380 Bulldog - 38 S&W - Bullet choices

[Colin_In_Ottawa]

I picked up a Bulldog advertised as 380 CF but its 38 S&W - .362 throats and .360 - .361 muzzle. Blackpowder only and thats my love but now I need a new mould.
I was reading some of Ed Harris's posts about a 36-125T but it doesnt exist in the catalogue - I also saw a 36-130E that looks good but I cant find any feedback on it anywhere.
Has anyone here had good experience with the 36-130E? Does anyone have the drawing of the 36-125T so I can mull it over? Experience with them?
For Black I want a lighter bullet - low pressure all the way. Its a plinker.
Thx.
Colin

[Outpost75]

Original bullet http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=37-125T was for 9x18 MAK.

I ordered with diameter reduced to .362" and that was marked 36-125T. Not in catalog, but 35-122T is

298154

You could order with a larger lube groove for BP.

[sigep1764]

Lee has the mold for 9mm Makarov that drops over .360.

[shooting on a shoestring]

Accurate 36-130E is a custom mold I asked Tom to cut for me. As usual he did a really great job.

I had it cut for my J-Frame in 38 Smith and Wesson. I wanted the large meplat to give me wadcutter-like terminal performance but not infringe on case capacity and still be easy to drop in the chambers. I wanted the 130 grain weight so that boolit would shoot to the sights in my 38 S&W.

It works great for my expectations from 38 S&W. It’s a defensive boolit. Plenty good less than 50 yards. I think it’s the best design and weight for 38 S&W. It’d probably work good in 38 Special too if sized appropriately.

Tom can cut the body diameter to what you want. I had it cut at 0.363” for my revolver. If yours needs bigger or smaller, he can do that.

Keep in mind at Accurate you can shop all the 9mm and 38 Special molds for shape and weight and have them cut at a body diameter to fit your 38 S&W throats. You specify the boolit body diameter you want when you order.

[Colin_In_Ottawa]

Good info folks. Thanks. I think I will come up with some dimensions for the 36-130E and give it a try. Its got a decent grease groove for some Crisco lube and the weight is where I want it. I will just need to bring it down in size by a thou or so. Cheers.
Colin

[murf205]

298246 This is a 358 160 H from Accurate. Mine drops at .360 and powder coats at .361. It shoots better than I can from my S&W 33-1. If you order a mold from Tom at Accurate, he will cut it with the diameter you specify. They usually drop .002 larger so if you order a .360 it will drop around .362 and you can size it to .358 for 38/357 as well. The one I have is a 3 cavity and is my favorite mold. The guy is a wizard!

[shooting on a shoestring]

Here’s what my 36-130E looks like loaded.
298283

[murf205]

That's what a revolver ought to look like and in one of my favorite cartridges too. As my grandfather said, "it don't beller' like an ox or kick like a mule".

[shooting on a shoestring]

Thanks Murf.
Wish I had known your Grandfather. I think I would have liked him.

Yep I have a soft spot for calibers, guns and people who can just git’r done without causing a big scene.

[murf205]

I picked up a Bulldog advertised as 380 CF but its 38 S&W - .362 throats and .360 - .361 muzzle. Blackpowder only and thats my love but now I need a new mould.
I was reading some of Ed Harris's posts about a 36-125T but it doesn't exist in the catalogue - I also saw a 36-130E that looks good but I cant find any feedback on it anywhere.
Has anyone here had good experience with the 36-130E? Does anyone have the drawing of the 36-125T so I can mull it over? Experience with them?
For Black I want a lighter bullet - low pressure all the way. Its a plinker.
Thx.
Colin

I just looked on Lee's website and they have over run .361 sizing dies for $16+ shipping. Without having to have a custom sizer made, this is a rare find. If it needs to be .362 a split dowel and some 400 grit paper will do it. Be slow and measure often because Lee has pretty soft steel (thank goodness) in these dies. There is, I believe , a sticky on this somewhere. Maybe a .361 booted by the explosion of Holy Black will do the trick so you can shoot first and open the die up if needed. The .361 in my 33-1 works great with 158 gr in my gun. I just looked again and they have .362 diameter dies for $20. Shipping is $10 and it takes a bit of navigating the website but if you need one it;s good to know.

Shooting on a shoestring, yes you would have loved him. He was an Infantry 1st Lieutenant turned farmer. He didn't take a step without me following along. He didn't give any and didn't take any!

[Colin_In_Ottawa]

I just ordered a 2 cavity/2 design mold from Tom. the 36-130E scaled down a bit in one hole and the 36-155D scaled up a bit in the 2nd hole. Should be fun.

[murf205]

Man! We live in the golden age of custom mold makers. Elmer Keith would have done a back flip for the choices we have today.

[Hanzy4200]

Not light, but Tom at Accurate cut me a 190 gr mold for my .38 S&W. One of the most accurate pistol bullets I cast.

[Outpost75]

I use Accurate 36-190H with 3 grains of AutoComp in my 5-inch S&W Victory Lend - Lease revolver, shoots to the fixed sights, ten-ring grouping at 25 yards at 711 fps. NOT for top breaks!