Any luck with 125gr Cast in 38 Spl?

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Wee Hooker

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A dozen or so years ago I played around trying to get a decent target velocity 38 spl load for some .357" 125gr lead TC heads I had given to me. I was pretty much unsuccessful in that I could never get any kind of consistency with the (then) small choice of powders I had on hand. So yesterday in a weak moment,(i.e. I'm a sucker for a clearance sale) I purchased some 125gr lead RNFP to give it another try. I know I'm still up against the small charge in a big case problem but these days I'm better armed with more powder choices, reload data sources, powder variety and a renewed curiosity. I've got inventory of Red Dot, Clays,Tightgroup, W231/HP38, Bullseye, Unique , Solo 1000, bluedot and a few others. I could just pick a few from my Lyman Cast book and get started but I'm wondering if anyone here has some experience/load data they could share first.
Thanks in advance!
 
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FWIW, I have not had good luck with 125 gr in .38/.357. I use 158gr exclusively. Poor accuracy is the problem I had with the lighter bullets. I know others use and like 125 grain, just hasn't been my experience.
 
I've had good luck with light loads and of Bullseye and HP-38/Win231. I use a heavy crimp also. The loads I used were right at the minimum/starting load levels.

I wouldn't ever advise going below starting loads, but if you do its pretty easy to get some loads that feel like your shooting a .22lr. Just make sure you don't stick a bullet in the barrel.
 
It may help if those cast bullets are sized .358. If not .357 might work, depending on your bore dia.
I have had success with a 115 grain . Lyman #358345 SWC-HP , a Lee 105 grain SWC and Lee's 124 grain TC (that I also use in 9 mm.) all sized to .358 , and all over with a charge of 3.5 grains of Red Dot.
These are used for target, tin-can and plinking. Red Dot doesn't seem to be position sensitive and the loads are as accurate as I can shoot with.
Gary
 
I can recommend....

I can recommend three powders:

Bullseye, Bullseye, Bullseye

I KNOW the powder is consistent as can be so you may work on other variables. Bullet sizing, seating depth, blah blah blah.

I haven't thought of this before but there are problems in .357s associated with 125 grain bullets. One idea is that the bullet isn't long enough to bridge the cylinder gap and into the forcing cone. Since .38 and .357 are practically the same, dimension wise, 125 grain cast bullets may have that problem, too. I think the best use for a bullet like this is a hot load and use heavier bullets for targets.

148/158 grain WCs or semi WCs
 
Wee Hooker said:
A dozen or so years ago I played around trying to get a decent target velocity 38 spl load for some .357" 125gr lead TC heads I had given to me. I was pretty much unsuccessful in that I could never get any kind of consistency with the (then) small choice of powders I had on hand. So yesterday in a weak moment,(i.e. I'm a sucker for a clearance sale) I purchased some 125gr lead RNFP to give it another try. I know I'm still up against the small charge in a big case problem but these days I'm better armed with more powder choices, reload data sources, powder variety and a renewed curiosity. I've got inventory of Red Dot, Clays,Tightgroup, W231/HP38, Bullseye, Unique , Solo 1000, bluedot and a few others. I could just pick a few from my Lyman Cast book and get started but I'm wondering if anyone here has some experience/load data they could share first.
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Today actually, I am loading a coated version of that bullet in 38 Special using 4.0 gr Bullseye. I use that bullet weight in my smaller guns, both 38 Special and 357 Magnum (thanks to the coating). I found that sources are not consistent about Bullseye weights for this caliber and bullet, but 4.0 seems to work well so far. Cast Bullet Handbook is my primary reference for lead and which shows 4.2 gr max. I generally load on the upper end of powder weight ranges and about as much performance as I can stand in a particular gun. I like the drama rather than soft shooting, competition considerations..
 
In my J frame snub nose, I have loaded the HSM 125 truncated and the Xtreme 125gr cowboy to get some X-Lite target loads.

I used Bullseye, Red Dot, w231, Green Dot, Trail Boss, SR4756, SR4759, IMR4227, Universal, HS-6 and CFE pistol.

590 fps was the lowest speed that would give reasonable accuracy up to 690 fps for the top speed target loads.
The recoil went up to match the 148gr HBWC factory loading.

Trail Boss was the most accurate powder, but is hard to find but
other powders that worked out were Universal and w231, that do have loading data on the internet.

The 125 lead can have a recoil of 1.90 in my J frame compared to the standard 148gr loading with a recoil of 2.62.
Plus, 3.2 grs of powder will go a long way shooting these "Powder Puffs".
 
The first reloads I made were .38s in .38 Special cases.
Bullets were 125 grain TCs made for the 9mm Luger.
Powder was a light charge of Bullseye.

Shot very well from my .357 Ruger Blackhawk, the only .357 I had
at the time. When the gun store in town ran out of the 125 TCs I used the same light charge with 158 grain LSWCs. Shot just as well.
 
SASS shooters use them by the millions!...Accuracy is very good and quite mild to shoot. I am using 4.0 grains of Unique....on my 10th or 11th pound of it.

Seem like cast and Unique are made for one another!

Randy
 
I'm interested in the 125 grain weight, too. But my goal is to get POI down in a Model 10 with a 6 inch barrel that hits high with 148 grain DEWC's. I'm hoping the 125's will hit lower. I'm going to use HP-38.
 
125 grain TC cast bullets

I wish I knew how many thousands of 125 grain cast truncated cone bullets I have loaded and fired participating in SASS. They are shot in my Ruger Vaqueros and rifles using 3 grains of Clays. I also shoot them in my .357's and they are accurate and fun to shoot. Still have at least 10,000 on hand.
 
I've had excellent results in 38 Special with the 125 round nose flat cast from a Lee mold. I also use the same casting in 9MM. I used to size at .358 for 38/357 and .356 for 9MM. I now size them all at 357 for both the 38 and 9. Like the previous poster my 38's shot to shot accuracy is good up to 25 yards with a mild dose of Bullseye. Can't give the number shot but my last batch was nearly 25lbs of lead and I'm down to less than 200 each of 38 Special and 9MM.
 
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I really like the Dardas 125 RNFP over 3.1 grains of Red Dot. Very accurate and very light recoil. I like the Dardas bullets as his lube seems to be a bit softer than some other casters.
 
I have had (and do still) great luck with 125 grain cast, as well as 125 grain plated and jacketed, in all of my S&W revolvers. I have two model 64-3's and one model 60-3 currently. All of them shoot these bullets very accurately. In fact, I haven't found a load that they don't like - though they do better with some than others, of course. But, the 125's are no problem.

I even have no problems with cast bullets of 0.356" dia. in these guns. In fact, I have some left over 9mm bullets, of 115 grains and 124 grains (both 0.356" dia.).....that I am using up in my Smith revolvers. No leading and very good accuracy.

My "normal" target load for this type of bullet is 3.1 to 3.3 grains of TiteGroup.....and about the same load with Bullseye.
I don't load these bullets any hotter than this, as I just use them for general target shooting.

I also have some 125 grain, 0.357" dia. RNFP cast that I am using with the same loads. Also accurate and no leading.

It all depends on your barrel diameter. I seem to be quite fortunate in that the barrels on all three of my current S&W's must be on the "tight" side of things. I haven't slugged them (no need), but it seems obvious, based on the results I am getting, that they are much tighter than 0.357".
 
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Like others have said Bullseye is my choice for light to moderate cast bullet loads in .38, .44, .45 and 9mm. Unique would be my second choice.

My pick for a good 125 grain cast bullet is the Lee 358-125-RF. I started using this bullet in cowboy action shooting when I switched from .45 Colt to .38 Spl. I wanted something light with a flat point (for tubular magazines) but somewhat rounded profile that would load quick. 2.7 grains of BE worked great for CAS but I use heavier charges of BE for DA revolver practice. The Lee 358-125 shape also works well when loading double action revolvers from speed loaders.

I started sizing the Lee bullets to .357 but when I found out they also worked well in 9mm I switched to sizing them .356. Now I use this bullet sized .356 in both .38 revolvers and 9mm. I can't tell any difference in accuracy when fired from a revolver. For practice, the lee 358-125 is my "do all" bullet in .38 and 9mm. If you can find someone who casts this bullet or can find something similar I think you will get good results.
 
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