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Shooting 38 +P Lead Bullets

2K views 17 replies 11 participants last post by  mikld 
#1 ·
I am a novice when it comes to reloading, so here is my question. I want to reload some 38 +P ammo using some lead bullets that I bought to use in a 357 Magnum. One gun enthusiast that I know told me not to load them +P because the velocity and pressure will lead to a ton of lead fouling. He suggested loading them as 38 Specials. My cousin who is very knowledgeable on reloading doesn't believe loading them as +P is an issue at all.

What do you think?
 
#4 ·
Your question is slightly confusing.

Do you want to load 38+P, using some lead bullets you bought, and plan to shoot them in a 357 gun? You might get leading - depends on the bullets, the alloy they are made from, the lube used and whether or not they have gas checks.

Or do you want to load some 38+P ammo using some lead bullets you've been loading 357s with? Since 38+P is slower than 357, then if they did not lead in the 357s, they won't lead in the 38+Ps.
 
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#5 ·
"Do you want to load 38+P, using some lead bullets you bought, and plan to shoot them in a 357 gun? You might get leading - depends on the bullets, the alloy they are made from, the lube used and whether or not they have gas checks".

Yes, I want to load 38+P using lead bullets to shoot in a 357 gun. I have not shot any of this ammo. The bullets are 92/6/2 alloy with a Brinell hardness of 16-17. The have no gas checks.
 
#15 ·
The most important part of this equation is what's the diameter of the bullets, and what's the diameter of the bore? If the bullet is the right size, then there are no problems with shooting +P's in either a .38, or a .357. I think you already understand leading problems. Load em up, shoot em, and then let us know if you got any leading, or not!
 
#6 ·
Food Ingredient Cuisine Breakfast cereal Dish


I use Copper Chore Boy cleaning pads. I take a few strands of this stuff and wrap it several times around a worn pistol cleaning brush until it is a good snug fit in your bore. You make 4 or 5 passes through your pistol barrel with this and there is no leading. Your bore will be sparkling clean and the soft copper ( but still harder than the PB ) will not harm your barrel steel.
 
#7 ·
I'd try to avoid leading if at all possible. I leaded a new 686 and it was a pain getting it out. Like mentioned above, you should only use 100% copper pads)not other metal copper coated) or a system specifically for getting out lead.

a lot of factors can go into leading, but velocity and lead hardness are at the top of the list IMHO
 
#8 ·
What weight are they? Most data shows a 158gr as not going over 1000fps anyway even at +P levels. Somewhere around 900-1000fps is what's accepted as the general rule not to exceed with most cast lead bullets. You should be just fine.

I shoot 158gr LaserCast 158s over a mid-range +P load (slightly over non-+P max) of titegroup. Give me 875fps or so out of a 4" revolver. Might run faster out of a 6" but I don't have one anymore so I'm not sure. Leading is minimal. I can roll 100-150 rounds through the barrel with no excessive lead ing. Yep, there's a bit of a deposit but nothing that a brush with a choreBoy pad won't cut with a few quick passes.
 
#10 ·
As the others have said, find a moderate load around 900fps and then just keep ahead of any lead buildup by cleaning with the Chore Boy. I shoot lots of lead in .45, .357 and .38 all at moderate velocities and I have very little lead fouling issue. I do clean my guns every time I shoot them. Part of the deal.
 
#12 ·
There are several factors that create lead fouling. The primary factors are the hardness of the lead alloy, the type and amount of lube on the bullet, the fit of the bullet in the bore, the burn rate of the powder and the velocity. The easiest factor for you to control since you already have the bullets is velocity. Generally, slow to moderate velocities create less fouling.
 
#14 ·
If they are store-bought bullets, and they probably are, they most likely came with "hard lube". Hard lube is crap. It's candle wax. They use that so when the bullets bounce up against each other in transit the soft lube does not stick to the neighboring bullet and pull out of the groove.

Melting that junk off and pan-lubing with an alox-based soft lube will help with the leading problem.

Or just over-lube the already-lubed-with-hard-lube bullets with Lee Liquid Alox.

That will help a lot in preventing leading.
 
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#16 ·
Why put up with any leading at all?

My formulas for no leading is shoot plated bullets at velocities below 1000 FPS. If I must have hyper speed then I go to jacketed bullets. It took years to learn this and many hours digging lead out of barrels. Any lead removal done physically risks scratching the bore or the throat. Why risk that?

Barrels supposedly last longer when shot with lead but I have yet, in 30 years, ever had to change out a pistol or revolver barrel from bullet wear.

LDBennett
 
#17 ·
Never had a leading problem with my cast bullets,I use Alox from Lee.It's messy and smokes a little,but that's okay with me.I may be doing it wrong,but I have my own range and recover my lead,clean and do it again.It's cheap shooting.The only lead load I shoot "hot"(according to new manuals)is .44spec-240gr at 950fps-it's accurate.
 
#18 ·
A few things ya got know before you shoot lead bullets in your gun. First what is the diameter of the bullet? And what's the groove diameter of the barrel. and what is the diameter of the cylinder throats? Fit is king when it comes to lead bullets. If your bullets are too small, they will lead the barrel. If your bullets are too small, no matter how hard/soft, what velocity you shoot them, regardless of how good your lube is, it's gonna lead the barrel. I would suggest you slug the barrel, and measure the cylinder throats. For a very good start, size or purchase bullets the same size as the cylinder throats (nearly every modern production gun's cylinder throats will be larger in diameter than the barrel's groove diameter, insuring a good bullet/bore seal and eliminate leading).

I have shot a whole bunch of .44 Magnum and 357 Mag./38 Special cast lead bullets, mostly air cooled range lead w/wheel weight alloy, 9-12 BHN (4 of my .44 magnums and 2 .38 Specials have not fired a jacketed bullet in about 18 years, and two never fired a jacketed bullet while in my possession.). When they fit the gun, they don't lead. I even shot an OOPS! load in my .357 Magnum ( a slightly over max. load of True Blue under a 150 gr. cast SWC, wheel weight alloy, air cooled, plain base, with C-Red lube), at a guesstimate of over 1200 fps, and closer to 1300, and the barrel was clean after 12 shots. The bullets were sized to the cylinder throats, .3585", with a groove diameter of .357"....

There are other factors (like bullet skidding) but if you start with fitting the bullet to the gun, you'll have a very good chance of eliminating leading and won't have to look any farther for a "clean shooter"...
 
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