38 special 110 grain boolit anywhere?

[Ohio Rusty]

I really like the Corbon 110 grain loads I carry in my Ruger LCR. The weight of the 5 rounds in the gun doesn't add hardly any weight to the overall weight of the gun making the loaded LCR light and easy to carry.
Now the Dilemma: I would like to re-load 110 grain boolits (if I can find any) to match the round I carry. It seems the 110 grain boolit I find online is a jacketed boolit and they are difficult to find. Many places stopped selling them or they have been discontinued. The million dollar question: .... is there a mould out there that casts a 110 grain round nose bullet for the .38 special? Casting my own and using those for practice will be cheap as the factory loads of most 110 grain rounds are self defense loads, and sell for about $24 for a box of 20.
The Lee 9mm is 120 grain but is .356. What to do ..... sigh ......
Ohio Rusty ><>

[deltaenterprizes]

Look for a mold for a Makarov, or you can "Beagle" the Lee mold.

[fecmech]

The lee 120 gr TC casts.358 out of my 6 cav lee and is extremely accurate out of my K-38, GP 100 and 2 rifles. You will never be able to tell the difference between it and a 110 gr as far as recoil or point of impact when loaded to the same velocity as the 110. Buy the mold and if it should cast less than .358 as the previous poster said "Beagle "it. For $20. how can you go wrong??

[9.3X62AL]

The 110 grain 38 caliber bullet has rather fallen from favor as a service round. It is viewed these days as a "relic" of the past, when hyper-velocity and enhanced expansion along the "Super Vel" model was the preferred mythology of the tactical wizards and forensic warlocks who theorize these belief systems. The more current mysticism involves penetration and "controlled expansion", with a side order of decreased velocity when in 9mm flavor.

Much sound and fury, signifying nothing. My opinion, that.

110 grain JHPs are still readily available as reloading components, although they get little love from the buying public. My old agency was obliged to shift from the 110 grain +P Winchester load to the Remington 125 grain +P for the 38 Specials still in service, because the W-W 110 went out of print just before I retired. While gilt-edged accuracy isn't a big requirement for the bad-breath distances that exchanges of finality often include, I think that practice with a load as close as possible in all characteristics to your main carry load is a very good idea. My view of the short-for-caliber 110 grain 38/357 jacketed bullets is that they seldom shoot with the same accuracy level as their longer 140-160 grain-class brethren do in either caliber. Just sayin'.

In absence of a mainstream maker's product that can cast the boolit you seek, someone like Mountain Molds or the other small-scale moldmakers who support this site might be your "courts of last resort".

[Poygan]

There is Lyman .358345 which is a 115 grain SWC I know you said round nose but not sure why. There is also a Lyman .358480 which I believe lists at 133 grains. I have an odd mold that casts two 70 grain and two 105 grain wadcutters but I've never seen one like it on ebay. These might get you in the ball park but you will have a large velocity differential with cast boolits versus the Corbon.

[HeavyMetal]

The 105 grain SWC By Lee, 90315,90316, should fill the bill nicely!

Cast of WW metal mine always seemed to weigh about 109 grains.

A double cav mold should give you all you want and not break the bank that's for sure!

This mold is designed for the 38 special and has cast 358 out of every mold I've ever touched in this design.

[Ohio Rusty]

Thanks for all the great info all !! Lots of options. Thew 105 SWC by Lee is probably the easiest to rework. If it casts low, just drill out the nose slightly larger/wider. It's nice to know the mould casts .358 as I don't have a resizer for that size, and I use them as they drop from the mould.
9.3x62: I had a Chief that believed that you should practice with the same weight that you carry on duty. I guess that is where I get the want for the same size.
You guys are GREAT !! Thanks all !!
Ohio Rusty ><>

[NSP64]

I would use the lee 90315 105gr SWC DC no GC design.

[chris in va]

I don't think the Makarov boolit would work as it is .365 IIRC.

[Guesser]

My 358345 DC drops at exactly 110 gr. from air cooled WW, lubed and sized .358. I like it in my Detective Special and my OP 4". The mold is one of the "sweetest" in my collection.

[mooman76]

I second the Lee 105gr swc. Lice bullet and is useful in allot of aplications. If I remember right mine drops like 107gr and a few grains won't make a difference.

[Will]

I have both the lee 105swc and the 112rn but have never been able to get either to group well in my 38spl. However they both group well in my 380. If you come up with a good load for either of these in the 38spl, please post it. BTW they both drop from the mold at .358.

[JIMinPHX]

As several have just said, the LEE 105 swc is an option. Lee also makes a 102 grain rn for the 9 that often casts big enough to load in a .38, or can be beagled.

[ReloaderFred]

As mentioned, there is the Lee 105 gr. SWC mold, but Magma also makes a 105 grain Truncated Cone Flat Point bullet that is popular in some circles. I cast that bullet and use it for light loads in .38 Special, and it's very accurate in that application. I'm casting it from straight wheel weights or reclaimed shot, whichever I have the most of when I'm casting them. Both alloys shoot the same out to 25 yards, with no leading in my Blackhawks.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[beagle]

Either the 358345 or the 358480 are both nice light bullets. I've driven the 358345 to some really high velocities in the .358 Mag with good accuracy.

Don't think you could go wrong with either. Or look for a Lyman 356404 if you can find one. Nice light bullet for the .380 Auto./beagle

[Ohio Rusty]

Hey Guesser ....there was a Lyman 358345 mould over on Guns america in almost new condition. Price was right so I bought it. It's never a bad thing to buy more moulds !! I'm looking forward to dropping some boolits from it and weighing them.
They should shoot real nice.
Thanks for the heads up on this mould. Now I have to find some lyman handles for the mould and I'll be all set. .....

Ohio Rusty ><>

[emorris]

with the lcr being a snubie, at 25 yrds a bullet a few grains lighter/ heavier wont make much difference in groups for the average shooter including me. Playing with different load combinations is half the fun of shooting and reloading makes it affordable. Booliet casting adds more possabilities. Corbon makes a good bullet for personal defence as well as remington golden saber, hornady xtp, and speer gdhp. Speer and hornady both have 110 gn bullet. remington also offers a semi jacketed hp in 110 gn. These are just come options for copper coated booliets. Biggest question is do you already reload/cast? If not you may consider lee equipment. Most of mine is lee and i have been happy with it, it is also the least expensive. The lee molds seem good as well, with a little work. if you reload and cast you could taylor your reload cast rounds to preform similar to the corbon if you have to use a heavier booliet.

[Thin Man]

Since you mentioned going up to the 120 grain weight, with a preference for RN profile, look at the Lyman 358242 in CastPics. This pattern is RN, PB, with a choice of 91 or 121 grain weight and no crimp groove. Sadly they are only available as used, find them where you can but they show up regularly on ebay. The 91 grain has one loob groove, the 121 has two. That will make positive identification of the weight easier when the seller has no idea. If you find this pattern available in an online source, read the ad (or look at the photos) carefully as Lyman also offered these in a 356242 pattern (.356 diameter) for the 9mm's and the Super. I have been using a 2-cavity Lyman mold in the 121 weight for a few years and have been very pleased with the boolit's groups from most 38/357 revolvers. Have even thought about sizing some to .356 for the autos but haven't taken the time for that yet.

[redneckdan]

What about a 110gr wad cutter? Since you are using a light bullet you might as well punch a full diameter hole.

[cajun shooter]

Bring back Lee Juras, I'm sure his old warehouse is full.

[atr]

Ive been using the 120 gr RN flat base in my old .38 and its fun and easy to shoot and has just enough recoil to be interesting. And the brass lasts forever !

[Crash_Corrigan]

I have a steel mold.....disremember if it is a Lyman or RCBS....that casts a LRN boolit with two lube grooves and they weigh about 115 gr. Lubed with Lar45's Carnuba Red they work really well in my Browning Hi Power. I size them to .358 but they don't seem to need much sizing as it is more for the lube application.

The Browning does not like .356 Lead boolits. Bore is not sealed enuf during firing with my straight ww and I get smoked cases and rapid build up of heavy gunk in about 50 shots requiring dissambly and cleaning. The EAA witness will shoot both with equal ferocity.