New Revolver

[pumpguy]

I just picked up an H&R model 926 with a 4" barrell. This thing doesn't even have a single mark on the cylinder. I got two boxes of old ammo with it, so, I have brass. Now, what I need to know is if a 358477 or Saeco 158 grain TC will work in it. I can and probably will buy a new mold for it eventually, but, will these work in the meantime. Also, should I use soft cast straight lead? For my .357 magnums, I always use water quenched WWs.

[MT Gianni]

I am trying to recall H&R's model #'s. Is this a swing out cylinder or a top break? 38 spl or 357? If it is a swing out 38 then I would use air cooled ww and medium to target loads based on my experience with their 22's. Gianni

[pumpguy]

This is a break top .38 S&W. Sorry about that.

[9.3X62AL]

38 S&W often uses boolits about .004"-.006" fatter than the 38 Special/357 Magnum. I have an Iver Johnson "Owl Head" top-break with 3" barrel that is similar to your H&R. Its throats slug at .361"-.362", while both my Webley-Enfield top-break and S&W M&P have .363" throats. We just had a Group Buy for a 145 grain boolit spec'ed for the 38 S&W.

One expedient for the wide-bodied 38 S&W is to use hollow-based wadcutters like those sold by Speer and Hornady and intended for 38 Special target loads. Run these at about 700 FPS max in your top-breakIIRC, the Speer Manual has data for this practice.

I bought a RCBS Cowboy Die Set for loading this caliber, and the expander die spud is incorrectly dimensioned for the case--they come in two diameters (to service .358" and .361" boolits), but the spud length is too long for the application on both stems. The sizer die is also a steel die, requiring case lube. Last but not least--the alignment sleeve in the seater die won't take a .363" boolit. The 9mm Makarov die set came to the rescue--with tungsten carbide sizer die--expander spud of correct length and diameter--and a seater die that won't choke on .363" boolits.