1892 8mm Lebel revolver

[Bazoo]

I have a friend that has a lebel revolver. He has purchased bullets in the past to reload it, but asked me if we could make bullets. He does not cast. I did some research on this cartridge and found several options. Looks like bullets are .330 as a general rule.

Buy a mould made for it is the best and easiest but the most expensive.

Shoot round balls as gallery loads is an option.

Then I thought about the lee TL314-90-SWC. Might could paper patch that large enough. Then I though I might could bump it up using a bolt and solid shellholder in my press. Will paper patching or bumping up be viable at .016 difference?

Then I though, lee TL356-95-RF. I have this mould presently. Could I size this down enough, in what, 4 steps, to be viable. I don't have sizer dies for this, so I'm thinking it won't be a cheap option. But we'll need the lee push through .329 die anyways regardless, so maybe I could make do with just 2 sizings, if I lubed them. .356>.339>.330 this would remove the micro bands and we'd tumble lube.

Thoughts?

[rintinglen]

Graf and Sons has bullets in stock. https://www.grafs.com/catalog/category/categoryId/562 You can buy about 600 for the cost of the least expensive Accurate boolit mold. 15 cents apiece--takes a lot of boolits to pay for a mold. Even if you have a mold that you can use to start from, if you have to buy a couple of sizers, you are still looking at 40 bucks. Will your friend shoot enough to make it worth while?

[Bazoo]

No he won't. He has taken to trying to bump up some 30 caliber bullets he has.