Anyone have trajectory or accuracy information (or thoughts) for 38 long (heeled)

[Navy Shooter]

Just recently purchased a Frank Wesson rifle, in .38 long rimfire. This uses a heeled bullet, and is compatible with 38 long centerfires, if they are really approx .38 cal bullets (not .357).

There are a few molds out there, with different bullet weights. I've seen the following:

38 long Colt (heeled) by Gad Custom, .375 diameter, .359 heel, 150 grains
38-140H (heeled) by Accurate Molds, .375 diameter, .355 heel, 140 grains
38 Short Colt (heeled) mould by .Buffalo Arms, 380 diameter, ??? heel, 135 grains
38 long (heeled) by Old West Bullet Molds, dimensions not stated, close to original
Ideal 358160 mould, 150 grains (older mould, for original 38 rimfire)


I will be using these with the Dixie rimfire adapters, at least initially. Will also be using a .375 round ball, until I can select a good cast bullet to use.

If anyone has trajectory or accuracy information (or experience) on any of these, I would appreciate it, so that I will have a better idea of which bullet or mould to buy.

Please mention which specific

bullets
powders
loads
rifle
anything else you believe might be helpful

I am completely new to this, and will appreciate any advice you can give.

Thanks,
Navy Shooter

[fecmech]

If you plug in your bullet weights and velocities you can use this calculator for the external ballistics.
http://handloads.com/calc/index.html

[Navy Shooter]

Great site! Any idea of where I can find (or estimate) ballistic coefficients? Even if I can make guesstimates, based on other known geometries, it would be a help.

Thanks,
Ron

[Navy Shooter]

By the way, your quote "The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools."
Herbert Spencer (1891) is similar to something I've heard at work.

"As soon as we make something idiot proof, the world comes up with a better idiot"

[fecmech]

Any idea of where I can find (or estimate) ballistic coefficients? Even if I can make guesstimates, based on other known geometries, it would be a help.
Look at the Lee catalog of their cast bullets. They list the BC of all their pistol and rifle bullets. My guess is the bullets you are interested in run from a BC of about .1 to .2. Most pistol bullets have about the same BC as a brick.

[Navy Shooter]

Just put in BC's of .1 and .2, this gave some interesting results. If sighted in at 100 yards, and muzzle velocity of 1000 fps (below speed of sound, about speed of 38 Long Rimfire), the calculations show:

BC ___ Impact at 50 yards __ Drop at 100 yards _ Drift with 10 mph
__________(inches)_______________(inches)_______ 90 deg wind (inches)
.1 ____ 4.07 ______________________ 20.35 __________ 5.17
.2 ____ 4.54 ______________________ 19.19 __________ 2.83

I looked up bricks in Wikipedia, but couldn't find the ballistic coefficient...

Since I will be using this for targets, what I get from that is that the aiming point won't change significantly for typical bullets I might use, but that the wind at 10 mph will move the bullet around more. So as long as I shoot in perfectly still conditions, or with the wind at my back...

Thanks,
Navy