mold for 38S&W

[chevyiron420]

hi folks, i have a Smith&Wesson Regulation Police in 38S&W. i want a mold for it, and its going to have to be cheep. i was thinking of a lee 358-158rf and lapping it out to .361. what do you think? any thoughts or ideas or experiences would be great.-phil:castmine:

[9.3X62AL]

That might work. Beagling the mould might work as well, too.

If I ran across one of these--and I would love to--I would spend the money for an NEI or Mountain Molds tool that cast to throat size +.002", at a weight of 145-150 grains. That weight at about 700 FPS is what the fixed-sight platform was regulated for. A lot of 38 S&W shooters do very well using 38 Special hollow-based wadcutters loaded at 700 FPS, using 38 Special wadcutter data and matching cartridge overall length.

[Ben]

Deputy AL is offering some good advice...

Something else to think about is the Lyman 358430 (195 gr. plain-base RN). This particular mold isn't all that rare. I have one that cast right at .361 ". Would be just about ideal for your application.

Ben

[9.3X62AL]

Add-on here.......there are three strength levels to 38 S&W revolvers. The weakest are the Iver Johnson, S&W, and H&R top-breaks. These should be limited to factory-load levels--145 grainers at 650-700 FPS. Your solid-frame Regulation Police is somewhat stronger, and can be boosted about 10% higher than the small-frame top-breaks. Colt Police Positives fit here too. The strongest are the S&W K-frame M&P variants and the British Webley-Enfield top-break service revolvers, which are capable of standard pressure 38 Special performance.

[dubber123]

Deputy AL is offering some good advice...

Something else to think about is the Lyman 358430 (195 gr. plain-base RN). This particular mold isn't all that rare. I have one that cast right at .361 ". Would be just about ideal for your application.

Ben

As an add on to this, this same #, 358430, was also offered in a 150 grain version, I have both. The very blunt nose looks "right' in a .38 S&W too. I think my 150 grain version casts fat like Bens mould.

[Bret4207]

Lee has a .364 9mm Mak mould. It's only 90 or 100 gr, but it will work.

[Buckshot]

....................chevyiron420, something that would be worth a try too, would be to simply cast a 38 cal slug of pure lead, treat it to a dose of Lee LA and give it a shot.

.................Buckshot

[chevyiron420]

hey buckshot, i have a 148 grain lyman wadcutter mold that drops at .361. i seat them out of the case a way's and they shoot good. i just want something else to use that looks better and shoots as good.-phil

[Four Fingers of Death]

Put a thread on swapping and selling, there was a group buy recently for a standard 140gn boolit.

There was also a thread going recently for a 200gn group buy, I saw it, but as I wasn't interested, didn't take much notice of it.

They are going to set you back $60 or therabouts and you have to have 6 cavity handles.

Somebody on the site may sell you some boolits, depends how much you are going to use the little sucker.

[Lead melter]

chevyiron420,
That is a round I have long been wanting to reload, but have been ashamed to bring up the idea, being a pipsqueak round and all that.

I have one of the old British made top break double action only revolvers. Webley? Iver Johnson? Don't know, it has NO markings. My father bought this revolver through the US Mail back in the early '60s. Yeah, times were simpler back then. Anyway, he carried it for years, until I traded him a stainless Blackhawk 357 for it. I just wanted it because of sentiment. He says he paid about $25 for it, shipping included. I paid $250 plus tax for the BH. My dad says I got the best end of the bargain. Go figure.

Let me know how you progress with this project and I'll follow your trail.

[9.3X62AL]

Lead Melter--

That sounds like the Webley-Enfield. Its top-break mechanism is quite stout, unlike a lot of the small top-break pocket guns of a century ago. I've seen articles and photos of commercial W-E revolvers with conventional DA/SA systems and target sights, they are quite beautifully finished.

Sorry for the freq drift here, but having carried a D/A revo in harm's way for a long time prompts some thoughts about reloading sequences of old-time handguns. I got pretty good with HKS speed loaders and Colt/S&W swing-out revolvers, but having the W-E really opened my eyes to the sheer practicality of a well-built top-break revolver. Set the clock back about 120 years, and if I had the choice between the Colt SAA or S&W #3 Russian--no contest, it would be the Smith. Both are great until ya run the critter dry, then things get interesting--not unlike the H&K MP-5 vs. the Colt SMG.

[robertbank]

Had a Webley in .38S&W for years and hardly shot it. Finally got using it up here for fun and was impressed with how quickly you could do reloads. Dah!

I shot it with 150 gr SWC using a Lyman mold and the little gun shot great. 2 gr of Bullseye gave me 531 fps. KInd of anemic I know but sure was fun to shoot.

Like 9.3X62AL said. Give me a well built top action revolver over the SAA any day and not sure I wouldn't go for one over the swing out cylinder revolvers either if real world speed was an issue.

Take Care

Bob

[Larry Gibson]

Lee has a .364 9mm Mak mould. It's only 90 or 100 gr, but it will work.

I've used the Lee Mak bullets as cast at .364 and tey shoot fine in my H&R top break. However the Lee 105 SWC cast out at .363 and shoots very well over a small charge of Bullseye (sorry I don't have he charge weight here but willhave it in a few days when I return home). The 105 SWC also shoots to point of aim at 50 ft which is a big plus.

Larry Gibson

[KCSO]

I have a nice Ideal #1 laoding tool with the built in mould for 38 S and W. The bad news is that with those iron handles you get tired of moulding real quick. However in 1890 (date of packing in mould box) the Ideal Co. sent out a tool casting a 359 diameter 146 grain bullet with one small lube greoove. I used this tool and vintage cases to load a box shells with the 146 bullet over 12 grains of FFG powder. The bullets were cast of soft lead 1-30 and shot well with no leading in my old S and W top break. My guess is that a standard 158 rn over a light charge of Bullseye will slug up and shoot fine if not too undersized. If the mould will drop say 359 I would give it a try.

[Smoky Thunderclap]

chevyiron

Give bernie a call at http://www.oldwestbulletmoulds.com/
I ordered a mould from him yesterday for my .38S&W H&R
It's a copy of a Ideal/Lyman 358212 at 146gr.
bernie tells be the boolit drops at .361