Ahh, measure twice, seat once

Boogsawaste

Boogsawaste

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While out at a lgs I saw some boxes of DEWC sized to .357. This sparked my interest to measure some cast I have at home. Winds up I have some 158 SWC that I've loaded up probably 300 and have about 100 left not loaded that measure .356. I've shot maybe 50 of them. I clean my guns after each range visit and while I don't remember what I shot them out of, I also don't remember any noticeable leading.

Sigh, these were home cast by a local guy who is well known around here for good bullet casting. He's getting way up there in age and when I picked them up I asked what they were sized to and he said .358. Maybe he just didn't remember and I'm not holding it against him. Just mad at myself for not measuring them. Now not sure if I should pull them all and dispose of them though. I hate to shoot them just to shoot them and have accuracy problems, leading problems, and waste all that unique behind them.
 
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Your bullets so your choice but if you didn't have a problem with the first ones I see no reason not to shoot them. It seems like much to do about nothing. I know that I would shoot them even if that caused leadind, it would be easier to deal with the leading than pull the bullets much less reload again.
 
Good point. Maybe I'll shoot them in a snubby so I won have to clean as much. I just wish I remembered what gun I originally shot them in since I can't recall any problems.

Oh well you're right. Might as well fire some off and see what happens.
 
SMSgt said:
.358 is the correct sizing for lead .38 caliber bullets. YMMV
Click to expand...

I agree. This is why when I saw those wadcutters sized to .357 I decided to go home and check on some of the cast I have around. And that's when I found this .356 swc's.
 
.001" one way or another with a lead bullet is not that big a thing. They may or may not lead and the accuracy can be fair to great.

Since no "Red Flags" went up on your last outing, I see no reason to pull the loads apart, unless you have nothing to do............
 
Yeah I'm just going to shoot them up ang move forward from there. I'll save the last 100 or so that aren't loaded for a rainy day.
 
Size can also depend on the alloy used and resulting hardness. Typically softer bullets that check in at 14 or lower are best sized to 0.358 diameter. Hard cast bullets in the 15-20 range seem to work best when sized to 0.357.

Since yours are privately cast SWC I would expect that they are a softer alloy because these types of bullets are most typically used in 38 special Target load. So, I would advise you start worrying about the tire pressures on your car because IMO in worrying about your current bullets isn't very likely to be worth worrying about.

As for those DEWC's that you saw in the store, I suspect that if you used a 4 place micrometer to actually measure the diameter you would find the actual diameter is either 0.3577 or 0.3578 inch. Why I don't know but I've found for some reason that many bullet manufacturers will round DOWN to 0.357 even when it's more correct to round UP to 0.358. Maybe because they don't want the bullets confused for those for the 35 Remington.
 
I'd shoot them and use a Lewis Lead Remover, if needed.
I'd much rather remove lead fouling than pull a bunch of bullets.
 
I can't remember their accuracy to be honest. I must have no like them that much since I have a bunch sitting here still haha.

And about the Lewis lead remover, I've heard it's only safe on stainless guns. Any truth to this?
 
Yeah I confused the two. Thanks for clearing I up for me. I might as well get the lead remover because I'm sure I'll need it eventually. Thanks.
 
Worry less

Shoot your loaded wad cutter ammo, there is no diameter problem as demonstrated by the lack of leading.

My casting science is quite basic:
1] Mine the berm at the outdoor range, remove as much junk as possible.
2] Melt range scrap, remove jackets, trash and sand. Flux melt a second.
3] Cast into ingots for casting later into bullets.
4] Melt ingots for casting into bullets of needed caliber. For rifle bullets I add a couple of wheel weight ingots for hardness. My rifle bullet molds use gas checks.

I have never checked my bullets for hardness. Ingots have made a "thunk' sound [soft] or a "clang" [hard] when hit together. I have not had a leading problem with any of my bullets except one batch when I first started loading lead rifle bullets because the powder charge was too heavy.

I am a member of the Cast Boolit Forum, respect the incredible knowledge members have about casting, lubes, and metallurgy but follow my own path without all the science. My opinion (right or wrong) is, "It's just a lead bullet." For my 45-70 loads I do use commercial rifle bullet lube. I've used Lyman, RCBS, Red Rooster lubes and gas checked bullets without any leading.

I follow standard sizing dimensions for my lead bullets. I believe 0.001" does not make a significant difference about leading when using less than max powder charges.
 
Quick update. Shot 50 of them out of a 10-6 yesterday and had minimal leading at the bottom of the barrel towards the forcing cone. That's all and cleaned out with just a little elbow grease and some copper scrub pad strands wrapped around a patch. Accuracy wasn't as great as some of my other loads but I still had fun shooting them.
 
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