Wondering if anyone is using this Lee mold to produce bullets for 38 spl loading. I'm intrigued at the possibilities and economy of these light SWCs. Looking for input before committing to buying a mold and trying these bullets out.

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Dave

I tried some with very poor accuracy, compared to 148gr wadcutters. YMMV

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Science plus Art

No personal experience with that specific bullet other than a suggestion that AutoComp might be a good powder to use...?

Probably put many very inexpen$ive holes in paper...

I had a snub nose that couldn't hit the broadside, and someone suggested that 105 as the answer.

It wasn't. It didn't work in long barrels very well either, but I admit I did little experimenting. I end up using a 158 and a slower powder and achieved the goal.

Haven't used the 105 in many years.

I once was tempted to try it.But I instead went to their 125gr FRN;it comes out at 132gr lubed with my alloy.When you don't push it too hard,it is very accurate.I shoot them on top of 3.5gr Promo(guess same load of Red Dot,Bullseye or 700X would give the same result.It clocks a little over 800fps out of the few 6''bbl .38 or .357 I've chronoed them.Accuracy out to 35 yds(didn't try them at 50)is almost as good as 148WC.
If you want to shoot them out of a single gun,I urge you to try sized and lubed(I do mine at .358)and unsized,only liquid Alox lubed.If you can get by without sizing,it means more shooting time!

Hello, i haven’t tried the 105, but have good luck withthe 121 gr rn. I’ve been casting those for years and worked great shooting CAS, even in my marlin lever gun! I even use them in 9MM.
Semper paratus

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NRA Life Member
CPO

Been casting and powder coating the little 105gn for a while. Shoot it out of a model 66, 642, TRR8 and uberti colt clones. Never had a problem with accuracy. Loading 3.5 grains of titegroup. Great economy...mine cast just a little heavy with my alloy. I get over 60 bullets/lb casting though.

105 gr seems like an odd weight for the 38 special. Most 38 special guns are built and regulated for the standard 158 gr loading or 148gr WC in target loads. Also it has been found that the plus P ones do fine with 125 gr loadings too.
The 105 gr seems like a solution for a problem that doesn't exist.

The lightest bullet I cast for the 38/357 is a 121 grain RN from an Ideal mould that is over 100 years old!

I use a commercial cast 100 gn LRNFP in both .357 Magnum for use in my CAS Henry Big Boy rifle (10.5 gn Mulwex AR2205, a near max load in .38 Special +P cases but milder in .357 cases) and my Tanfoglio Pre Witness CZ75 clone (it has very little rifling leade and likes light bullets at about 1300 fps). Current load in the 9mm is 6.1 gn of locally repackaged WAP for 1295 fps.

Both give good accuracy.

In .38 Special I would load them faster rather than moderately.