep a couple of 50cal ammo cans full of them for company. Cheap, easy to load, easy on the guns, and even easier on the shooter. Of course, for serious target work it's nearly impossible to beat swaged 148gr HBWC (zero or Remington) over 2.7 gr BE. But for short range work on plates or beer cans that stubby 'lil DEWC is about perfect.

[jsizemore]

I shoot with whatever SP primer is on sale usually 1 or 2 5000 cases at a time. An 8lb jug of Promo works out to $15-$16/lb in my area. I buy both at the local gun show when it comes to town to avoid the Hazmat. I give the couple I buy from a heads up before the gun show. Great price on both. I make a donation to the local youth shooting programs while I'm there. 3 grains of Promo or Bullseye works great.

I've bought brass from the good folks on this website.

I shoot H&G #50 PB & BB and both shoot well. I use Micro-Lube in the last lube groove to avoid a mess. I also use White Label's BAC. Works in my 4" & 6" models 10, 14,15 & 19.

My cost runs a little less then 5 cents/round.

[John McCorkle]

About to buy some primers for testing, wanted to pick your collective brains on it.

Smokin deals on off brand primers...as low as 22$ per 1k which would be substantial savings over a large purchase of let's say 20 or 30 k.

Anyone have experience with any of the following and what is your take? (These are strictly target not for personal carry or hunting rounds):

Ginex
Tula
Wolf
Seller and bellot?

Looks like powder valley has the best pricing on powder hands down too...but primers I e always just used cci...but nearly 10$ per 1k more (depending on where you get them) that's 240 - 300 $ more...that'll buy alot more prer or powder or lead

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[Jniedbalski]

Seller and ballot worked great for my 38 loads.the wolf of Tula worked very good also for me really couldn’t notice a difference in them. The seller and bellet is all I can find any more around here. They have plenty of cci and the other top brands but there 10 to 12$ more per 1000. Between all the primer brands I thank i have used the seller and bellet more just because there cheeper and always in stock . The Tula they are always usally our

[John McCorkle]

Update on progress:

Started my load testing and am seeing promise out of Tite group and Lee 143 wc and bullseye with that same bullet.

Getting used to this revolver, but noticing some initial details to adjust in my trigger pull...with striker fire pistols I can see a clean 'wall' of break and can be relatively on target but with double action I can see the sights move (when dry firing) showing me I'm not getting that 'straight to the rear' trigger pull that I'm looking for...

It'll take time in sure but it's frustrating to see it so clearly and not be able to "blame it on the gun or ammo" this problem is all me. But this is what I am doing this for... identify when I need skill honing and practice correctly...

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