I can't wait any longer....must reload!

[Wadcutter Willie]

So I bought a Forster Co-Ax, dies, and plethora of other doo-dads, but for various reasons I still haven't had time to set up my work area & bench. On a whim I picked up a 38 Special Lee Loader classic to muck around with, my issue is Im not sure which powder to try it with.

Ive got boxes of spent brass and an unopened case of Berry's plated 148gr DEWC ready to go.
The LeeLoader comes with a .5 dipper and starting loads for everything but 148gr plated lead.
The closest being:

145gr lead and 158gr copper plated
v-N350 @5.1
v-N340 @4.7
v-3N37 @5.5

The exact same data is recommended for both bullets, all of which are pushing 967-1136fps
Im looking for powder to use with the included .5 dipper to keep these down around 700fps

Any suggestions?


ETA:
What is the best reloading data source for 38/357?
Ive browsed through a number manuals and have not decided on one yet, I am only interested in 38/357 so I would like to find the best of the bunch, especially if dedicated to 38/357.

[dverna]

On line data is available from the powder companies. Do a search.

You have wasted your money on the Lee Loader. It is too slow for pistol ammunition. The Co-Ax is a great press and it will last a lifetime...mine is 45 years old.

One of your "do-dads" MUST be a scale. You can use commercial or hand made dippers to load with, but you need a scale to tweak them.

NEVER take load advice on this or any forum unless you can verify it with published data.

Noticed this is your first post. WELCOME!!!!!

[JimB..]

May I ask your location? Your time would be better spent seeing if you’re local to someone here that will show you the process and give you some hands-on experience.

FYI, load data is by weight so you either must have a scale or have a dipper that is calibrated to a specific powder. Without a scale I think you’re limited to powders that are listed in the kit.

[murf205]

For what it is worth, you have not wasted your money on the Lee. If you decide that you don't want to reload, you are not out much money. True, it is slow but when you are getting started, going slow is not a bad idea. Scales are a must if you are going to load your own ammo, no matter the caliber. My best guess is that you will want to upgrade to a press of some kind in the near future. There is nothing quite like shooting the ammo that you have [I]correctly loaded for the first time. Welcome and don't hesitate to ask questions of this great storehouse of knowledgeable people on this site.

[chutesnreloads]

Too late now but would have suggested getting a reloading manual FIRST,and reading about the reloading process from beginning to end at least a couple times.THEN buying reloading tools.Not sure there are any bad reloading manuals published by one the powder or bullet manufacturers.Any of these should have plenty of load data for .38/.357 for a beginning reloader.You may want to look into one of the "Loadbooks" that is a compilation of data from multiple sources for a particular cartridge in one book however it will not have any of the "how to's" and "do nots" that a real reloading manual has.Since this is the Castboolits forum I reckon the "Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook" is an excellent book to start with

[country gent]

The Lee loader isn't a waste and will load fine ammo it is slow but right now slow may be good as your learning. If you have a scales you can make or modify your dipper to drop the charge you want. To make a dipper use a fired case. Glue or solder a handle on to it and file to length to drop the charge you want. To modify your dipper for a lighter charge just cut snug fitting card board disks and press in it to lower volume. Weigh a charge you want pour in the case or dipper and measure the amount of space that needs to be removed.

A dipper can be made from scratch with printer paper, white glue, a length of dowel and some card board from a cereal box. Cut a strip of typing paper the width of what you need the dippers length to be and long enough for 3 wraps around the dowel. Thin the white glue with water 1 part water to 4 parts glue. You want it thin to soak thru the layers of paper. Wrap 1 wrap around dowel and mark eedge then coat the rest with glue lightly and wrap around dowel snuggly carefully remove and let dry. The paper and glue make a nice thin plastic like tube. While the tube is drying cut a thin disc from the cereal box to fit snugly in the tube, and fashion the handle, Bamboo skewers, Popcycle sticks a straw works for the handle. When th tube is dry push the disk in with the dowel and glue in place. Glue handle to side of tube. Ideally make the tube long and push the disk in shallow make a dip and weigh push in to where the desired charge is thrown then glue dry and trim any excess off the bottom. Once done paint for appearance with a good enamel or lauquer based paint. THis also will soak in and help strengthen stiffen the tube. Be sure and label the dipper when done.

As to load the old stand by go to wadcutter load for bullseye was 38 spl case federal primer 2.7 grns bullseye and a 148 grn HB or solid wadcutter

[RED333]

Wadcutter just keep asking questions and you will do fine.

[RED BEAR]

To have a foster press and buy a Lee loader is something I can't under stand. I dream of having a foster. Lee makes some good equipment but using a Lee loader is beyond belief. I bought one when I first started reloading and loaded about 5 shells if I rember correctly and put it back in the box drove to the store and bought a press it was a Lee also. If my life depended on it maybe but that is the only way would consider using one.

[brewer12345]

If you are talking about the plated berrys dewc, I find 4 grains of hp38 to be the bees knees in 38 special. Seat to 1.27" coal..

[Jniedbalski]

There is nonthing wrong with the lee loder. It’s slow but who cares. It does load good ammo. You can load 50 to 100 rounds just sitting around after supper. With the dipper you are limited to only a few powders listed with the lee directions. This is usually low to medium loads only. Just for shooting ammo that’s ok. If you want to use all the different powders and bullet weights for your caliber you need a scale. It makes using different powders and bullet weights a lot easier to get accurate or speciality ammo. Lee’s beem scale is cheep and very accurate. Some people don’t like them but they work good for me. If your loading 100 to 200 rounds a week the lee loader is fun to start with.

[Wayne Smith]

If, among all the 'do dads' there is a powder scale forget the dipper. If there is a powder measure you are even better off. The powder measure is an adjustable dipper with a holder for the powder. It is a volume measure and you need the scale to set it, once you have it set it is repeatable.

With these two pieces and a manual - I recommend the Lyman 50th for a start - you can use the Lee loader or the press to do the rest.

[Bent Ramrod]

Absolutely agree on the value of the Lee Loader for beginning handloaders. You need to get the care, observation and safety aspects of each step of reloading ingrained into muscle memory and reflex before you start cranking out quantities of ammo. The Lee will force you to use a delicate touch seating primers and will allow you a last look at that powder charge before you seat a boolit. By the time you’re running empties through your Forster, you’ll be doing this careful manipulation and rechecking automatically, by habit. Since nobody is “on;” fully paying attention, all the time, this force of habit might save your revolver some day. Sort of like the automatic checking of your rearviews as you drive, or the automatic opening of a gun to check the chamber when you pick one up. If you have to think of doing those before you do them, you are still very much a tyro.

Welcome to the Forum. And get a loading manual.

[murf205]

If, among all the 'do dads' there is a powder scale forget the dipper. If there is a powder measure you are even better off. The powder measure is an adjustable dipper with a holder for the powder. It is a volume measure and you need the scale to set it, once you have it set it is repeatable.

With these two pieces and a manual - I recommend the Lyman 50th for a start - you can use the Lee loader or the press to do the rest.

Ditto for the Lyman 50th. Willie, you might as well go ahead and get the manual because it will give you a heads up on getting started plus it is a gold mine of other information as well.

[Walter Laich]

Welcome to the fun and games of casting--I see it as an extension of reloading which is an extension on shooting = 3 hobbies that all lead to the same outcome = more shooting

If you haven't gotten a scale yet I am now using those electronic ones that come with a check weight. For several years I would check its results with a beam scale and they always matched.

more convenient and quicker for me; others will swear by beam scales only

your $$, make your choice

[TXGunNut]

Yes, get a manual. Two is better. (I have well over a dozen.) They'll answer questions you'll never think to ask until it's too late. I like the Lyman 50th; if you can score a hardback version it will lay flat on your bench. I think you may get some good out of the Lee manual as he discusses in depth how to use the tools he makes. I like Lee's little powder scoop kit, cheap & easy but they won't replace a scale. Might as well throw a good dial caliper into this growing pile of gear. Reloading is a precision exercise and precision starts with measuring.

[robg]

The Lee book is as good as any and a good read to boot.

[gwpercle]

About the best you can do with the .5 Lee dipper is to use Unique Powder. The .5 is a little too large for small amounts of fast powders like 700X, Bullseye, Red Dot and Titegroup.

My dipping method is have the powder in a coffee cup, dip into the powder and tap the scoop to fully settle the powder into the scoop, dip into the powder a second time and come up with a mound on top, strike the mound off level with a straight edge ( I use a business card) , dump it into the case.
When I dip in this manner I get 4.4 grains of Unique, with that 158 grain bullet you will be in the 860 fps range . Not exactly as slow as you want but that's about the best you can do with the .5 dipper.

If you can get a .3 cc dipper, the next smallest, it will dip 2.8 grains of Bullseye....a very accurate target load with any bullet from 140 gr. to 160 gr.

I dip a lot of my charges and you need to get a scale so you can verify powder weights, make your own dippers or adjust dippers to dip the weight you want. I have several .5cc dippers that I have cut cardboard circles and glued them into the bottom of the dipper to take up unwanted space and get the dipped weight of a certain powder.

For manuals get the two that Lyman publishes....one covers just cast boolits , the other cast and jacketed. Lots of good info in them. Speer and Hornady are good....get at least 4 manuals and the Lee manual too. Can't have too much info....it's never all in one book .
Gary

[Wayne Smith]

The Lee book is as good as any and a good read to boot.

Let me respectfully disagree. The Lee book is a good read, I agree but there is no, and I mean, none, original data in the book. It is all copied from powder companies and Lee did no research on the published loads.

[lightman]

Welcome to the site, and to the world of hand loading.

I strongly suggest adding a powder scale, a powder funnel, a loading block and a loading manual to your do-dads. A powder trickeler would be helpful too! The Lyman is a good one. With the scale, you can weigh different powders from your dipper but I would just weigh them on the scale. I would not want to be without my powder measure and powder scale.

There are a lot of powders that work good in the 38 and 357. Bullseye is an old favorite. Winchester 231, HP-38, and Unique all work well. Unique does a pretty good job of going from mild to wild! Be careful with the powders like Bullseye. The charge weights are small and a 38 case will easily hold a double charge. Thats not good.

Reloading can certainly be learned on your own, through books or the internet but I second the suggestion of a mentor. Perhaps your local gun shop or range may have a few older guys that just hang out that would be willing to help. Even better would be a Cast Boolit member living close to you.

Good Luck with this and don't be shy about asking for help.

[David2011]

I have and recommend both of the Lyman books as well.