First Post! / Need a recipe for 160gr LFWC

[Airweight38]

Hello, all.

New user here. I've been reloading for the better part of a year now and am currently getting ready to start casting (my Lee Production Pot is on order!), so some friends at gunandgame told me to check this site out. It already looks as though there is a wealth of information to be read here. I look forward to learning as much as I can and maybe making some friends along the way!

That said, my first question is this:

I have an aluminum Lee mold that I got used. It casts 160gr .358 wadcutters that I'm wanting to load for .38 Special. Does anyone have a recipe for this that uses Unique powder?

Thanks,

Jason

[garandsrus]

Jason,

Welcome aboard!

The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook (third edition) shows a 162gr SWC boolit in .38 Special, which should be close to what you are loading.

The Unique load is:
Suggested starting load - 3.5gr for 639fps
Max - 5.2gr for 914fps.

As always, start low and work your way up in charge weight....

John

[jimkim]

Welcome to cast boolits. This place is the bomb (I think that means good).

[runfiverun]

since your boolits won't weigh exactly 160 grs anyways.
garand's loads would be just fine.

welcome over.

[Airweight38]

Hello, all! Thanks for the replies! And hello again to Jimkim! :)

Garand, just a question, and I mean this totally earnestly in an I'm-just-asking-because-I-want-to-learn-why context, not because I'm challenging your knowledge:

I've seen semi-wadcutter recipes approximately for this weight, but my concern has always been that:

1) Wadcutters seat deeper than semi-wadcutters, and

2) Typically the shorter your OAL, the higher pressures go.

Also, I have data showing 148grs at 3.2gr Unique for a starting load, so shouldn't I expect heavier bullets to have a lower starting load to comp for pressure?

It is because of these^ reasons I have resisted using SWC data for FWC bullets. Are you saying I SWC and FWC data should be interchangeable? Again, I'm just asking to learn.

Thanks!

Jason

[missionary5155]

Greetings and WELCOME to the herd...
I use the Lyman # 358432 a 160 gr wc which drops at 163+ gr. with a 40-1 mix. I use 3.5 grains Unique for everyday plinking. I use 5 grains in my 5 shot 2 inch model for EDC.
I HIGHLY recommend soft boolits as they do mush nicely at 10 feet.
I also use this boolit in my 3 in S&W 357 model 13 with 6 grains Unique. When this boolit hits it flat smacks hard.

[garandsrus]

Jason,

You are smart to be cautious! I also would drop the starting load a little from the SWC recommendation due to the seating depth of a full WC and then work up the load, watching for pressure signs with every shot.

Missionary5155's experience with a 160gr WC helps validate the charge weight with Unique.

John