Who has Hardest Cast Lead 38cal Bullets ?

[clayshooter99]

Looking for opinions on who has the hardest cast lead bullets for use in 38spl and 357. I prefer to use Rainier or Berry plated to help keep the gun and my hands more clean. Do very hard cast bullets do better than the swaged ones as far as cleanliness? Again I like Berry's but I would also like to save some money also. Thanks

 

[87iroc]

Missouri bullet co? They list separate hardness's between 38 and 357

 

[chezuki]

Do very hard cast bullets do better than the swaged ones as far as cleanliness? Again I like Berry's but I would also like to save some money also. Thanks

My understanding is that if cast bullets are too hard, they won't deform enough to fully engage the lands and grooves which actually causes more leading.

I've had great success with Indiana Bullet Company, and you won't find a less expensive cast bullet without casting them yourself.

 

[mac45]

Hardness has nothing to do with how clean or dirty a load is.
What makes cast boolits dirtier than jacketed or plated is the lube.

 

[straight-shooter]

To hard a bullet in a .38 is not a good thing. I actually mix pure lead with my WW lead so it will soften it some. A .38 doesn't have enough behind it to expand the bullet into the rifling of barrel. Believe me when I tell you that you will end up with leading in the barrel. Same for a .45 cal bullet... keep it around 10 BHN and some good lube and proper sizing to fit the barrel at least .002 over size.

Now a .357 may be a completely different story but in that case I would recommend gas checks if your going hot on that one.


A properly sized cast bullet is KING and all else follows suit.

 

[Leadeye]

To hard a bullet in a .38 is not a good thing. I actually mix pure lead with my WW lead so it will soften it some. A .38 doesn't have enough behind it to expand the bullet into the rifling of barrel. Believe me when I tell you that you will end up with leading in the barrel. Same for a .45 cal bullet... keep it around 10 BHN and some good lube and proper sizing to fit the barrel at least .002 over size.

Now a .357 may be a completely different story but in that case I would recommend gas checks if your going hot on that one.


A properly sized cast bullet is KING and all else follows suit.

Can't add anything to this, don't even remember the last time one of my 38s saw a bullet with a jacket.

 

[kludge]

required reading --> Missouri Bullet Company

 

[Whip_McCord]

Seems like no one ever gives any detail with their questions here. What is the intended purpose of the loads? Powder used? Gun used? Bullet weight? Lots of variables not mentioned.

Most of the 38 bullets that I shoot are swaged. As mentioned above (lots of good info above), too hard a bullet will lead very badly. There is a formula for bullet hardness related to the pressure of your load. So, unless you are shooting magnum loads, a softer lead is better.

One more thing. It is best to not to use the Lee FCD for lead revolver ammo. As mentioned above, the size of the bullet is also important to prevent leading. The FCD will swage down the loaded round, thus reducing the bullet size to less than optimal which can cause leading.

 

[87iroc]

required reading --> Missouri Bullet Company

The calculation is in this link that Whip mentioned I believe.

 

[sgtonory]

I shoot almost pure lead out of my 38 special and 10BHN out of my 357 mag. Fit is everything when it comes to leading. To hard for the pressure is bad. The hard blue lube that most commercial casters use is junk but it holds up well to shipping. Not sure where you are located but i would let you try some of my cast boolits with my softer lube and see how you like them.

 

[sgtonory]

When your boolit is to small there is a thing called gas cutting. When there is room for the hot gases to move past the boolit it cuts the lead like a torch and leaves lead in the barrel. For revolver you want to size your boolits to your cylinder size and not barrel size.

 

[wolfman]

Can't add anything to this, don't even remember the last time one of my 38s saw a bullet with a jacket.

I have several guns, both auto and revolver, that the only jacketed they see, is my carry HP's, otherwise it is all lead. Of course, it's all your fault, since you hooked me when you did the casting demo over at IGW's a few years back.

 

[Leadeye]

I have several guns, both auto and revolver, that the only jacketed they see, is my carry HP's, otherwise it is all lead. Of course, it's all your fault, since you hooked me when you did the casting demo over at IGW's a few years back.

That has been a few years ago, thanks for remembering!

 

[Sniper 79]

I have some of the same problems. I slugged the barrel and have a good fit. Bullets are hard commercial cast with blue lube. I loaded 4and some change of Win 231 and worked my way up to 5grns in .357 brass. The forcing cone has been honed so no lead builds up there or in the barrel. Barrel was spotless and rounds were tack drivers. Couldnt be happier with the overall performance. Looking for middle of the road workable load to plink with. Problem is it plastered lead on the face of the cylinder of my old Vaquero. I bought a box of berrys and am thinking of throwing them in the trash and going with some jacketed. Took forever to get that lead off and am affraid of wrecking the blueing by scrubbing on it too much. Frustrated and also have a Super Blackhawk that I want to work up some loads for also. The price of regular lead is cheaper and it performed so well I am on the fence right now.

 

[Newhoosier]

I've been casting .45 200 swc sized to .452 range magic @ 14.3 bn without trouble. The loads are mild to normal depending on which pistol I'm shooting.