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!

[Jaak]

I bought mine from NOE Bullet Moulds.
https://noebulletmolds.com/site/prod...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.

[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.