Need help picking a mold for .38 snub

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

My wife carries a S&W snub pistol in .38 special as protection. She's wanting me to load her up some cast boolit handloads so she can practice more. I've picked up lots of brass and have several suitable powders on my shelf.

What I don't have is a mold or a bullet picked out. I'd like something that would be very accurate in a short barrel like that, is somewhat forgiving of the powder used in it, can be pushed through a Star lube sizer with 50/50 or BAC lube and hopefully is frugal in the use of my lead supply.

I'd like the mold to be a five or six ganger type, either Lee or one of our mold makers. I'm used to using aluminum molds and I'm "easy/gentle" on the molds and don't tend to bang them up.

Can you guys suggest a boolit that fits my requirements well?

Thank you for your help.

[GabbyM]

150 grain full wad cutter.
I use the Magma 148 grain double ended. They run through a bullet colator very nice since they don't have a right side up.

If you already have a bullet for 9mm you can size them to .358 ro .357 and laod over a light charge of fast powder.

[stubshaft]

Gabby beat me to it but I was going to say that I'm fond of the square shouldered WC in the 38 Special. You can practice with what you carry.

Usually 2.7 Bullseye was my standard load.

[excess650]

I don't have a Star, but would have suggested either the Lee 358-105-SWC, 358-125-RF, or the 356-120-TC. The Lee 9mms that I've had cast at least .358" and the TC will work fine with a taper crimp. None of these use a lot of lead and recoil should be mild with the fast burning powders you'll want to use in a short barrel.

Years ago I had a Charter Arms in .38 for carry, but found its shallow rifling didn't work well with cast, but did just fine with jacketed. My S&Ws and Colts do just fine with cast.

[Boolseye]

I've heard great things about the 358-105 SWC. You can try a 2-cav and only be out $20 if you don't like it.

[Beerd]

for economy of lead in a .38 the Lee 358-105 SWC is the way to go.
..

[beagle]

148 grain cast wadcutter. Can't go wrong./beagle

[Echo]

Casey Stengel once replied to a question from Sen Estes Kefauver thusly. "Some of my friends say Yes, and some of my friends say No, and I AGREE WITH MY FRIENDS!". Well, I agree with my friends on this forum when they say Lee 105 or 148 gr WC. Load with 2.7 gr BE, or equivalent, and it will do the job AND be easy to practice with.

[lbaize3]

For me the Lee 125 grain RF six banger would be ideal. Light loads and low recoil to start. Start increasing the loads as her ability increases and then go to the 158 RF. Good boolit and nose shape makes speed loads quicker...

[Dale53]

Lee's conventionally lubed wadcutter should work fine for you. It is available in a six cavity mould, so meets your criteria.

I would load it a bit hotter (3.0 grs of Bullseye or equivalent). You'll find that Titegroup or Clays will be much cleaner burning in this application.

Another bullet you might want to consider is Lee's 158 gr RF. It has a large meplat so will work well in a number of applications.

Either bullet will do well for you. I shoot a LOT of wadcutter bullets with much satisfaction. They also make fine edible small game loads.

FWIW
Dale53

[MtGun44]

My choice in my S&W 342 is the 358429 HP. With 5 gr Uniqu it shoots right to the sights
and is the most accurate of ANY ammo I have fired in the gun. I tried pretty much all of
the high $$ HP special ultra super ammo with either 10" group at 20 yds or 10-18" low at
25 yds. This shoots 2" groups at 12 yds exactly to the sights. Ballistic gelatin penetration
is twice this (wet phone books).

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=161&pictureid=3952

Bill

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Well fellas, I didn't realize, but I went and looked at the molds I actually own and apparently, at some time in the past (I don't remember doing so, but I musta, there the molds are. Am I becoming an old fart?), I'd picked up a Lee 358-105-SWC six banger and a Lee 358-158-RF. From the sound of it, I am thinking I should cast up a bunch of both of those first.

What do you fellas think?

Thank you for your posts btw, your comments are definitely helping me realize what's possible.

I don't have any bullseye powder right now, but I do have 7-8 pounds of Titegroup and about the same amount of Clays. Any suggestions on powder weights to get me in the ball park with these two powders? I'd like to use up a bunch of that Titegroup if I can and I do have Lee, Dillon and RCBS case activated powder measures. So powder measuring is a non-issue for me, as all of these are tuned up powder measures.

[mooman76]

I really like the little Lee 105gr SWC good bullet. I also had a snubbie that would shoot as good as I wanted and full wc shot the best by far.

[MtGun44]

Assuming the gun is fixed sights like most snubs, you will likely need a 158 gr or near
it to get it to shoot to the sights.

Bill

[GT27]

http://www.titanreloading.com/molds/bullet-molds/357-mag-38spec-38-sw-38colt-np/lee-dc-mold-tl358-148wc- 2 cavity
http://www.titanreloading.com/molds/bullet-molds/357-mag-38spec-38-sw-38colt-np/lee-6-cav-mold-tl358-148wc- 6 cavity

2.8 grains of Titegroup,this is a shoot all day load,800fps/4" bbl., and will give her plenty of practice at a modest cost,accuracy is top notch!