Ideas on how to duplicated a factory load

[curioushooter]

I have found the Federal 130 grain HST micro 38+p to be hands down the most accurate and dead on of all the ammo I've tried in my 38 j-frame. I want to ballistically match the round with cast for cheap practice. It's hard to find a wadcutter though that is 130 grains or so. What do you guys think?

[Outpost75]

Accurate has a bunch of different .38 Special bullets in 130-135 grain weight in cowboy style flatnose, semi-wadcutter and full wadcutter designs. The only problem you will have is making up your mind which one to get.

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[MT Gianni]

Matching chrono speeds isn't that difficult then you play with varying burn rates until you get a good load.

[curioushooter]

I've been told there is an old button board wadcutter that is around 125 grains. Is that so?

[curioushooter]

That 36-130w is easily exactly what I want. Thanks!

I'm not too worried about matching the velocity...the load federals are running ~840 FPS which should be doable with a number of powders. I was going to start with unique and accurate #5. Disassembly of a round may prove instructive.

Have any of you crimped below the mouth on a 38?

[Conditor22]

It's hard to go wrong with
https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION...s%2C199&sr=8-7

[megasupermagnum]

I've shot 125 gr wadcutters bought from Matt's Bullets. It's listed as being cast from a lyman 35887. They shoot good, but no better than the Lee wadcutter. Many claim a 160 grain wadcutter like the lyman 358432 is even more accurate.

[Burnt Fingers]

Lyman 358425 makes the cutest little 121 gr wadcutters I've ever seen.

[Wayne Dobbs]

Accurate has a bunch of different .38 Special bullets in 130-135 grain weight in cowboy style flatnose, semi-wadcutter and full wadcutter designs. The only problem you will have is making up your mind which one to get.

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Outpost75,

What would be decent charge weights for 130-135 boolits with Bullseye and 231 for full power, standard pressure and +P?

[gwpercle]

I've shot 125 gr wadcutters bought from Matt's Bullets. It's listed as being cast from a lyman 35887. They shoot good, but no better than the Lee wadcutter. Many claim a 160 grain wadcutter like the lyman 358432 is even more accurate.

This has proven true for me in every one of my 38/357's , Ruger Blackhawk N, K and J frames , especially the J frame S&W's ....... 358432 is the accuracy champ .

That 130 grain Accurate mould is just a shorter version of it and should do well in matching up boolit weights for practice ammo .
I would seat and crimp it in the crimp groove .
Gary