I just resently picked myself up a Ruger Polace Model 38Spec. revolver.
I want to get a mold or 2 for it, but I am unsure what kind of mold to get. I am also looking for a 38spec lever action. Would be a good pair for where I like to pack hunt and camp.

Should I get 2 different molds, one for the pistol and the other for the rifle when I get that?

Next thing, would I be better off swagging the bullets vs casting them? The only thing I would have to do with the swage die is make it and set it up. in my pres (RCBS Rock Crusher)

Thanks for the help guys!

To start off I'm fond of RCBS molds. 158 grain is very popular weight. Many cowboy action shooters use same ammo in their rifle as they do their revolver. Probably be a nightmare trying to keep the ammo separated. The reach to their ammo belt and grab whatever. I'm pretty sure to do this they use pistol primers as some pistols don't strike hard enough for rifle primers. Not into swaging so cant answer that.

my favorite bullet is a 150gr. swc from the lyman # 358477 mould............... i don't swage either or never even seen bullet swaging so i can't comment on that....... i do get a kick out of casting my own bullets though.....

I dont have sm pistol primer, so I tried my sm rifle. they work just fine in my 38. Man those are loud in a 12x12' shop!

I cast for .38 Spl. and .357 mag. and the bullets I like are Lyman #'s 358477, 358156, and 358430, the latter a 190 gr. a rather bluff round nose. The first two are semi-wadcutters, the first weighing 150 gr. and the latter about 160 gr. I dunno how well an SWC bullet will feed from a lever action. It might get a tad sticky. I had a Marlin M94 in .44 Magnum and I was loading the Lyman 429241, Elmer Keith's bullet and they'd jam every time. I could only shoot then like a single shot so I kept the mold and sold the gun. The only rifle I have now that takes a handgun bullet is a Ruger #1 CHP commemorativechambered to the .357 magnum. No feeding problems with a single shot.
I dunno if Lyman still makes that #358430 mold. It's as I said a 190 gr. bullet that shoots real well even in a snubbir. I load it over 3.5 gr. of Unique in the .38 Spl. which duplicate the old long discontinued Winchester Police Load. It doesn't move out all that fast but it's one hell of a deep penetrator. That one, if you can find one shold feed in any levergun.
Paul B.

I know it would work but how well is key.
If i used a .358IDA bullet in a 9mm or vise versa, how well will it preform?
thanks

If you want an easy chambering bullet, try the Lyman 358665 Cowboy Action bullet. It's the basic 158 grainer and Lyman has it in 4-cavity, as well as two.
http://www.lymanproducts.com/l...tails.php?entryID=11
It's a plain base (required if you intend to do cowboy shoots) and the round-nose flat-point profile makes for smooth revolver chambering (likely to feed well in a lever-gun, too...don't have one to verify).
Can't comment much on swaged bullets, since I'm not set up for this, but if it can be done easily at the bench and you entirely eliminate the need to fire up a furnace and smelt, I'd say go with that process. I'm simply not familiar with bullet profiles available for swaging.

quote:

Originally posted by James Kain:
I know it would work but how well is key.
If i used a .358IDA bullet in a 9mm or vise versa, how well will it preform?
thanks

I'd run the .358" 38SPL bullets through a .356" size/lube die for use in the 9mm.

the lyman cowboy boolit,is an excellent one.
as is the rcbs rnfp.
for the 9mm you just might find that 358 is a very good diameter however the lyman will not work.
i have gone as high as 158 gr in the 9mm but used a swc for the 38 special.
it is specialized loading and your on your own for load data.
a 125 rnfp does however, work very well in the 9mm and 38/357 sized to .358 at reasonable velocities.
i can't comment on molds as i use a mastercaster for the 125 but lee should make a reasonable one.

Hey thanks for all the tips and pointers.

I must of totally spaced it when I was thinking of my 9mm because I forgot all I needed to do was run it though the lube/sizer.

For a swage die, I found a test part I made for my machining class fits my presses. So I was thinking of boring it out to a .358 for the top I would drill a smaller DIA hole and run a piston type rod in it. That would shape the nose and also push the bullet back out after swaged.
What do you think?
Next, what do I do to the ram to make it work? Attach a rod into the shell holder slot, and use it as a ram??

I don't know if the SAECO 929 will cast an unsized bullet at over .358". But if it did, it would make a good 9mm/.38 SPC mould.

quote:

Originally posted by DaMan:
I don't know if the SAECO 929 will cast an unsized bullet at over .358". But if it did, it would make a good 9mm/.38 SPC mould.

I cant tell, but I do want to say that looks like it will feed well in an auto, but at the same time it seems rather narrow and steep to funnel up to the chamber.

Here are 3 that I m considering. The last one, the 170gr, is currently the one I m favoring.

Lyman Mold #358665
Lyman Mold # 358311 Lyman Mold # 358429

quote:

Originally posted by James Kain:
I can't tell, but I do want to say that looks like it will feed well in an auto, but at the same time it seems rather narrow and steep to funnel up to the chamber.

James, I've used the SAECO 929 and similar 145-147gr. LSWCs in various 9mm autos and they feed very reliably and they are "nuts-on" accurate.

These 145-147 gr. SWC bullets are designed for the 9mm Para. and .38 Super and have no crimp groove. This might be a consideration when using them in a tubular magazine rifle (would need to apply a good taper crimp on them for that use).



Here's the bullet that I use in the load above It's 145gr. when sized to .356". Has a slightly beveled base (easier seating). .642" OAL.

Here's a slightly heavier version with flat base (150gr. when sized to .356").



Unfortunately, I don't know who makes moulds for the above designs.

I don't know if that Lyman 158 gr. RNFP or the 170 gr. LSWC would feed reliably in the 9mm.

To have ONE bullet that will work in 9mm and .38 SPL rifle and short barreled pistol...... you're going to have to make some compromises.

Good luck!

Here's what the 145 gr. bullet above would look like loaded in the .38 SPL (loaded to an OAL of 1.5").

quote:

Originally posted by DaMan:
Here's what the 145 gr. bullet above would look like loaded in the .38 SPL (loaded to an OAL of 1.5").

that dose look like a nice chunk of lead, bet it doesn't give much recoil as the stuff I m using now. I could probably push it faster too. Corse for home/personal defense I m best of in buying those.

If you only wanted an all around bullet for the .38SPL in pistol and rifle, this is the bullet I would recommend......



Note: The Speer is swaged not cast.

quote:

Originally posted by DaMan:
If you only wanted an all around bullet for the .38SPL in pistol and rifle, this is the bullet I would recommend......



Note: The Speer is swaged not cast.

ah but the only problem is I cannot swage as of yet in my shop. I still have yet to build a swage pres.

quote:

Many cowboy action shooters use same ammo in their rifle as they do their revolver. Probably be a nightmare trying to keep the ammo separated. The reach to their ammo belt and grab whatever. I'm pretty sure to do this they use pistol primers as some pistols don't strike hard enough for rifle primers. Not into swaging so cant answer that.

Exactly what I do, I load 'dink' loads in 44 cal, put them in magnum cases so they run smooth in my marlin 1894 and use them for everything.