Rcbs 38-158-cm

[Thomas Traddles]

I am wondering if anyone else has experience with this bullet. I have not been able to get it to group well whether in medium range .38 special loads or mid-range .357 loads. I've used all kinds of lubes (pc, pan, 45/45/10), but I cannot seem to get this bullet to work well. What are your experiences?

[Kraschenbirn]

Don't shoot the RCBS 38-158 CM, however, the Arsenal 360-162 - a very, very similar RNFP -PC'd and sized .359 is pretty much my 'Go-To' for both .38 and .357. I load it a bit on the warm side (900 fps) for .38s and more mid-range (1150 fps) for .357s. Both loads are accurate from all my guns...a mix of Rugers and S&W plus a Rossi R92 levergun. One thing I have found though is that this boolit needs to be 'pushed' a bit; doesn't like soft 'plinker' loadings at all.

What gun(s) are you loading for, what alloy are you casting, and what dia. are you sizing?

Bill

[Outpost75]

Can't speak for this particular bullet, but my experience has been that RCBS molds typically cast too small in diameter. This may be, because they base their as-cast diameters on using linotype, rather than the common alloys which many people use.

I would measure your as-cast bullets. If your RCBS mold is like the ones I had and got rid of, wheelweight metal in .38 Special will only drop about .357", which is at least 0.001" too small!

[Thomas Traddles]

Thanks for the replies.

With my mystery metal, my mold casts in the .358 and .359 range. They fit the chambers of my guns perfectly. Ruger BH .357, Ruger LCR 38+P and a Charter Arms Mag-Pug. My BH, which seems to be the most accurate gun I have, at least it is the one I shoot best, generally puts anything I feed it wherever I point the sight. That I cannot get decent groups from this gun with this bullet is disturbing, especially since I generally run the loads over 1000fps, but subsonic in this gun. I've been using Blue Dot, Red Dot, and Unique with these bullets. Maybe I'll try some Power Pistol or Titegroup and see if I can't get the things to work.

[gunarea]

Hey Thomas Traddles
That particular projectile is being used from the Lyman and Lee representation very heavily for shooting Lawnsteel. My mould is a Lyman and one of the Lawnsteel handguns I use regularly is a new model Blackhawk. There are another eight or nine shooters whom also employ Blackhawks using that bullet. The cowboy style flat round carries steel well and we have them pinpoint accurate out to 75 yds. Several other firearms are used for Lawnsteel with that configuration, Contender, Freedom Arms, Smith and Wesson, Colt and Uberti. While I can't say for sure what is keeping accuracy from you, I don't think it is an RCBS situation. In our small caliber division, 875 fps is a maximum velocity, but it is seldom anyone loads to a velocity much over 830 fps. Your mystery metal very well may be the culprit. We all load a soft alloy and have found harder alloy much less accurate at the pressures we are operating at. With a few exceptions, most size at .359 and .360. Cylinder throat size, not chamber, dictates what size to hit. With your mould, bullets should weigh around 164gr or 165gr as the alloy gets softer. Stick with the very fast high early pressure spike propellants, especially in your revolvers.
My load is 3.185gr Alliant Promo in Winchester 38 special brass seated to crimp groove, medium light crimp. Average velocity is 827 fps with a standard deviation of 8 fps, all six cylinders used 18 shot string. Saeco hardness tester registers a solid six. As stated, from a Lyman mould this bullet is pinpoint accurate at least to 75yds. I hope this will help you.
Roy

[Thomas Traddles]

Roy, thank you for your post. I meant to say "throats" rather than chambers. My 38s have either .358 or .359 throats and I size the bullets to fit the .358 and shoot the the others as cast. I'll try a softer alloy and try a mid 800 fps load to see if that doesn't work.