alternative dies for 38-40

[corvette8n]

I need to load some 38-40 for a relative, I have a bag of brass, 180gr cast bullets powder, primers but no dies. The only dies I have bigger than .30 cal are a set of 45-70 dies. Any suggestions?

[John Taylor]

go here http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=672858

[Bad Flynch]

I load for the .38-40, both black powder and that other stuff and all with lead bullets.

Buy the RCBS Cowboy series dies and add the Lee Factory Crimp die. The RCBS dies are a little more suited to lead bullets.

Here's the skinny on the problems: The .38-40 is a low pressure and low velocity round; it started out that way and should remain so. In fact, you will see a great deal of difference in how much the shoulder moves when you fire the gun and that has been so for all of its history, too. Do not set the shoulder all the way back when resizing; it will shorten your case life.

Because it is low velocity/low pressure, it functions with relatively soft bullets, like 1:20 alloy very well. The trouble is that many die sets set the neck tension on the case so tight that soft bullets are swaged or reformed when the bullet is seated to a smaller size and that causes leading. The RCBS Cowboy dies have bigger inside expanders and are less of a problem here. When you finally arrive at a proper, almost loose, neck tension for the soft bullets, the standard crimp is inadequate. That is the reason for the Lee FCD, as it will allow you to form a collet-type crimp. The Lee FCD will crimp so that the bullet will stay put in a tubular magazine without doing a lot of general harm to a soft bullet.

Try that system, as it has worked well for me.