Found some lead semi wadcutter hollow point in 38 cal. today

daddio202 · Oct 3, 2017

I was in one of my local gun stores picking up some shoot n see targets today. They are the only place around me that sells reloading supplies. They have tons of stuff just kind of piled up everywhere most with a layer of dust on it. They keep their projectiles behind the counter and have a little of evrything. I seen a container that did not originally hold what I bought but hand label with what said lead hp. So for $12 for 100 I figured what the heck I will give them a try. Only reason I posted about it is I have never seen a lead bullet in that particular configuration. Most hollow points are jacketed and can be pushed very hard. I loaded up 30 in 357 cases over about 6 grains of HP38. I will go to the range and see how well this works. I have loaded up my 44 cases with lead swc over a bottom of the range Lil gun charge and it worked well. Hopefully I won't get any leading to clean up. Anybody else try this combo? How did you like?

fredj338 · Oct 3, 2017

Hornady & Speer both make or have made a swaged LSWCHP. They are designed for the 38sp @ about 900fps max. Beyond that they can lead badly. At 900fps, they actually expand well.

StakeOut · Oct 3, 2017

Hornady has a 158gr SWCHP.It's a swagged bullet that is sold in boxes of 300 for about $28 at Academy Sports.

Speer also makes them and sell for about $42/500

I load them in 357 cases over 4.0gr of Titegroup to 1.590" OAL

triaxle · Oct 3, 2017

I run into 158 HP lead plus P 38s and I buy them up . and use in my old smith 38s

rwsmith · Oct 3, 2017

Cast Bullets.....

Several cast bullet outfits make LSWCHPs. I have a lot of respect for this bullet and personally think that it may be very effective as a defense load if they aren't too hard.

In .38 the swaged bullets would work because it's hard to get the velocity past the point where they start to lead. I could practice with cast and use swaged in my SD guns.

If they make softer ones with a Hy tek coating I will be very interested indeed.

muddocktor · Oct 3, 2017

Rim Rock Bullets actually makes a gas checked version of this bullet, both for sale individually and also are what Buffalo Bore uses for some of their defensive loads in 38 Special and 357 Mag. They are a bit pricey though at $25.00 per hundred, but then you shouldn't need a whole bunch of them for defensive purposes.

Sounds like you found a good deal on some neat lead bullets. You can use those for practice since they are inexpensive and have some left over for defensive loads if you want.

USSR · Oct 3, 2017

I make them all the time. Seem to work quite well.

Don

daddio202 · Oct 3, 2017

I'm gonna see how I like them tomorrow. Probably be a little too fast so I may have some clean up but that's why I only loaded 30. I will try the rest in 38, if anything I will get some good cheap practice out of the deal.

rwsmith · Oct 3, 2017

^^^Yeah...

...bullets have become an expensive proposition, especially the jacketed ones that are shown to perform well. I used to use two bullets. Speer Wadcutters for target and jacketed for anything else. Those days are long gone. I have just enough jacketed bullets to suit my needs, but now I have pounds of lead bullets of all kinds and calibers.

Bosquebass · Oct 3, 2017

I've used the Hornady LSWCHP bullets and they work well over 3.5 grains of Bullseye. A nice easy shooting and accurate load.

fredj338 · Oct 3, 2017

rwsmith said:
Several cast bullet outfits make LSWCHPs. I have a lot of respect for this bullet and personally think that it may be very effective as a defense load if they aren't too hard.

In .38 the swaged bullets would work because it's hard to get the velocity past the point where they start to lead. I could practice with cast and use swaged in my SD guns.

If they make softer ones with a Hy tek coating I will be very interested indeed.

Get a Mold & make your own. I have several lhp molds, they work even better HT coated.

LoboGunLeather · Oct 4, 2017

I have been casting .358" 150 SWC-HP bullets for over 30 years. Cast of wheel weight metal and loaded in .357 mag cases at about 1100FPS they are very accurate and very effective on game animals within reasonable handgun ranges. I have taken two Colorado mule deer (200-300 lbs. range) with no problems. Colorado has since changed the laws on handgun hunting, effectively eliminating hand-loads for big game use; otherwise I would have no hesitation about using my loads.

Cost? The wheel weights were free, couple of bucks for electricity to run the lead furnace, $3 or so for a stick of bullet lube that will still be lubing bullets after 5,000 or more have gone through the lubri-sizer, plus my time (about 300 bullets per hour). Add in primers and powder at today's prices and I figure about $5 to $6 per box of 50.

Bill In Texas · Oct 4, 2017

I'm a fan off the Speer 158 grain LSWCHP's. I load these lately over 3.2 grains of Red Dot. They make for an easy shooting accurate practice round. They cost me about $44 for 500 at my LGS.

gwpercle · Oct 4, 2017

They work fine as long as you don't push them too hard....they may be hollow points but they are still lead. The lead alloy hardness and the lubricant used will determine how fast they can go before they lead . If they have a gas check , they can be pushed easily to a decent velocity. Lyman makes a gas checked .357 SWC mould (#358156) that in hollow point form is one of the best.
Gary

Forrest r · Oct 5, 2017

If you do get leading in the bbl. Take some johnson's paste wax and give the rest of the bullets a heavy coat 1 at a time with your fingers and let the wax dry.

With the paste wax coating you can't drive them hard enough to get any leading.

Some of the hp's I cast or swage for the 38spl's and 357's.

BLUEDOT37 · Oct 6, 2017

Rim Rock 158gr L-SWC-HP/GC

muddocktor said:
Rim Rock Bullets actually makes a gas checked version of this bullet...

I bought some a while back & I think they're a good choice for a SD load in a snubnose 38 Special, or even a 357Mag.

They are very soft, BHN-5, so their big, and deep, hollow-point will expand easily at snubby speeds.

They weigh 160gr & Rim Rock told me they rate them to 1150fps max, which shouldn't be an issue in a snubby.

I use them with 6.0grs of Power Pistol in a 38 Special case (+P load) & 8.0grs of Power Pistol in a 357 Mag case. The gas checks do their job & leading is not an issue with them.

.

Rim Rock .357 158gr LSWC-HP/GC

(-01a)

.

Wee Hooker · Oct 6, 2017

Nice find. I would have grabbed the too.
Nothing like a new bullet to inspire fresh thoughts of load development.

daddio202 · Oct 6, 2017

I shot a bunch out of my Highway patrolman last weekend at the range. No leading so I must of put a low enough amount of powder. They work great! Not quite as accurate as my HBWC but now I will put the rest in 38 cases and shoot them from my 64 or 10 or a model 14. Should be accurate and work well there too. Thanks to everyone for some great ideas maybe I will make some up myself.

USSR · Oct 7, 2017

BLUEDOT37 said:
I bought some a while back & I think they're a good choice for a SD load in a snubnose 38 Special, or even a 357Mag.

They are very soft, BHN-5, so their big, and deep, hollow-point will expand easily at snubby speeds.

They weigh 160gr & Rim Rock told me they rate them to 1150fps max, which shouldn't be an issue in a snubby.

I use them with 6.0grs of Power Pistol in a 38 Special case (+P load) & 8.0grs of Power Pistol in a 357 Mag case. The gas checks do their job & leading is not an issue with them.

.

Rim Rock .357 158gr LSWC-HP/GC

(-01a)

.

Why on God's green earth would you design a bullet with a gas check and then cast it from pure lead and shoot it at low velocity? Makes absolutely no sense. See my bullets above, which don't use gas checks and shows the expansion I get when shot in a snubbie.

Don

BLUEDOT37 · Oct 8, 2017

I don't see your bullet (above) that you make?

Other people don't cast their own bullets.

You don't have to shoot them from a snubby but to me that's what I think they're best for. Get the most speed you can from it & get the most expansion with no leading. Seems simple enough to me.

.

Found some lead semi wadcutter hollow point in 38 cal. today

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