Loading 38 special

[ebb]

Ive been loading a batch of 38s that have my first home cast bullets loaded in them. Some of my bullets are a little but ugly, but I am solving some of my problems on my next batch. A single eye cook top to keep my mold hot and a 1000 degree thermometer to watch the temp. The loading has taken place on a single stage not the Dillon and I've had more time to look at the brass and bullets. I was surprised to find that some of my brass is S&W head stamped. never knew they had ever made brass or ammo. Then I was sizing another batch of brass and had the decap pin pull out of the sizing die and get stuck in the flash hole of some older Western brass. I first I thought maybe one had slipped through and got in to loaded ammo with a small flash hole. But I now have about a dozen and counting that have the same small flash hole. Does anybody have any idea why they would make the flash holes so small? Before my 38 batch I loaded a batch of 45acp with a box of Barrys copper plated bullets I am curious to see how these shoot I am hoping I didn't crimp too much and cut the plating in two.

 

[mac86951]

Cool! What cast bullet lube are you using, and how do your cast bullets measure in size out if the mold? I can't say I've seen small flash-hole western brass, but 38s been around long enough it wouldn't surprise me.

45 loading, disassemble your pistol and use the barrel for a crimp gauge. Crimp just enough to get a solid no-resistance 'plunk' if you put a round into the chamber. Seating depth / taper crimp are the two adjustments to get there.

What powder are you using, and what load data did you select?

-Mac

 

[Intheshop]

Been casting for almost 50 years,was chasing bugholes with a 22-250 today with cast.

If I had to do it all over again;

Write notes on each mould. Casting temps,alloys,dropped size/weight,yadayada. Dosen't have to be a "novel",just short concise notes. Once you have a drawer full,or haven't used a particular mould for awhile,the notes will save you some time and effort.

Good luck,38 sp has to rank up there as #1 best cartridge to get started with. Very good selection of moulds,and firearms.

 

[ebb]

The first batch was about 350 truncated come 158 grain bullets out of a Lee mold. I pan lubed them with liquid Alox and i won't be doing that again. Then sized them on a Lee sizer. The powder was Hogdgon 700 high score and I found on the data page it was 3.7 max so i loaded 3.4. The group I used to shoot with loaded a bunch of 38 spec years ago on my Dillon and we used factory made cast bullets and some jacketed. This was powder that was left in the Dillon when we got done. The 45s and this batch of 38s used up all the H700. A friend that I used to work with gave me his step fathers powder when he passed I will be loading with it for a WHILE. it is a huge paper drum of Green Dot and I will not use it up in my life time, I don't think. have you ever cast bullets with fishing sinkers ? I wonder how hard they are and what the alloy is?

 

[ebb]

I have a S&W victory model that i got trying to help someone out and it had a bent barrel. I replaced the barrel with a 5 inch from Sarco and it will be my cast bullet gun and maybe my 2 inch carry gun. I have a 30 caliber mold and a buckshot mold and a new MEC 12 gage loader that is still in the box. I have a 5 gallon bucket of wheel weights and a 5 gallon bucket of fishing sinkers and a bunch of sheet lead from an Xray room drywall job. But I have no idea how to get or add tin to the alloy. All suggestions will be appreciated.

 

[ebb]

I wish you had told me about zinc wheel weights before I ruined about 15 lbs of lead with zinc oatmeal mush.

 

[mac86951]

Sounds like you're off to a great start. I found a plastic container sturdy enough for a few pounds of cast bullets and a good dealing lid. I hand tumble the cast with a dab or two of alox. Set in sun to warm it up, if needed, but never clean. Its got a nice alox film on the inside now and bullets come out with a good thing coating.

Finding / harvesting lead can be tricky, I scored some ingots passed to me from when a local indoor range cleaned out. Lots of work to make the ingots, but a good supply of lead now. Likewise, rare; but volunteer to help 'dispose' of lead plumbing.


-Mac

 

[DirtySteve]

If you can get the zinc to a lower percentage you may still be able to use the metal. I can not remember what percentage is acceptable/useable. The stick on WW contain the most zinc.

If using clip on WW you should be fine.

 

[riflewoman]

Ive been loading a batch of 38s that have my first home cast bullets loaded in them. Some of my bullets are a little but ugly, but I am solving some of my problems on my next batch. A single eye cook top to keep my mold hot and a 1000 degree thermometer to watch the temp. The loading has taken place on a single stage not the Dillon and I've had more time to look at the brass and bullets. I was surprised to find that some of my brass is S&W head stamped. never knew they had ever made brass or ammo. Then I was sizing another batch of brass and had the decap pin pull out of the sizing die and get stuck in the flash hole of some older Western brass. I first I thought maybe one had slipped through and got in to loaded ammo with a small flash hole. But I now have about a dozen and counting that have the same small flash hole. Does anybody have any idea why they would make the flash holes so small? Before my 38 batch I loaded a batch of 45acp with a box of Barrys copper plated bullets I am curious to see how these shoot I am hoping I didn't crimp too much and cut the plating in two.

Don’t expect great results from the plated. I loaded some for npmy bullseye pistol and had un called 8s. No bueno. As for your cast bullets, for velocities under 850 or so, bullets can be quite soft, BHN 12. For normal loading I’d use zBHN 18 which is 50/50 lino-lead.

 

[Rsadams]

The plate on Berry's bullets is alot thicker than you think... I would roll crimp them in 38spl even without the canalure and didn't have problems...

 

[Twicepop]

I wish you had told me about zinc wheel weights before I ruined about 15 lbs of lead with zinc oatmeal mush.

Try fluxing the melted alloy with pine sawdust and bee's wax, if you can't get bee's wax paraffin will suffice.

 

[Lefty Trigger]

I use to cast a lot of handgun bullets when the lead was free. Local "large truck" tire and alignment shop use to give me 5 gallon buckets of old wheel weights for free just to get them gone. BTW semi truck wheel weights are huge! Something changed and all of a sudden they wanted $150 a bucket, I gave up casting and sold all my equipment.

 

[divingin]

I have a S&W victory model that i got trying to help someone out and it had a bent barrel. I replaced the barrel with a 5 inch from Sarco and it will be my cast bullet gun and maybe my 2 inch carry gun. I have a 30 caliber mold and a buckshot mold and a new MEC 12 gage loader that is still in the box. I have a 5 gallon bucket of wheel weights and a 5 gallon bucket of fishing sinkers and a bunch of sheet lead from an Xray room drywall job. But I have no idea how to get or add tin to the alloy. All suggestions will be appreciated.

https://www.rotometals.com/tin-cut-wire-pieces-99-9-pure-1-pound-made-in-usa/

 

[ebb]

My neighbor is a beach comber with a metal detector, he gave me an almost full 5 gallon bucket of sinkers. I have made them into ingots and am ready to make bullets. One pyramid sinker would not melt and had the eye on it cast in to the sinker instead of a brass eye like all the rest. it was zinc and floated to the top.