FBI load bullets

[geoff40]

Hi all
Does anyone know a good source for the HP swc lead bullet used for the so-called FBI load? What is the mould number and the bullet weight?
Thanks much!

 

[P&R Fan]

I'm not a reloader, but I believe the Lyman #358156 may be what you're looking for.
Jim

 

[3five7]

Speer 158 gr Lead SWC HP is what I use to duplicate the old FBI load. They are swaged and softer than cast lead bullets so they expand more. You may get a little leading with the softer bullet but you will get more expansion.

 

[358156hp]

Well, if you want something really trick...
g/ch .38spc .357mag 158 gr. SWC-HP per 100 .38/.357 Cal. 158 gr. SWC-HP per 100 [SWC-HP] - $19.00 : Rim Rock Bullets | Cast Lead Bullets, Cast Lead Bullets

 

[geddylee10002000]

Speer 158 gr Lead SWC HP is what I use to duplicate the old FBI load. They are swaged and softer than cast lead bullets so they expand more. You may get a little leading with the softer bullet but you will get more expansion.

May I ask what powder/weight you use to duplicate the FBI load with the Speer bullet that you mentioned? I have worked a load up with Unique 5.4 grs. to give the 1K fps. 38 special. Shot it out of a 6 in tube 686 over a chrony off a ransom rest. Got the 1K velocity. Started shooting it with a 686+ 3" and was getting some key holing.

 

[geddylee10002000]

#358156 I believe is not a HP mold. Just checked out Lyman's site. They used to offer a HP mold but I don't see it on their site.

I agree with 358156hp on the trick bullet. But they are dead soft! You should be able to push them hard and get what you want out of them!

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Lee used to make a 1 cavity HP mold in this family. Cast as hard or soft as you please with different alloys. When size/lubeing them try .358 or .359 or unsized and lube only (think pan lube). I used to cast these out of wheele weights and load in 357 mag and get around .4 inch dia. expantion. The mold I had was 146 grain.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I don't know much about bullet molds but I do know which bullets work well in a FBI Replica Load. When in stock These Bullets work very well even @ +/- 900 fps without leading. When in stock These are my second choice. They also work well without leading at the same velocities.

 

[PPCSHOOTER]

USE ZERO BULLETS. PERFECTLY SWAGED, VERY ACCUTATE. IN STOCK HERE FOR $80.95 PER 1K DELIVERY INCLUDED. JIM P

Roze Distribution: 38 Special (.357 Diameter) - 158 GR SWCHP

 

[358156hp]

#358156 I believe is not a HP mold. Just checked out Lyman's site. They used to offer a HP mold but I don't see it on their site.

I agree with 358156hp on the trick bullet. But they are dead soft! You should be able to push them hard and get what you want out of them!

They're also gaschecked. A 38 Spl only runs at a max of around 900 FPS. This bullet is plenty tough enough for that.

 

[Nevada Ed]

ArchAngelCD;

Have you water tested the Hornady vs Speer Lhp bullets to see which might have the softest lead or the best mushrooming into your materials?

I have never tried the Hornady lead bullets due to no crimp grove on the bullet but have good accuracy with the 158 LRN Mag-Tech that also has no grove but it is just for a target load.

 

[3five7]

May I ask what powder/weight you use to duplicate the FBI load with the Speer bullet that you mentioned? I have worked a load up with Unique 5.4 grs. to give the 1K fps. 38 special. Shot it out of a 6 in tube 686 over a chrony off a ransom rest. Got the 1K velocity. Started shooting it with a 686+ 3" and was getting some key holing.

I prefer Power Pistol with +P loads. Speer #14 Lists 5.4g grs as a start load and 6.0 grs as a Max for +P loads in 38 Special Brass with the 158 gr Speer LSWC HP. You do not state which bullet you are using in your load of 5.4 grs of Unique. Using the Speer 158 gr Lead SWC HP Speer Data shows a Maximum +P load as 5.2 grs of Unique with a velocity of 919 FPS out of a 6 inch barrel.

 

[geddylee10002000]

I prefer Power Pistol with +P loads. Speer #14 Lists 5.4g grs as a start load and 6.0 grs as a Max for +P loads in 38 Special Brass with the 158 gr Speer LSWC HP. You do not state which bullet you are using in your load of 5.4 grs of Unique. Using the Speer 158 gr Lead SWC HP Speer Data shows a Maximum +P load as 5.2 grs of Unique with a velocity of 919 FPS out of a 6 inch barrel.

I am using the Speer 158 gr. LSWC HP bullet. The same one that you use. I will have to get some Power Pistol to try. Will cut my Unique down a bit to see if that helps. I probably got around 950 fps off my chrony, so my previous statement of 1K fps was in error. I will have to go back to my data and look. Might have to look at 900 fps as max velocity.

 

[3five7]

Just for informational purposes Speer #14 lists the velocity of the Speer 158 LSWC HP using the max +P load of 6.0 grs of Power Pistol in a 6 inch barrel at 1037 FPS.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

ArchAngelCD;

Have you water tested the Hornady vs Speer Lhp bullets to see which might have the softest lead or the best mushrooming into your materials?

I have never tried the Hornady lead bullets due to no crimp grove on the bullet but have good accuracy with the 158 LRN Mag-Tech that also has no grove but it is just for a target load.

I have not tested both bullets in water but I did do the fingernail test and the Hornady bullets seem softer. Add that to them seeming to be more accurate I use them. I do a light roll crimp and they stay put. I also have a .38 Special Taper crimp die but I have never seen the need to use it other than with the Speer snakeshot capsules.

 

[Treeman]

Like ArchangelCD I have used both the Speer and the Hornady bullets. Both are soft but I agree that the Hornadys seem a bit softer. My preference has always been the Speer bullet based upon APPEARANCE but in actual shooting the Hornadys are in no way inferior. I haven't water or media tested either but a reliable source informed me that the Speer will flatten out like a quarter on a coyote when driven at 900fps. I have roll crimped into the knurled surface of the Hornady with delightful results. My standard load is 4.8-5 grains of Unique( I leave things set and don't fret over that slight change with different lots of powder since the chrony says that the performance averages the same) I've also loaded up to 6 grains of PowerPistol with excellent performance but PP is flashy in low light.

 

[hotrod150]

I load the Speer swaged bullets. Don't know if they're in stock nowadays with the panic buying of anything guns or ammo, but I got some from Midway not long ago for $45/500. They are nicelt made and have a nice waxy coating of some sort on them-- very clean to handle & load.

 

[Forrest r]

Soft lead swaged bullets tend to do better in shorter bbl'd firearms in the 600fps to 800fps range. When you start to drive the faster the soft lead bullet tends to tumble in the shorter bbl's & will break apart in the 900fpr to 1000fps range.

The best thing to do is spend the $$$ & get your own hp mold for whatever bullet you want/like or have a mold converted to make hp's. That way you can cast exactly what you want for the specific firearms/speed combo you want. I currently shoot 38's in a 2", 6" & 10" bbl's and like many here on this forum cast my own lead hp bullets. I also make a swaged jacketed hp (150gr .358") for the 38's/357's. And I can say that I have to cast the lead hp's out of different alloys to get the best results for the different bbl lengths/bullet speeds.

Some of the different hp's that use in the 38/357.

Some jacketed swaged segmented hp's for the 38/357. It depends on the bbl/speed that I shoot these. The 2" bbl'd 38spl does best with a plain swaged bullet (700fps) while the 10" bbl'd 357 does best with a bonded core swaged bullet (1400fps).

You might consider asking others people on this forum what worked best (speed) for the bullet/firearm combo there using.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Forrestr;

Did you ever water,newspaper test those 5 sided and stock round HP lead bullets? That is a huge "HOLE" in the round die bullet.
Do you use the standard 1:18 mold ratio?

Wounder if there is a lead bullet maker that makes something like that big ugly ,sweet looking bullet? A little late in the game for me to start taking up bullet molding.

 

[Maximumbob54]

Forrestr;
Wounder if there is a lead bullet maker that makes something like that big ugly ,sweet looking bullet?

38 Sp / 357 Mag : BSL Bullet Works, Hand Crafted Lead Bullets

The guy makes these from the same molds that I buy. No idea how he hand casts them in the bulk to be able to sell them. He must be a machine of a guy.