So what is your favorite brand of HBWC's? Does anyone here cast there own?

[AJ]

I cast a lot of wadcutters over the last 50 years but every one has been the solid base design . Hollow base wadcutter moulds are available but for the longest time Lyman's moulds for HB anything were all single cavity .
Casting with a single cavity hollow base mould has to be one of the slowest ways known to man to make bullets . A 2, 3, 4 or 5 cavity solid base mould just turns out so many more bullets ... it's no contest .

After 50 years of collecting moulds ... I own only one hollow base .
I have found out that for the time and effort invested ... it just ain't worth the trouble .
Gary

Never owned a hollow based mould. Guess I will have to find a company that does have them in stock.

 

[Greyman50]

AJ, let me know who has HBWC molds, been looking with no luck.

 

[StrawHat]

NOE sells hollow based molds. I have a couple of them.

When I shot PPC, I used NBC (Northeast Bullet Company) but they went.out of business. They were very good. I also cast a dewc from a couple of two cavity molds. They were decent enough to keep me winning.

Kevin

 

[tmd17]

MP has 38 and 44 HB Molds in stock now. I have purchased several molds from them. 1st class molds, 1st class customer service.

 

[Drm50]

I got mine when they were soliciting pre orders. I don’t know how much they were offhand. They weren’t cheap but much better quality than most of the newer Amrican molds. And priced about same even with shipping from Europe. I bought more than molds and price was in Euros. I got the 4cavity brass.

 

[glowe]

I can only add my prior experience with 148g .357" hollow base bullets. Shot a few different brands in the past using several different K frame S&Ws and will never shoot another HBWC. I have dug out my last skirt from the barrel or cylinder and when I had my first budged one barrel, quickly decided that they are not worth risk for me!!! The last box of 50 I had, I shot one at a time and checked the barrel after ever shot, never again. Solid WC bullets work just fine.

 

[StrawHat]

I can only add my prior experience with 148g .357" hollow base bullets. Shot a few different brands in the past using several different K frame S&Ws and will never shoot another HBWC. I have dug out my last skirt from the barrel or cylinder and when I had my first budged one barrel, quickly decided that they are not worth risk for me!!! The last box of 50 I had, I shot one at a time and checked the barrel after ever shot, never again. Solid WC bullets work just fine.

Gary,

Do you remember what load you were using? I have shot hundreds of thousands without a skirt separating.

I do agree, DEWC are the way to go. Cast a bit harder and you can load them to full power.

Kevin

 

[AJ]

I have used Zero Swqged HBWC for years. Only HBWC I’ve found as accurate is Remington and I haven’t seen any in years

I have one box of Zero Bullets left as you can see it has been around the block a time or two.

I also like the Bullseye Bullets for my .45 (sorry not 148 Gr. HBWC's). Again my last box

 

[AJ]

I can only add my prior experience with 148g .357" hollow base bullets. Shot a few different brands in the past using several different K frame S&Ws and will never shoot another HBWC. I have dug out my last skirt from the barrel or cylinder and when I had my first budged one barrel, quickly decided that they are not worth risk for me!!! The last box of 50 I had, I shot one at a time and checked the barrel after ever shot, never again. Solid WC bullets work just fine.

Gary,

Do you remember what load you were using? I have shot hundreds of thousands without a skirt separating.

I do agree, DEWC are the way to go. Cast a bit harder and you can load them to full power.

Kevin

I have shot a couple of thousand 148 grain HBWC's out of my S&W 52-1 and my Colt Mid Range and a Custom built Colt .38 Special target pistol. Neve had a skirt fail. Of course, I am only using 2.8 Grains of Bullseye to launch them downrange. Could be that you have pushed them to fast? What load were you using?

 

[glenwolde]

There was a time when I shot mostly wadcutters. The HBWC pretty much all shot the same for me with a slight edge to the Remingtons, especially if you put them up in Remington wadcutter brass. I tend to use Hornady these days as they are the easiest to find.

Not being locked in (because I never had a 52) I migrated to cast, with the button nose definitely having an edge over the double-ended in my revolvers. But you may need to bump up the load from the HBWC level loads. I had to but these days I think the commercial casters are making their coated bullets from a softer alloy so it might not be as necessary as it was in the past.

While great for target shooting (which is all I do anyway) I eventually found that standard velocity SWC were just as accurate and the bullet profile is a bit more general-purpose. I still load some HBWC for my Model 14 but shoot the 158gr LSWC over 4.0gr of W231 85% of the time. This is a load that you'll see a lot in any discussion of the .38 Special. 3.6gr of WST shoots the 158gr SWC just as well.

I still like to use different loads for different things. I'm not above having different toolheads for the Dillon for different loads of the same caliber so I don't have to re-adjust dies and powder measures. If I'm using a single stage I have extra seating and/or crimp dies for the same reason. If the bullet you're using has a pronounce crimp groove you can seat and crimp in the same die so all you need is one extra die.

The HBWC though I seat and crimp separately. The 158gr SWC and the button nose wadcutters in one step.

 

[rockquarry]

There was a time when I shot mostly wadcutters. The HBWC pretty much all shot the same for me with a slight edge to the Remingtons, especially if you put them up in Remington wadcutter brass. I tend to use Hornady these days as they are the easiest to find.

Not being locked in (because I never had a 52) I migrated to cast, with the button nose definitely having an edge over the double-ended in my revolvers. But you may need to bump up the load from the HBWC level loads. I had to but these days I think the commercial casters are making their coated bullets from a softer alloy so it might not be as necessary as it was in the past.

While great for target shooting (which is all I do anyway) I eventually found that standard velocity SWC were just as accurate and the bullet profile is a bit more general-purpose. I still load some HBWC for my Model 14 but shoot the 158gr LSWC over 4.0gr of W231 85% of the time. This is a load that you'll see a lot in any discussion of the .38 Special. 3.6gr of WST shoots the 158gr SWC just as well.

I still like to use different loads for different things. I'm not above having different toolheads for the Dillon for different loads of the same caliber so I don't have to re-adjust dies and powder measures. If I'm using a single stage I have extra seating and/or crimp dies for the same reason. If the bullet you're using has a pronounce crimp groove you can seat and crimp in the same die so all you need is one extra die.

The HBWC though I seat and crimp separately. The 158gr SWC and the button nose wadcutters in one step.

I'm in agreement with your comments on the 158 grain SWC bullet. In many revolvers a 158 SWC will shoot as well or better than a 148 grain WC. I use the H&G #51 design (the original .357 Magnum bullet but it also works well in .38 Special). However, there are probably many other 158 SWCs that will work as well.

I've shot many of the 158 SWC with 4 grs. #231; a good accurate load in just about any revolver, but I've seen slightly better overall accuracy with 3.5 grs. Bullseye. The difference is hairsplitting - both loads work well. I taper crimp all .38 Special loads.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have to add my voice to that 158gr LSWC bullet over 4.0gr W231. That is probably my favorite .38 Special round. The other is a 148gr DEWC over 3.4gr W231...

The 158gr SWC load has been very accurate in every .38 Special and .357 Magnum revolver I have shot them in. I'm glad to see so many reloaders here agree with me.

 

[Paul in Nevada]

I shoot more SWC's than anything else but the full WC's will always have a place. For one thing, they are the perfect load for new shooters who have shot 22's but are intimidated by bigger guns. Not only are the report and recoil very mild, the WC makes a perfect clean hole that gives you instant verification of where you are hitting. The SWC's have to be pushed just a little faster to get the best accuracy and the holes in paper targets are less obvious.

 

[pete950]

Been usung Everglades plated HBWC

 

[glowe]

Gary,

Do you remember what load you were using? I have shot hundreds of thousands without a skirt separating.

I do agree, DEWC are the way to go. Cast a bit harder and you can load them to full power.

Kevin

It has been long enough that I purchased the last batch that I do not remember where the they came from, but I just pulled a couple from a reloaded box. Used 3.5g Unique, 148 HBWC that tested BHN 10.5.

I loaded my last batch with 2.3g 700X and got 739fps and will be pulling the bullets soon. Having shot lots or HBWC over the years, I did not take the warnings of a few broken off skirts here and there, but it only took one to bulge the barrel on my K38 Masterpiece. I do not need the worry, so SWC or WC from now on for me.

 

[Paul in Nevada]

For those of you who cast, what do you think about Lee's tumble lube bullets? I am looking to get into casting and the Alox method looks like the easiest and cheapest way to jump in. Lee sells two 148gr solid base WC molds, one with conventional driving bands, and a tumble lube version. What say you?

 

[rockquarry]

I tried tumble lube year ago. Regardless of whether you use a tumble lube bullet design or a conventional one, the tumble lube process is a messy one.

The end product has a less-than-professional look, something that may not matter to many. If done properly, the tumble lubed bullet may shoot just as well as conventionally sized and lubed bullets, but it's doubtful they would be any better. I much prefer the use of a conventional sizer/ lubricator. Like buying a good hand priming tool vs. a cheap one, if the cost is amortized over just a short time (depending on the volume of casting and shooting you do), the expense is minimal.

I realize some are satisfied with the tumble lube dies and the tumble lube process. That's fine, but consider the alternative before purchase.

 

[AJ]

For those of you who cast, what do you think about Lee's tumble lube bullets? I am looking to get into casting and the Alox method looks like the easiest and cheapest way to jump in. Lee sells two 148gr solid base WC molds, one with conventional driving bands, and a tumble lube version. What say you?

I tried tumble lube year ago. Regardless of whether you use a tumble lube bullet design or a conventional one, the tumble lube process is a messy one.

The end product has a less-than-professional look, something that may not matter to many. If done properly, the tumble lubed bullet may shoot just as well as conventionally sized and lubed bullets, but it's doubtful they would be any better. I much prefer the use of a conventional sizer/ lubricator. Like buying a good hand priming tool vs. a cheap one, if the cost is amortized over just a short time (depending on the volume of casting and shooting you do), cost is minimal.

I realize some are satisfied with the tumble lube dies and the tumble lube process. That's fine, but consider the alternative before purchase.

I used Alox for over 30 years. First with a Lee Kake Kutter, then with a Lyman Luber/Sizer (have two). Now I powder coat and it works well for me.

 

[boatbum101]

That Lee TL wadcutter unsized shoots good . Lee mold is cheap . White Label 45-45-10 is cheaper & easier to work with than LLA . 45% liq alox , 45% Johnsons Wax , 10% Mineral Spirits . About the cheapest way to cast & shoot .

 

[chopperman]

I used to shoot HBWC but never liked them much, especially after I got an H&G 50 mold. They are very accurate at the short line and pretty darn good at 50 yards if I can hold steady enough. My load is 2.8 gns of Titegroup and a decent roll crimp. I cast them with range scrap that is usually 11 bhn.
Stan