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Thread: Buckshot in .38 special

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    Buckshot in .38 special

    Hi all, this may be wrong part of forum, but I was thinking of loading some 00 buckshot in either .38 special or .357 mag cases. I know 000 is correct size,but I don't have any and have a 00 mold. Any tips and such would be appreciated. Mac

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    As you mention you need a 000 mold. Lee makes them and I saw them on eBay. DO NOT load a ball hard down on smokeless powders. Find a way to crimp into the ball. Even a light load of two or three grains of Bullseye will generate too much pressure otherwise. I speak from experience.
    "You will wantonly strike a hornet's nest which extends from mountains to ocean, and legions, now quiet, will swarm out and sting us to death. It is unnecessary; it puts us in the wrong; it is fatal." Robert Toombs, Democrat of Georgia, warning of the results of the imminent attack of the Confederacy upon Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, 1861

  3. #3
    Boolit Master


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    Do you have any other 38 moulds and a gas check?
    You can use the gas check inside the driving band section of the mould to partition off a small part of the mould and cast smaller wadcutters. Then you can stack a few of these or load a single one.
    They have more bearing surface to them so you get better powder burn with a single vs. a single round ball

    I’ve done this with a 45-70 mould to make some nice light plinkers. The pic below is with hot glue to show how it’s done.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael J. Spangler View Post
    Do you have any other 38 moulds and a gas check?
    You can use the gas check inside the driving band section of the mould to partition off a small part of the mould and cast smaller wadcutters. Then you can stack a few of these or load a single one.
    They have more bearing surface to them so you get better powder burn with a single vs. a single round ball

    I’ve done this with a 45-70 mould to make some nice light plinkers. The pic below is with hot glue to show how it’s done.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Ingenious.
    Don Verna


  5. #5
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by dverna View Post
    Ingenious.
    I can’t take credit. I saw it somewhere on this forum.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael J. Spangler View Post
    Do you have any other 38 moulds and a gas check?
    You can use the gas check inside the driving band section of the mould to partition off a small part of the mould and cast smaller wadcutters. Then you can stack a few of these or load a single one.
    They have more bearing surface to them so you get better powder burn with a single vs. a single round ball

    I’ve done this with a 45-70 mould to make some nice light plinkers. The pic below is with hot glue to show how it’s done.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	955D6FBF-3F86-4E94-8B10-FA13D88BB702.jpg 
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    Interesting
    How do the checks stay in place while Casting????
    As I understand it...Most adhesives loose strength when heated..

  7. #7
    Boolit Master


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    They are just about the same size as the cuts for the driving bands. So they can’t move around at all.
    Pop the bullets out. The check usually falls off depending if you put the cup right side up or upside down. Then re use the check again. They don’t stay on the bullet.

    If someone were crafty they could make up a nice little copper disc that would fit perfectly into the groove

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael J. Spangler View Post
    They are just about the same size as the cuts for the driving bands. So they can’t move around at all.
    Pop the bullets out. The check usually falls off depending if you put the cup right side up or upside down. Then re use the check again. They don’t stay on the bullet.

    If someone were crafty they could make up a nice little copper disc that would fit perfectly into the groove
    Thanks... Slow but sure....

  9. #9
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by racepres View Post
    Thanks... Slow but sure....
    It’s not that bad. Run a handful of check so you don’t have to handle the hot ones.

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
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    I tried 3 pellets of #1 buckshot in a speer shot capsule. it shot pretty good. At 10 yards pellets were about 7-8 inches apart

  11. #11
    Boolit Master trapper9260's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Michael J. Spangler View Post
    Do you have any other 38 moulds and a gas check?
    You can use the gas check inside the driving band section of the mould to partition off a small part of the mould and cast smaller wadcutters. Then you can stack a few of these or load a single one.
    They have more bearing surface to them so you get better powder burn with a single vs. a single round ball

    I’ve done this with a 45-70 mould to make some nice light plinkers. The pic below is with hot glue to show how it’s done.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    This a good idea , thanks for shearing it . I have used some of what I found someone else had came up on here and other places and used it. repost some helps others that could use it and did not know someone came up with it.
    Life Member of NRA,NTA,DAV ,ITA. Also member of FTA,CBA

  12. #12
    Boolit Man
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    Its not .38 but I load .32 auto with 1 .310 buckshot over 1.5 gr Bullseye and 2 meat tray foam discs.
    Very soft shooting and surprisingly accurate at 10 yards out of a Seecamp automatic. I'm sure similar load would work in .38 spc.

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    I don’t know if you ever picked up a 000 mold or had a chance to follow through on this.

    I run my 000 through a 358 size. It puts just enough of an equatorial ring around to crimp into and, presumably, grip some rifling. Loaded as pictured, they cycle through my Marlin 1894 just like any other cartridge. I use 357 brass and (I think, but I’m not 100% sure) 2.5 grains of Trailboss.

    They are squirrel-head accurate out to around 25 yards, at which point accuracy turns to garbage pretty quickly. But, they work fine for plinking, only consume 70 grains of lead per shot, and at 18 rounds per cast, it doesn’t take much time at all to get many hundred rounds ready.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  14. #14
    Boolit Master


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    Look on castpics/articles at .38 Special 2 ball loads.
    I bumped some in my sizer to .358". The lower had two flats and the upper had a flat on bottom and round on top. Loaded both 2 and 3 ball loads in the .38 Special and .357 respectively. For grouping, the .38 Special 2 ball load performed very well. Better than the 3 ball .357.
    I used a .357 round ball and bumped it in my 450 sizer.
    Make a fine in-house home defense load. Killed a couple of snakes outside with it./beagle
    diplomacy is being able to say, "nice doggie" until you find a big rock.....

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    after sizing OOO buck, would coating help for heavier loads?

  16. #16
    Boolit Master MarkP's Avatar
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    Click image for larger version. 

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    I was thinking the old Lyman mold was 77 gr. Before I bought the mold shown above I was thumb pressing in 0.361" RB's. I got the round ball idea from Turner Kirkland in the Dixie Gun Works Catalog. I used smokeless rather than black powder. When I was about 11 or 12 I read the Dixie book cover to cover.

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master Char-Gar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ChuckJaxFL View Post

    I don’t know if you ever picked up a 000 mold or had a chance to follow through on this.

    I run my 000 through a 358 size. It puts just enough of an equatorial ring around to crimp into and, presumably, grip some rifling. Loaded as pictured, they cycle through my Marlin 1894 just like any other cartridge. I use 357 brass and (I think, but I’m not 100% sure) 2.5 grains of Trailboss.

    They are squirrel-head accurate out to around 25 yards, at which point accuracy turns to garbage pretty quickly. But, they work fine for plinking, only consume 70 grains of lead per shot, and at 18 rounds per cast, it doesn’t take much time at all to get many hundred rounds ready.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Yes, that is the way it was done, back in the day. I never cast 000 buck, but bought a sack and it worked fine.
    Disclaimer: The above is not holy writ. It is just my opinion based on my experience and knowledge. Your mileage may vary.

  18. #18
    Boolit Buddy
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    I had a tumbling issue if I did not size the round balls to 358 .
    Distinguished, Master,2600 club, President 100 badge holder.

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy
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    I've used the Lee TL-356-95-RF (380 acp) cast bullet that has been powder coated and NOT sized in very light 38 special loads. Very mild and fun in a single action revolver

  20. #20
    Boolit Bub
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    Interesting thread, never thought of doing this but gives me more food for thought. Thanks for all the replies and info. You guys are great.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check