New member with a question!!!

[hound_dogs_01]

Hi all. I am new, this is my first post here. I have lurked here for years and never joined and just liked to read what you guys had to say. I recently bought a S&W J frame 442 and the 148gr wadcutters are killing my hands, even loading them on the weak side of the load data. That's the lightest mold I have for 38 SPL. Now I am looking for a 100-110gr mold and RCBS, Lyman, and Saeco offer nothing. Lee offers some in that weight but I hate Lee molds, they're just cheap feeling and made from aluminum. Any suggestions on what I should do or where to look for a good quality mold? If i do have to settle for Lee, are they any good? I am by far an expert or beginner in casting bullets, so this isn't my first rodeo.

Thanks in advance,
Alex

[Petrol & Powder]

Never had much luck with light bullets in a fixed sight .38 spl., particularly 2" barreled J-frame. In my experience, They'll shoot, but nowhere close to point of aim. Most fixed sight revolvers are regulated for 158gr bullets. 148gr WC are close in weight to 158 and tend to be very accurate at short ranges. If you don't mind buying Hollow-base wadcutters (I know, this is a casting web site), you can get the charge weights pretty low. The 38 spl case with light loads has a lot of empty space to begin with and using short bullets doesn't help.
I don't know what powder you're using, but I find Bullseye to have a sharper feeling recoil than some other powders. Different grips may help as well. The black rubber factory "boot" grip is good for concealment but not easy to shoot if you have large hands. Good luck, I'm sure you'll get some advice on this forum.

[nhrifle]

Couple things you could try right off the bat. New cushy grips like these

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1151115031/hogue-monogrip-grips-s-and-w-j-frame-round-butt-rubber

Something I have done in the past to make a lighter boolit is to drill the bottom out until it is the weight I am looking for. A drill press would make quick work of this. Make a fixture out of a couple bocks of wood drilled to hold the boolits securly and set the depth stop. Make a couple cylinders worth and try them.

You didn't mention anything about your load. What powder are you using? A faster or slower powder might also help. Proceeding cautiously, you might also try loading below load data. Experimentation is where I get most of my fun in this game! Just be safe.

[Wayne Smith]

A lighter boolit won't be that less recoil than 2.7gr BE behind the boolit you are using. This is one of the standard loads for bullseye shooting. If that hurts your hand sell the gun and buy a .32 and see if you can shoot that.

I agree a change of grips may help.

Do you know why your hands are so sensitive? Would shooting gloves help?

[Az Rick]

Welcome, I cast and reload for .38. I have an old model 60, weighs a whopping 20oz. I shoot wadcutters and a Kieth style bullet and shoot +P loads frequently. The problem is that lightweight J frames are meant to carry not shoot,...often. Instead of looking for different moulds you might be better served by looking for a more robust platform to shoot. K frame Smiths and especially Model 10's are fairly inexpensive and have the heft to handle full power or +P loads with no problem. Your hand will be thankful. your 442 weighs what 13oz.? It isn't enough weight to counter the recoil of even mild .38 loads. Moulds do not have any effect on recoil. The amount of powder in the case does or I should say the pressure it generates. Look for a good used Model 10, you wont be sorry. It will eat those 148gr. wadcutters no problem. You will shoot more then have to cast more and reload more, life is good. Keeps me busy.

Best, Rick

[hound_dogs_01]

I do have the stock boot grips on the gun would like to keep them. I have medium sized hands. I am loading 4.6gr of HP-38. I am thinking of trying some loads with unique. Everything I have read on the S&W forms the guns will shoot decent with 110gr bullets. My hands aren't sensitive, but I would like to be able to shoot 100+ rounds during a range session to learn the DAO trigger and I know dry fire dry fire dry fire.

[Petrol & Powder]

I'll second Az Rick.
J-frames, particularly lightweight, concealed hammer, snub nose J-frames; are intended to be carried a lot and shot a little. A K-frame would be a little more fun to shoot. FWIW, I've carried a 442 for many years and it's a great gun for it's intended purpose. However, I shoot larger revolvers, even snub nose K-frames far more often than that little airweight. A steel K-frame with a 2" barrel and a bobbed hammer is a LOT more fun the shoot and only slightly bigger.
Your load of 4.6grs of HP-38 behind a solid 148gr WC could be reduced a little but I agree with the others that isn't going to reduce the recoil by that much.

[Az Rick]

You might want to back off on the powder a bit. My target loads are 4gr. of HP-38 or 231. They are mild. I can shoot a hundred out of my 20oz. gun but it becomes tiresome. I practice with it all the time but low round count. I am comfortable knowing I can shoot it without wearing myself or the gun out. Seriously look for a good full size .38 to really shoot. Before everything got wacky here in the last couple of weeks a good used Model 10 could be had for $300.00 or less and would outlast you. All the training you do with a full size revolver will translate to the 442 and make you a better shot to boot.

Best, Rick

I also have modern boot grips on my old Model 60, they conceal real well.

[nhrifle]

My father served as a Marine in Vietnam and I am forced to recall something he told me often as I was growing up.

Pain is weakness leaving the body.

[hound_dogs_01]

thanks for the help guys. I suppose I'll start looking for a S&W 19 I've always wanted.

[Petrol & Powder]

Ahhhh, a model 19 would be very cool! Good Luck.

[fcvan]

I have a Taurus M85 which is their version of a S&W M36. For decades, I shot the Lee 356-125 2R (mine measure .358) over 5 grains of Unique. I have fired 158 SWCs through it but for general plinking i used the 125 RN. I've had the stock grips, tiny grip panels that fit the frame, and a hogue mono grip. I made the mistake of putting the Hogue grip on and loading the Lee 358-105 SWC over 5 grains of Unique and letting my wife shoot it. Now she won't give it back and tells me to 'get my own.'

Heavy loads in the J frame were tough to endure until I got the Hogue grip. Lighter boolits helped reduce perceived recoil but now where near the effect of adding the better grip.

[Piedmont]

Hound dog, Your load is too much. J frames have been my go-to for the last 20 years. All of the older ones are sighted for the 158 gr. and 148 should be close enough. I have heard the new ones are regulated for lighter bullets but don't want a new one. If you flush seat the wadcutter try 2.8 grains Bullseye and if you use a button nose version with a crimp groove that you use, load 3.0 grains Bullseye. If that doesn't do the trick you need a smaller caliber or bigger gun.

Well there is another option. The airweight Centenial weighs 16 ounces (pre-lock versions), a steel M36 or M60 of the prelock type is 19 ounces, and if you could find one the old M640 (stainless all steel Centenial) was 23 ounces. Each weight increment makes a difference.

[41 mag fan]

My father served as a Marine in Vietnam and I am forced to recall something he told me often as I was growing up.

Pain is weakness leaving the body.


Only if it stops hurting is it leaving the body, otherwise its a pain, like my wife

[nhrifle]

41 mag, I thought that was a sentence for a crime...........

[kweidner]

I would try the bullseye. A can would last you forever. I have larger hands and insist on a bigger grip. If my pinky can't fit I am waisting my time comfort wise. I shoot better, have much less fatigue, as well as a better tolerance of recoil in my mags.

[wrench]

I used to have a S&W 642, I called it 'the evil revolver'. Hated that gun. If you like your J frame, I agree with others to find a bigger example to practice with, and just shoot the little devil less.
Like you, I didn't want to put bigger grips on it, as it's small size was it's major selling point.

[bobthenailer]

3 , 125gr bullet moulds for the 9mm/38 super that i have will cast bullets large enough to size@.358 dia if #2 alloy/ 15 BHN is used.
Saeco#377 , #384, & RCBS 125gr rngc .

[darkroommike]

Lighter moulds are available from many custom mould makers, you can also peruse the Ballisti-Cast catalog, they have taken over the H&G mould line (hurray!) and sell versions for handles as well as their casting machine. While not cheap, I think they are about the same money that folks are asking for used and very used H&G moulds on auction sites.

http://www.ballisti-cast.com/Bullet%20Designs.htm

http://www.ballisti-cast.com/Bullet%20Designs%20Page%204.htm

[asp]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?62536-Picked-up-a-Lyman-358425-mould-today

I recently bought a single cavity 358425 but I haven't had a chance to shoot its boolits yet. It might do the trick for you. Just throwing it out there.

[MtGun44]

In most cases a 110 gr will shoot nowhere near the fixed sights, really a pain in the neck, at
least it is for me. Probably be 10" low or more at 25 yds.

I found that a 158 gr SWC over 5.0 Unique worked great as far as both accy and shooting to
the sights for my S&W 340, but if you are having trouble with the 147 WCs, you either have
really bad grips or are very recoil sensitive.

Put a set of Pachmyer "Gripper" grips on it and the recoil will be MUCH tamer.

Bill

[hound_dogs_01]

I have found if I take 148gr wad cutter and put 2.6 grains of WW231 under it it shoots fantastic with very mild recoil. Thanks for all the help everyone!

[MikeS]

I would suggest that you get a different gun for doing lots of shooting. I had a S&W Model 296 that was a titanium framed 44 Special, I got the gun with less than 100 rounds thru it, and it was still nice and tight. I shot about 1000 rounds thru it, and while I didn't really notice the recoil being unmanagable, it wasn't exactly comfortable to shoot either. But getting back to the point I was making, after putting 1000 rounds of factory loads (nothing very hot, factory 44 Special is loaded light due to there being lots of older guns out there, and after shooting 1000 rounds thru it, the gun was so loose, it was basically worn out. Thats when I learned that S&W 'airweight' guns are not designed to be shot often. It was suggested to me if I wanted to shoot a gun that size a lot for practice, I should get 2, one a steel framed gun for shooting at the range, and an airweight to carry. Now instead of the 296 I carry a 45ACP steel framed auto, a Jericho 941, and don't have a problem with it.

If you really want to try a light weight boolit, Lee's 105gr SWC is a boolit that's hard to beat. You can either get a 2 cavity mould for around $20.00 or get a 6 cavity mould for around $50.00 (which includes the price of a set of handles as well), and get a mould that's a much higher quality than their 2 cavity moulds, unless you happen to get one of their newer style 2 cavity moulds, they look to be about the same quality as their 6 cavity moulds.

Also wanted to mention, HP-38 and WW231 are the same powder, so you might want to try the 2.6gr load Hound Dogs mentioned above.

[rintinglen]

A useful mold for a reduced load is thhe Lee 6 cavity 38-125 rf. Loaded over 3.0 grains of bullseye or 3.2 grains of WW231 recoil is substantially less than even the 148 WC. I have a Smith and Wesson 342 that is brutal with 158 grain loads, I practice with the afore mentioned WW231 load. At 7 yards it hits close enough to POA to be useful.

[hound_dogs_01]

I have a 121 grain round nose mould, so I'm going to try some of those also.