what cast bullet for the S@W model 15 4"

[lonewolf5348]

I am going to reload for the model 15 4" :I wonder on bullet choice 158 Gr.SWC or the 158 Gr. round nose cast BHN 12
I shot some RN the other day with 4.3 Gr of Unique powder excellent load for the S@W

[cybin]

I believe that your talking .38 special when you talk S&W model 15 with the 4" barrel--my wife has shot hers for over 30 years now,  and the load we have settled on for her .38 special is 3 grains of bullseye under a 158 gr cast semi wadcutter. It shoots excellent out of her S&W, and my Model 10 snubby as well.
 
cybin

[Graybeard]

My all time favorite bullet for the .38 and .357 Magnum S&W revolvers is the Lyman 358156 GC SWC. I've shot a huge pile of those and also the Lyman 358429 in my guns. I load them over Bullseye but I won't say how much of it as I don't think the reloading manuals of today recommend as much as I use. I mostly have shot this rather stiff for .38 load in .357 magnums but have used it in K frame .38s as well.

If you don't cast your own I think some commercial caster can provide similar bullets.

Another great choice if you limit your shots to 50 yards and under is any of the various full wadcutter bullets. Again Bullseye is my choice and with them I generally stay with book loads and don't push them.

However once a long time ago my best friend Billy Doss (deceased) asked me for a 158 grain WC at 1000 fps and wanted it done with Red Dot which was his favorite powder for shotguns. We had cast up a bunch of bullets from linotype in a WC mould I have and that's what he wanted to use but wanted it fast.

He shot it from a .357 Magnum S&W 586. I loaded it in .38 Special cases and while I never chronographed it that sure seemed like a load I'd not want to shoot in a weak .38 but he loved it and it shot very accrately in his gun. He killed the only deer he ever killed with a handgun using that gun and load a whole lotta years ago.

My advice is to avoid bevel base bullets like the plague and you'd do OK.

[lonewolf5348]

thank you for the info

[hornady]

I will agree with Gray beard on the Lyman 358156 GC for 357 I started out with a 2 cavity mold and soon moved up to the 4 cavity, great bullet in the 357. However I found the RCBS 38-150 SWC to be an excellent choice for the 38SPL,
I also do not use the Bevel base molds, I just bought another RCBS mold, in 40S&W. I could have gotten a comparable Lyman cheaper, but for some unknown reason Lyman only makes the 40/10 MM molds in Bevel base.   

[Bob J]

Another vote for the keith 358429.....   Great shooting bullet....

[anachronism]

A lot would depend on what you want to use the load for, and if you're going to make your own bullets, or buy them. As mentioned, 358156 is an excellent all around bullet, if you cast. There are a lot of custom bullet casters out there, and a little research will get you exactly what you want, either cheapies, or premium bullets.

[Larry Gibson]

Been shooting the Lyman 358477 for years in my 4 and 5" barreled M15s.  Excellent bullet over 3.5 - 4 gr Bullseye to equal standard velocity and over 5.5 Unique for +P.
 
Larry Gibson