Looking for, bulk if possible, 0.360 lead bullets, or barring that, a bullet resizing die?? THANKS for any direction to go in. Yes I have been around the 'net' but no luck so far.

Are you talking about 16 caliber? P.O. Ackley wrote about bullets as small as 14 caliber, and I heard about a cartridge the shot record player needles once (8 caliber). Calhoun makes 19 caliber now days, but I think he used to do much smaller.

Ivan

0.160", or 4mm, is the diameter of the zimmerstutzen cartridges. It was used in things like the old Lienhard conversion units, the M20 cartridge, etc.
These were used for 5m to 10m indoor parlor target shooting. (Very challenging game!)
Most of what I've seen used lead round ball, not a conical bullet. RWS was one of the leading manufacterers, and still does them on a limited basis.

Interesting stuff!

Jim

Take a look at this link to the Corbin web site that talks about swaging lead wire into unjacketed lead bullets. A quick read seems to show they have the materials (lead wire) and dies to make it happen.

Corbin Bullet Swaging Lubed Lead Bullets

Don't know of anyone who is offering straight lead cast bullets in .16 caliber. I would almost think that just buying a roll of the proper diameter soft lead wire and cutting pieces to proper length, then weighing, would produce "Waddcutter" like bullets that would work safely based on a "Parlor Guns" pressures, velocity, and close range shooting distances. Maybe a low tech solution so as to just be able to fire the rifle safely?

If I read you wrong, and you want jacketed bullets for a higher velocity rifle, then Corbin can make that happen as well.

Larry

Sorry, I got side tracked with a phone call and hit the wrong key, That is 0.360 -- I am loading .38 S&W --

Ha! That makes a big difference!

A lot of molds for 38/357 will drop slugs of the exact diameter you need. NOE and Accurate Mold will sell you molds that drop to your as specified diameter.
You can also affect the changes you need to as cast diameter by playing with the alloy.
I can tweak my alloy as I cast to change diameter up or down as much as .002"

Jim

For loading the 38 S&W the easiest and least expensive bullet to use is a swaged 38 cal. 148 gr. hollow based wadcutter, the kind typically loaded in target 38 special ammo.
The soft hollow base bullet will expand to fill out the chamber throat and bore diameters . The velocities of the 38 S&W will be just fine for the soft swaged bullet and cause no leading ..
After buying special 38 S&W moulds and sizing dies, casting and sizing to .361 , .362 and .363....the HBWC bullet gave the best accuracy.
I used Speer 148 gr. HBWC and lightly crimped them so about 1/4" to 3/8" of the bullet stuck out of the case .
2.3 grains of Bullseye was the charge. This load duplicates the standard factory smokeless load almost exactly .
Any brand of swaged 38 cal. 148 HBWC can be used....Midway shows Speer as being out of stock. But Hornady is in stock at 250/ $25.00
Gary

Gary, THANKS!! I have some of these as I load for my MDL 52. I will try this as I am unable to find out who makes the bullets for Remington..

You are quite Welcome!
I spent a few bucks on special moulds and sizing dies only to discover the soft HBWC worked best at 38 S&W velocities.
In my 1900+ era S&W 4th model Double Action , The differences from chamber throats , forcing cone and barrel kept conspiring to keep groups more like buckshot patterns. The HBWC's solved the problem...tightened the patterns into at least decent groups.
Glad I could help .
Gary

Several of the Lead Bullet companies offer .360 bullets. 146 grains are the standard for 38 S&W. I used to load hollow cavity hollow base 146 gr .357 Wadcutters for some old top break revolvers I had. Make the overall length to 38 S&W standards.

Ivan

Ivan, THANKS as well!! I have yet to locate anyone offering a .360 bullet but will keep looking. I don't cast, and as I just turned 74 I am too old to start, even if I had a clue as to how to go about it. I did find that WC's needed to be loaded to factory standards and will try that. Picked up a couple boxes of Rem. factory stuff at a gun show today so I will see how it goes.

J. R. WEEMS, Missouri Bullet Co. has .361 diameter coated bullets for sale. They are 145 grain RN and coated with hi Tek coating. Here is a link for you to check out.

<<<38 S&W lead bullets>>>

Hey Doc THANKS!! Another good choice. I would like to try these as well. What, if any profile, carbide crimp die will work with an adjustment-- 38 super, special etc. Cannot locate one by Lee ?? THANKS!!

I don't think Lee makes a 38 S&W factory crimp die: at least they don't have one at Midway. What you can do though is crimp while you are seating with one die or you can pick up another seat/crimp die and back off the seating stem and just use it as a roll crimp die. I see that RCBS makes a cowboy seating/roll crimp die for $29 at Midway. I would try seating and crimping in 1 step first and see how it works out before buying another die to roll crimp with.

Doc, I will try that first before spending $80.00 and waiting 16 weeks for Redding to make one. In the mean time I see MB also has the 32 WC coated bullets I have been looking for. Not sure why the coating as I have been out of the loop on some of this new stuff, or at least new to me. Their lead version measures .361, according to them. MANY THANKS!!

The Hy Tek coating takes the place of bullet lube and is also a lot less smoky when shot. Your dies will also stay cleaner as you don't have any waxy lube to come off in the die too. They also resist leading pretty well too without having to resort to gas checks at higher velocities. With the 38 S&W the higher velocity thing won't be something you will need to worry about.

Well I have loaded 5 of these babies and all went well after normal adjustments. I did find out the Remington factory loads are somewhat shorter than the OCL listed. Be that as it may, I will be testing these next week as I await the arrival of some more bullets. Wish me luck.

While it is never to late to start, sometimes I prefer buying to casting them myself. The thing that casting your own gives you is FREEDOM. Freedom to choose what and at anytime, and no outrageous freight fees!

I started casting 9mm with a Lee mold in 1980. I cast still, but I save my time and lead alloy for bullets I want in some way that the commercial casters don't offer, or the price is too outrageous! Buying new molds has become prohibitive! But used is always a good option. I have friends that loan molds back and forth all the time also, that keeps costs way down!

I bought a Lee #4 Buckshot mold this last year, just because I always wanted one (And Midway had them on sale!) Every time I do some other casting, I spend a half hour casting Buckshot. When I have a coffee can full, I'll load up a few hundred shells, just because!

I spent a few weeks casting one pot of lead alloy a day, into a 38-55 mold, before work. (the pot heated up while I ate breakfast) It only took 20 minutes a day, so I sized and lubed them all one Saturday, and now I am loading from a lifetime supply, and it's a bullet nobody casts commercially!

Just remember: When it comes to doing something you love, you are only too old, when you don't get any older!

Ivan

Just a hint, when processing scrap lead, I will cast that batch into one of my largest bullet molds (like 44/310 grain or 45/400 0r 500 grain) that makes storage simple and maybe I'll want those to shoot, if not, they melt quicker than 1 pound ingots!

IIRC, Matts Bullets offers 200 gr .360 bullets, intended for the .38 British Enfield and Webley revolvers.

__________________
Merle, retired
western PA

That's what I use. However, try any of the regular .357-.358 lead bullets used for the .38 Special. My experience is that they will work just as well as .360s, and I used .358 bullets for a long time in several .38 S&W revolvers. The .38 hollow-base 148 grain full wadcutters will also work well in .38 S&W. Some handloading manuals specify using the .358 bullets for loading the .38 S&W.

The minimum .38 S&W bullet diameter specified by SAAMI is .355".

If you are planning to reload for a stronger .38 S&W solid frame revolver (not a top break), it is no trick to handload the .38 S&W to .38 Special performance or even greater.