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View Full Version : What 38 Special mold comes closest to


Trey45
08-21-2010, 05:57 PM
the classic 158gr SWC HP used by LEO for decades?
lurch
08-21-2010, 06:12 PM
Not sure how close they are to your wants, but for my money, the 357446 and 358156 would be what I go for. They aren't HP's but were available at one time that way. I'd try to score one of those and have it converted.
fecmech
08-21-2010, 10:13 PM
Not exactly sure what you are trying to do but the easy way out is buy Hornaday swaged 158 gr HP's. they run about $25./300 here. http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/department.asp?dept=RELOADING&dept2=LEAD%20PISTOL&dept3=.358%20DIA
You can run them 900-1000 fps and they should expand just like the originals did. There was nothing magical about them, just soft lead with a HP. Load them over about 5.1/231 and you've got the load.
Trey45
08-22-2010, 01:10 AM
Thanks fec, not looking for anything magical, basically looking for something I could replicate at home for the "fbi load" .
MtGun44
08-23-2010, 12:19 AM
Currently sold by Rem and Win, or at least recently. RCBS 38-150-SWC is close, but no
factory hp offered. Buckshot here or Eric at HollowPoint Services can fix that oversight.

Bill
Echo
08-23-2010, 01:37 AM
The Lyman 358311 is the standard .38 Special RN bullet, I believe. I have a 10-gang aluminum clone that can turn out prodigious amounts of RN boolits - but I really don't care for shooting RN boolits...
nicholst55
08-23-2010, 02:54 AM
Here's an excellent article by Glen Fryxell on that very subject:

The 38 SWC (http://www.handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=24)

He feels that the Lyman 358477 fills the role very nicely.
MtGun44
08-23-2010, 02:07 PM
358477 and RCBS 38-150 SWC are so close that you can put one in the other's cavity,
only the rounded lube groove in the 477 is diff. Nose and band widths and location are
VERY close. Both are excellent boolit designs, too.
That'll Do
08-24-2010, 09:52 PM
I'd definitely recommend the RCBS 38-150-SWC. I've cast and shot a bunch of them, and it is quite easy to develope an accurate load. As an added bonus, I've found that the RCBS mold is a pleasure to cast with. It easily releases the boolit, with very crisp edges on the entire boolit.