Does anybody have a bullet mold for the .38 Smith & Wesson cartridge, .361 diameter and 145 grain ? I have a nice old Smith pre-Victory (1941) I would like to reload for and the reasonably priced correct bullets are Brinell Hardness 12 or better. Buffalo Bore has soft lead but they want as much as loaded ammo! I am an old guy on disability (no self pity, just the facts) and need something in the Lee molds price range . I know I am wishing on a star, but it can't hurt ! Thanks.
Anyone have an extra or unused .361 mold ?
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Col. Harrumph
Member
eBay or gunbroker
243winxb
Member
New one https://www.wholesalehunter.com/Product/Details/11231559 $47 + shipping.
Pulled from old factory round.
Pulled from old factory round.
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mcb
Member
No help on a mold but Matt's bullets makes bullets for reloaders specifically for the 38S&W and 38/200. He offers a 150gr bullet for 38 S&W and a 200gr bullet for 38/200. I have had good luck using them in my Webley Mark IV.
ETA: link: https://www.mattsbullets.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=72&zenid=7aq1ivhhpv9eq21vkb16g5d363
ETA: link: https://www.mattsbullets.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=72&zenid=7aq1ivhhpv9eq21vkb16g5d363
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Col. Harrumph
Member
No need to limit yourself to .361-.362 bullets. I've had excellent results with 148 gr. hollow base wadcutters. They obturate well and don't lead my S&W lemon squeezer. And they're soft.
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....-hollow-base-wad-cutter-lead-bullet-250-count
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018181886
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply....-hollow-base-wad-cutter-lead-bullet-250-count
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018181886
243winxb
Member
From link i posted.
https://noebulletmolds.com/site/product-category/364/363-150-rn-ak2
NOE has molds in the correct size. $86 for a three cavity.
You can also find suitable molds at Accurate molds.
NOE has molds in the correct size. $86 for a three cavity.
You can also find suitable molds at Accurate molds.
FROGO207
Member
Depending on how many rounds you want to shoot or lead bullets you want to buy at a time Brad at MB will probably make a batch of softer bullets if you are willing to wait until he has time for another run.
Don't know if you'd be interested in a raphine mold. Raphine put out a 150gr fn hb mold that casts a long bodied fn bullet that has a cone shaped hollow base. Sized to .359"
Don't have a picture right now of the 35cal raphine mold. Here's a picture of a raphine 44cal fn hb mold. The 44cal cal has the same style hb pin as the 150gr 35cal mold.
Don't have a picture right now of the 35cal raphine mold. Here's a picture of a raphine 44cal fn hb mold. The 44cal cal has the same style hb pin as the 150gr 35cal mold.
mcb
Member
I put a 200gr bullet in those stubby little 38S&W cases, I think that one would fit if you wanted to.
I picked up that raphine mold to do head to head testing in a snubnosed 38spl. I did the head to head testing with the;
Rahpine 150gr hb fn (.750" long) VS Lyman 358431 158gr hb swc (.725" long)
The lyman 358431 is on the left and the Raphine is on the right.
The raphine bullet is 25/1000th's longer than the lyman 358431. The lyman 358431 is the same bullet as the lyman 358429 with the difference being it's a hb bullet. They both have the same oal when seated in the 38spl cases.
I tested those bullets pictured above as cast along with putting hp's in them with a foster hp tool.
The molds in excellent condition and casts a .360" bullet that I sized to .359" for a tight fit in the cylinders of that snubnosed 38spl.
Still have the box and original paperwork.
Anyway I picked up the 35cal & 44cal raphine molds to do head to head testing against the lyman 358431 (35cal hb swc) and the lyman 429422 (44cal hb swc). The 35cal raphine mold was actually designed for the 38lc, I was simply testing it with p+ loads in a snubnosed 38spl.
I've been thinning the herd on molds lately and I'm going to put those 2 raphine molds up for sale on the cast bullets website.
I'm not trying to push the mold on you but I will say it's an good choice for the 38s&w. In a perfect world all your holes in the revolver's cylinders are the same. Along with your reloading dies will allow you reload a .361" bullet without swaging them down. A hb bullet is called the equalizer for a reason. A hb bullet doesn't care what size the cylinder holes are, if your dies swage the bullets down or not & the hb seals any imperfection in the bbl.
The 38s&w's are known for having their cylinders/bbl.'s all over the place. The only worse then the 38s&w is the 45lc with bbl.'s that range from .452" to .457". I've used these hb bullets in the 45cal's with excellent results. The bullet on the bottom left is extremely rare cast from a cramer hb mold that was specifically designed for the model 1917 revolvers/45acp's.
At 1 time I owned 40+ hb molds and I've slowly been selling them off. Just don't use them that much anymore. Or I have nib molds like this 1 laying around that I'll probably never use.
So there it is, the raphing bullet is .750" long and will have an OAL that's 15/1000th's shorter then the lyman 358311 rn bullet loaded in the 38s&w cases.
lyman 158gr rn 358311 has a OAL of 1.150" when loaded in the 38s&w cases
Raphine 150gr hb fn has a OAL of 1.135" when loaded in the 38s&w cases
Rahpine 150gr hb fn (.750" long) VS Lyman 358431 158gr hb swc (.725" long)
The lyman 358431 is on the left and the Raphine is on the right.
The raphine bullet is 25/1000th's longer than the lyman 358431. The lyman 358431 is the same bullet as the lyman 358429 with the difference being it's a hb bullet. They both have the same oal when seated in the 38spl cases.
I tested those bullets pictured above as cast along with putting hp's in them with a foster hp tool.
The molds in excellent condition and casts a .360" bullet that I sized to .359" for a tight fit in the cylinders of that snubnosed 38spl.
Still have the box and original paperwork.
Anyway I picked up the 35cal & 44cal raphine molds to do head to head testing against the lyman 358431 (35cal hb swc) and the lyman 429422 (44cal hb swc). The 35cal raphine mold was actually designed for the 38lc, I was simply testing it with p+ loads in a snubnosed 38spl.
I've been thinning the herd on molds lately and I'm going to put those 2 raphine molds up for sale on the cast bullets website.
I'm not trying to push the mold on you but I will say it's an good choice for the 38s&w. In a perfect world all your holes in the revolver's cylinders are the same. Along with your reloading dies will allow you reload a .361" bullet without swaging them down. A hb bullet is called the equalizer for a reason. A hb bullet doesn't care what size the cylinder holes are, if your dies swage the bullets down or not & the hb seals any imperfection in the bbl.
The 38s&w's are known for having their cylinders/bbl.'s all over the place. The only worse then the 38s&w is the 45lc with bbl.'s that range from .452" to .457". I've used these hb bullets in the 45cal's with excellent results. The bullet on the bottom left is extremely rare cast from a cramer hb mold that was specifically designed for the model 1917 revolvers/45acp's.
At 1 time I owned 40+ hb molds and I've slowly been selling them off. Just don't use them that much anymore. Or I have nib molds like this 1 laying around that I'll probably never use.
So there it is, the raphing bullet is .750" long and will have an OAL that's 15/1000th's shorter then the lyman 358311 rn bullet loaded in the 38s&w cases.
lyman 158gr rn 358311 has a OAL of 1.150" when loaded in the 38s&w cases
Raphine 150gr hb fn has a OAL of 1.135" when loaded in the 38s&w cases
forrest r, thanks so much for all the info, very educational and helpful and greatly appreciated. That is actually a very interesting mold and I can see the bullet sized to .358-9 helping "tired" 38 specials, too. I am new to this site, so I imagine there is a "For Sale" section on here . Thanks again.
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