38 special wad cutter

[martyd]

i shoot a s&w mod 52 and want to start casting my own boolits

does anyone make a hollow base full wadcutter .358 diameter

if not what style and brand would you recommend

thanks,
marty

[35remington]

The time involved in making a hollowbased wadcutter (needs a removable base plug mould which is slow to use), combined with the soft alloy needed to make it work preclude casting these in anything but very small quantity, and that will frustrate you since wadcutters are best cast in volume. Besides, such is a custom order item for the most part. If you must have a hollowbase wadcutter, I'd buy swaged Hornady or other brand of commercial wadcutters in large bulk lots to save some money.

Best advice from me is to purchase a good standard wadcutter mould such as Lee's 148 grain version if you're looking to save money for informal matches. I prefer the lube groove WC over their tumble lube design.

[Marlin Hunter]

Since wad cutters are basically light loads, I think you should try the Lee TL (Tumble Lube) wad cutter. The design is economical: You don't need a lubber or sizing die, just some liquid alox and a plastic bowl that you can cut from the bottom of a 1 gallon milk jug. I don't have a wad cutter mold, but if I did but one, that is the one I would get.

[Bret4207]

Ditto what 35 said. Those Hornady swaged HBWC's work great and aren't expensive. Solid WC's work great too like Marlin says, and you don't have to worry about a blown skirt.

[Edubya]

I'm not saying the other responders are wrong but I have a 132gr, .357 HBWC mould from http://www.hollowpointmold.com/ that I've cast thousands of bullets from with straight WW/stick ons (50/50) and shoot off hand at 25 yards all day long to less than 4" groups from a S&W 642 with 2.8 bullseye. There's no use starting up casting for just the .38 WC though, as the others have said; "cast WCs are not expensive". I just don't want to depend on anyone else.
Good luck,
EW

[Edubya]

Edit to above: He's got one on there right now RCBS 38-148-WC-DE (available with Cramer-style conversion) Price does not include HP. ( item #23 ) $40.00 (this is the one that I have w/Cramer conversion, it can cast 300+ per hour).
He also has a great HPSWC available.
http://www.hollowpointmold.com/forsale/viewimage.php?type=sale&item=15&image=15&display=Saeco+%23388%3A+Double+cavity.++%28availab le+with+Cramer-style+conversion%29

[HeavyMetal]

Scroll down to the group buy discusion thread and look up the post on the HBWC mold and the various design changes that have been discussed.

We have arrived at a design for a 4 banger HBWC that may go into group buy late this year or early next year.

The mold maker, Mihec, is pretty busy with other GB's right now but it is on his to do list!

In the mean time I will suggest you hunt up a 35863 ( 358063) DEWC mold or a 35887
(358087) mold in 4 cavity style.

These are perfect for the S&W 52 and are what I am currently using pending the start of the GB for the HBWC mold.

Be aware that a lot of the 35863 molds are oversized, I currently have two and one of them casts at .363 with a 10 to 1 lead tin alloy!

So get a chance to cast with a mold before you buy it or have a return agreement if it is indeed an oversized mold.

As for the Lee molds. I have a bunch of them but not in 38 wadcutter! I don't like the design and haven't had it perform to my needs. Be aware your results may differ from mine!

I also think the gun will be very finicky if you try to use Lee LLA in / on the boolits.

[Shiloh]

Like Marlin Hunter said aboyt tumble lubing. My old Lyman 35891 150 gr button top wadcutter works flawlessly with superb accuracy using tumble lube.

SHiloh

[jcw1970]

same on the 35863. it works great in my 52. i have 2- 4 cavs and once you get started, you can really crank them out. slug that barrel. mine came out at .3545 so i size to .3555. I've got the 35891 and it will shoot out of the 52 but i've only got a 2 cav for it so it doesn't see much action unless i run low on them for my K38.

If you get really lucky, you could find you a H&G #251 made just for the 52. drops a .356 boolit. I've looking for a year and only have seen one on evilbay. it went for 300.

[35remington]

I have no issues with guys who wish to cast hollowbase projectiles, as I've got a few moulds that do that myself.

It's just that given how well standard cast wadcutters shoot without the hollowbase, I've never considered the hollowbase feature as very necessary.

Low velocity wadcutters often respond to less lube with better accuracy.