pure lead 38 special wc target loads???

[z4lunch]

Steve here... I will probably get hammered for this dumb question, but here goes.
Is there any reason I can't shoot straight lead down my Colt 38 mid range National Match. I'm only sending down light loads,usually 2.7grns of bullseye. I believe the lyman book says there only around 650fps
Thanks
Steven

[HeavyMetal]

With a good lube pure lead, which is what factory wadcutters were/are, is not a problem.

[Larry Gibson]

No reason at all. Most factory WCs are swaged lead as are the ones Hornady and Speer sell. I used to shoot a lot of them cast from pipe and wire sheeting (plumbers lead). I would add about 2% tin just to make them cast better giving full fillout in the Lyman 35891 four cavity mould I was using. They dropped at .359 and I used a .360 H die to just lube them. Over 2.7 gr of Bullseye they shot very close as accurate as Federal factory match. Different was they shot just under a 2" twelve shot group at 50 yards vs 1.5" for 12 shots for the Fed match out of a PPC match revolver using a Ransom Rest.

Larry Gibson

[sniper7369]

Would pure lead also be OK in a .45 ACP using a Lyman 225gr RN? I have a lot of pure lead hanging around that I don't know what to do with.

[Springfield]

The pure lead might deform and not feed well in a 45. I would be wiling to trade you wheelweight ingots for pure lead ingots, straight trade, one 60 lb Flat rate box.

[Shiloh]

I've shot thousands of 148 gr. high purity lead wad-cutters from a .38 without a problem. Tumble lubed as well as traditional lube. This is very soft lead from range salvage, stained glass lead came, and other sources. 2.8-3.3gr. of Bullseye. I've also shot 200 grain SWC in a 1911 without an issue. These would be with 4.0 grains of Bullseye or less.

Some CCI store bought cartridges, 158 gr. RN with aluminum cases also has a very soft lead boolit. No leading with these, just dirty and mediocre accuracy, but that is a different issue.

As stated by HeavyMetal above, proper lube would be important, and I would add, proper sizing as well.

There are folks who say that pure lead is great for .38 snubby's as the soft boolit will expand and mushroom out at the lower velocities obtained from these very short barrels. Hope this helps

Shiloh

[sniper7369]

The pure lead might deform and not feed well in a 45. I would be wiling to trade you wheelweight ingots for pure lead ingots, straight trade, one 60 lb Flat rate box.

If you need the pure stuff I could do that. Don't know exactly the weight of what I have though, I'll weigh it up tonight and let you know. Appreciate that.

[TimBoothe]

Hi all,
I asked pretty much the same question concerning the use of really soft lead in a .45 ACP. These are the replies that I got:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ight=timboothe

Springfield....PM sent.....

TimBoothe

[missionary5155]

Greetings
The bulk of my boolits down here are cast with pure lead mixed with whatever range lead I can find. I recycle all my boolits from my own little range. This stuff is easily finger nail goudged.
I fire it out of my 44-40 SRC 18" barrel using mostly 8 grains Unique but up to 10 grains with no leading. My 357´s get 5-8 grains Unique with a 163 gr WC (358432). My 38´s get the same boolit with 3-5 gr Unique.
My lube is either Lee LA or a mix of 50-50 Beeswax and bearing grease in the 44-40.
Soft lead remember was fired at 1400+ fps in the Express rifles. Lots of lube is what ya need.
But Soft lead does have it´s limit in every barrel. You have to experiment to find that fps thresh hold with each powder as chamber pressure really has alot to be recond with.
But you sure are hard pressed to improve upon a soft boolit smacking into regular hunted critters. For things that will bite and devour I use BIG HARD FAT boolits pushed FSAT !
Mike God Bless you.