I want to load just a few cartridges for a S&W topbreak revolver. I have a .38SW trimmer, and was going to cut and trim fired .38 Special cases and use them unsized with very light loads (and see whether they fire-form or if they split.) I have a Lee universal expander die to bell the cases, and I can crimp them with a Lee .38/.357 FCD adjusted short.
The big problem is what to use for a bullet? I stupidly sent back my Lee .358-158-RF mold that dropped boolits at .362" (I should have kept it and bought another, then send the 2nd one back if it was also too big) I don't want to modify any of my molds, and I don't have a .362 bullet sizer.
Can I shim a .358 mold with some heavy-duty aluminum foil to temporarily cast larger boolits? Then I can load them as-cast, lubed with Rooster Jacket. I could just cast some .358 boolits using pure lead, but I don't think they'll obterate enough at the low pressure this ctg works at.
If this works, and if the brass splits, I'll order some new Starline cases. It's an old gun and I don't plan to shoot it much.
BTW, I read in another thread that Lee's .38SW sizing dies are too small and size them down to .38 Special diameter anyway. Maybe a 9mm Luger sizing die would work...