Wondering where to purchase 200 Grain cast boolits for my 38 S&W

[Tall]

No, it's not a 38 Special. It's an Enfield revolver that was intended to shoot a 200 grain projectile. I got some that are 146 grain from Missouri Bullet Co. They are OK but it shoots about 6" low. My thinking is the heavier bullets will be more centered on the POA. Note - the seller called this a Webley. Clearly it isn't!

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[Jaak]

I bought mine from NOE Bullet Moulds.
https://noebulletmolds.com/site/product-category/bullet-moulds/364/363-204-rn-w1/

They make a 363 caliber. The problem with these Enfields is that the cylinder throats are usually smaller than the groove diameter of the barrel. You either have to ream then out a bit, or use pure soft lead and hope it expands the bullet when it's in the forcing cone.

[Tall]

Looks like they sell molds. I'm searching for boolits.

[Texas by God]

My first handgun was an Enfield.
I used the 148 gr swaged hollow base wadcutters and a modified front sight blade to make it print right.
Then it was a matter of getting used to DAO!
Good revolvers!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[j4570]

I use the NOE mold as I gave up looking. This is the only source I know of:

https://www.mattsbullets.com/

Has several different options. The Mk II Webley bullet should be right. Only 0.361 and 0.362 available.

I have no experience with them just know of them.

[georgerkahn]

Our friends at Buffalo Arms purveyed both moulds to cast bullets for the .38 S&W (aka .38 Colt New Police aka .38-200) as well as .361 cast bullets. I purchased, a few years back, both a 2-cavity .361 mould as well as a box of bullets. The point of impact was moot to me, as -- with fixed sites -- it just requires a bit of memory as to where the group will land. The REAL "plus" of the Buffalo mould is my prior challenge -- this with a Smith & Wesson lend-lease Model 11 -- was severe leading. Using the Buffalo Arms mould -- albeit there still accumulated a scant bit -- the leading issue is 99% or so gone! I'd suggest ringing them to inquire -- their web-site shows only a couple of single-cavity lighter moulds. Mine needed to be custom made by them, and while it took a few months wait -- was surely worth it!
geo

[Tall]

I just placed an order with Matt's. I had looked at their website yesterday and it was down so pleasantly surprised when it worked today.

[j4570]

Tall,

Let us know how Matt’s bullets work. My home cast ones sure made a difference in my Enfield.

[Tall]

Not seeing any reloading data online for the 200 grain bullets. Maybe 3 grains of unique?

[45DUDE]

The cylinder is too short for a 200. My book shows a .361 boolit. What are the throat sizes? I think a 160 grain .361 with 2 grains of Bullseye would be the max. 1.180 is the max length. It looks too nice to shoot. You would have to slug the barrel to get the correct boolit and then the throats may be a problem.

[El Bibliotecario]

I just placed an order with Matt's. I had looked at their website yesterday and it was down so pleasantly surprised when it worked today.

A wise move.

I once purchased a similar No.2 MkI * for $25--but that included shipping. I discovered the double-action only pull was so heavy it limited the weapon's practical accuracy to usage inside an elevator. But I'm not complaining--decades later I sold it for ten times what I paid for it.

The above rambling is my justification for why I personally would not invest in a mold for such a weapon, instead purchasing bullets. I ask rhetorically, once the novelty wears off, how often will you shoot it?

[Tall]

The cylinder is too short for a 200.

The cylinder was designed for the 200 grain bullet. As WWII approached the British switched to a 178 grain FMJ bullet. I don't want to use those.

[Tall]

A wise move.

I ask rhetorically, once the novelty wears off, how often will you shoot it?

We shall see. I am thinking I want something that will shoot the 38 S&W with a single action feature. So that means either a S&W or a Webley.

[45DUDE]

The cylinder was designed for the 200 grain bullet. As WWII approached the British switched to a 178 grain FMJ bullet. I don't want to use those.

The switch to a lighter boolit was made because the 200 grain would tumble and not accurate from what I read. Also with heavier loads they tend to spring open. Good luck. I just looked at my Speer book and they caution heavier loads and springing open. I've shot two over the years and both came open but they weren't mine. Is that your gun or just a photo?

[one-eyed fat man]

Matt's bullets has a good selection. The 200 grain long round nose pretty much duplicates the old NEI 169a mould. Using the NEI #169A boolit designed to duplicate the service slug of the British Empire's 38/200 load, 3.0 grains of Unique gives the same 700 FPS that the 38 Special 200 grain Super Police loads yield. The bullet has more of a secant ogive rather than hemispherical nose of the Lyman 358430. It may be even more likely to yaw. In my opinion, the Brits seemed to have a knack for designing bullets that were nasty or effective, depending on your point of view

It shoots very well in both my Enfield No. 2 and my S&W BSR. B-16 targets at 25 yards, off hand last April.
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[Tall]

The switch to a lighter boolit was made because the 200 grain would tumble and not accurate from what I read. Also with heavier loads they tend to spring open. Good luck.

No, the Brits made the change because the FMJ round met the rules set by the Hague convention. They were afraid the Nazi's would object. No other reason for it.

[Tall]

Nice shooting!

[TNsailorman]

I just tried to log on to Matt's Bullets for the first time in about 2 years. Surpirse! I got an 403 error telling me that I do not have permissions to log onto this site. I tried it 3 times and got the same message each time. What gives? james

[one-eyed fat man]

Beats me! Works good for me. Clear your cookies or some other impediment? https://www.mattsbullets.com/38-Smith-Wesson_c_10.html

[j4570]

Tall,

I’ll try to see what I loaded. It was a load I got here I think.

[hporter]

I know you already placed an order with Matt's, but Western Bullets has a decent selection of 200gr bullets at fair prices:

http://www.westernbullet.com/3535738caliber.html

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[j4570]

Those are some good prices. I think I size mine at 0.363. 0.360 is all they offer. Matt’s does 0.361 and 0.362.

Good to see there are more choices out there.

[Tall]

I know you already placed an order with Matt's, but Western Bullets has a decent selection of 200gr bullets at fair prices:

http://www.westernbullet.com/3535738caliber.html

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Thanks I ordered some from them as well.

[Texas by God]

Years after my first one was traded off, I bought another Enfield from Martin B. Redding in California for $25 plus shipping!
On this one, my brother and I cut a single action notch into the hammer.
To use, you’d start pulling the trigger then catch the hammer with your thumb to cock it.
My other brother still has it and it still works just fine. It is regulated for the 148 gr RN factory load.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[hporter]

It is regulated for the 148 gr RN factory load.

That is interesting. My Enfield shoots to the sights with plain old vanilla 158gr bullets too.

That is why I knew of Western Bullets 200 grainers. I bought them all to try in my Enfield.... before trying the 158gr ones I already had!

Mine was a "tanker" that someone brazed a hammer spur back onto it.

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[GregLaROCHE]

I just tried to log on to Matt's Bullets for the first time in about 2 years. Surpirse! I got an 403 error telling me that I do not have permissions to log onto this site. I tried it 3 times and got the same message each time. What gives? james

Sometimes sites won’t let me login if my VPN is active. When I I turn it off, I can log in.

[j4570]

I looked up my load data. I used the NOE mold I have, 200gr. I used R-P and W-W brass. I loaded 3.0gr Universal Clays which is really almost the same as the 3.0gr Unique which was previously noted. I used CCI Small Pistol Primers. Use the load data at your own risk. I would not shoot these in older 38 S&W revolvers that are not as strong.

My Mold drops 2 PB, 2 GC, and one HP (It's an older style NOE with removable pin). I have no idea what I was thinking when I ordered it, I wish I'd just got, 4 PB and one HP........I just cast as many as I could so some are GC and some PB....

I checked my sizer (last thing I sized) and yep it's 0.363. I did use a hard lube. I remember slugging my barrel at some point now. It's kinda easy if you take these apart as you can remove the barrel from the frame. If it shoots well, I wouldn't worry about it.

I use RCBS 38 S&W dies and also I used a 9mm makarov Powder through expander and loaded them in my Dillon 550B. I also have a set of LEE 9mm Makarov dies and used that expander before I loaded on the Dillon.

I will say it was a member here probably 15 years ago in doing some trading and selling that sent me about 25 NEI (not NOE as my current mold but nearly the same, one of the first true copies of the British Bullet) bullets lubed with what I think was SPG I tried and it shot well.

It's a fun revolver to shoot as it's a piece of history. The double action is kinda rough, and I had brazed a hammer on mine too and added a SA notch, but the hammer came off a few years ago so I have to fix that.

Let us know how all those different bullets perform.

JW

[15meter]

From load data:


.38 S&W / .38 Smith & Wesson .38/200 S&W Victory, 5.0-inch barrel (Loads for World War II Handguns)

200 Lyman 358430 RN Hodgdon Titegroup 1.7 grains 612 velocity

Different batch of data:
200 Lyman 358430 Alliant Unique 2.4 grains 649 velocity

200 Lyman 358430 Alliant Herco 2.7 grains 647 velocity

200 Lyman 358430 IMR SR-4756 2.7 grains 650 velocity

200 Lyman 358430 Hodgdon Universal 2.3 grains 657 velocity

200 Lyman 358430 Alliant Bullseye 1.6 grains 582 velocity

[Randy Bohannon]

The Remington HBWC 148 gr 1.8 gr. Bullseye shoots very good in my Colt Police Positive’s I have 3 of them, 2 @4” 1@ 5” . They measure .360” , they shoot very dirty but they are accurate and don’t care I clean my guns after every outing.

[Tall]

From load data:


.38 S&W / .38 Smith & Wesson .38/200 S&W Victory, 5.0-inch barrel (Loads for World War II Handguns)

200 Lyman 358430 RN Hodgdon Titegroup 1.7 grains 612 velocity

Different batch of data:
200 Lyman 358430 Alliant Unique 2.4 grains 649 velocity

200 Lyman 358430 Alliant Herco 2.7 grains 647 velocity

200 Lyman 358430 IMR SR-4756 2.7 grains 650 velocity

200 Lyman 358430 Hodgdon Universal 2.3 grains 657 velocity

200 Lyman 358430 Alliant Bullseye 1.6 grains 582 velocity


Thanks. My current edition Lyman manual lists a load for 195 grain LRN which is close to the 200 Grain bullet that I am using. I decided on a load of 1.7 grains of W231 which ought to be around 690 - 700 FPS.

[NuJudge]

Look in the top row of these people's offerings: https://www.bearcreeksupplybullets.com/bulletselection

They offer a 190gr bullet.

[Tall]

Look in the top row of these people's offerings: https://www.bearcreeksupplybullets.com/bulletselection

They offer a 190gr bullet.

Looks OK but no lube groove? I have 400 of the 200 grain bullets to try and 150 of the 146 grain bullets that shoot too low on hand so it will be a while.

https://www.bearcreeksupplybullets.com/38sw190gr-rn

[Gobeyond]

Westernbullet.comhttp://www.westernbullet.com

Has a 200 grainer.

[Tall]

Westernbullet.comhttp://www.westernbullet.com

Has a 200 grainer.

They have been a good vendor for me over the years. If I run low I will probably use them next.

This one: http://www.westernbullet.com/noe320gr.html

[JoeJames]

I first tried 148 grain wc's and 158 grain swc's sitting on 2.3 grains of Bullseye. They shot below the paper at 15 yards. Got in a quantity of Matts MK1? 200 grain and they went closer to center - still on 2.3 grains of Bullseye But my old S&W Victory in 380/200 - 38S&W was just not terribly accurate. I got them circling the center of the bullseye but that was it. I figured out that sometimes you just cannot get very good accuracy from a particular revolver. BTW, Outpost75 indicated the S&W Victory Model 38S&W's were regulated at 20 yards.

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[Alferd Packer]

My Enfield top break doesn't spring open, but you don't need a heavier loaded cartridge with a 200 gr slug at close range.
I load appropriate to bullet weight in this firearm.
Get a heavier newer pistol to load heavy loads.

[gwpercle]

I just placed an order with Matt's. I had looked at their website yesterday and it was down so pleasantly surprised when it worked today.

If you plan on keeping the revolver , You might want to order a NOE 2 cavity mould just to have as back up ... Matt's is the only source and if they have problems ... you could have no Boolits ... a boolit mould in the drawer might come in handy when the "supply" dries up or the prices go through the roof .
Melt lead in a tin can , pour it in holes ... and wah-Lah ... you got boolits !
Gary

[Tall]

If you plan on keeping the revolver , You might want to order a NOE 2 cavity mould just to have as back up ... Matt's is the only source and if they have problems ... you could have no Boolits ... a boolit mould in the drawer might come in handy when the "supply" dries up or the prices go through the roof .
Melt lead in a tin can , pour it in holes ... and wah-Lah ... you got boolits !
Gary

It's not quite that simple. I did buy the mold from Old West. But I have no other equipment so no handle, no lubriser, no heating element, no pot. But eventually I will own all that stuff and some lead ingots too.

[15meter]

I've got a batch of 200 grain round nose boolits cast from a NOE mold that need a new home. The buddy I cast these for recently passed away and I don't have a use for them. I'll check what I've got and let you know via PM.

Better someone gets to shoot them than they go back in the pot.

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[charlie b]

Sometimes sites won’t let me login if my VPN is active. When I I turn it off, I can log in.

I had the same kind of comment from customers.

Turns out there was another cause as well. If I modified the website and deactivated a page but did not delete it, then anyone who bookmarked that page would sometimes get a password request instead of the 404. If I deleted the page then it usually displayed the 404.

[15meter]

I've got a batch of 200 grain round nose boolits cast from a NOE mold that need a new home. The buddy I cast these for recently passed away and I don't have a use for them. I'll check what I've got and let you know via PM.

Better someone gets to shoot them than they go back in the pot.

315412

Gotta remember to get the boolit count, and there's some virgin brass. And the NOE mold. I'll PM WHEN I REMEMBER TO LOOK!

And fix the picture so you can see the boolit.