Low Budget Shooter
10-01-2013, 07:32 PM
Fellow Shooters,
For years I've been chasing that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow: one bullet, easy to cast from a four or six-cavity mold, that will shoot accurately in both .38 Special and 9mm, when sized the same and loaded over the same charge. This has appealed to me because I have a large family, and I do alot of casting and reloading to keep a number of ladies and children shooting. Time over the melting pot and the reloading bench is somewhat precious, and I'd like to keep production as streamlined as possible. Now, after a good deal of experimenting, I think I've made it! Maybe someone else could benefit from this data, so here it is.
Here is the bullet:
Lee 356-125-2R from a six-cavity mold
-range scrap, air cooled
-sized .3575 (this is what my .358 die produces)
-lubed with Carnauba Red
-132 grains
83243
The charge is 4.4 to 4.8 grains Unique. There seemed to be a sweet spot for my .38 Special at 4.8 grains and for my 9mm at 4.4 grains. Either one worked well for each, though.
.38 Special with 4.8 grains Unique shot from a S&W 10-5, old police revolver, 4" barrel
83244
9mm with 4.4 grains Unique shot from a Kahr CM9, 3" barrel
83245
What do you think?
Thanks,
Low Budget Shooter
For years I've been chasing that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow: one bullet, easy to cast from a four or six-cavity mold, that will shoot accurately in both .38 Special and 9mm, when sized the same and loaded over the same charge. This has appealed to me because I have a large family, and I do alot of casting and reloading to keep a number of ladies and children shooting. Time over the melting pot and the reloading bench is somewhat precious, and I'd like to keep production as streamlined as possible. Now, after a good deal of experimenting, I think I've made it! Maybe someone else could benefit from this data, so here it is.
Here is the bullet:
Lee 356-125-2R from a six-cavity mold
-range scrap, air cooled
-sized .3575 (this is what my .358 die produces)
-lubed with Carnauba Red
-132 grains
83243
The charge is 4.4 to 4.8 grains Unique. There seemed to be a sweet spot for my .38 Special at 4.8 grains and for my 9mm at 4.4 grains. Either one worked well for each, though.
.38 Special with 4.8 grains Unique shot from a S&W 10-5, old police revolver, 4" barrel
83244
9mm with 4.4 grains Unique shot from a Kahr CM9, 3" barrel
83245
What do you think?
Thanks,
Low Budget Shooter