Author Topic: 38 special round nose bullet accuracy (Read 3240 times)

Sharps-Nut · « **on:** January 11, 2010, 08:32:36 AM »

I acquired a 158 grain round nose 357 bullet mould and then was told by a friend I would not like it. He claimed the accuracy was not very good on round nose lead. Any thoughts. Have not shot any, to darn cold. But did cast some up looked good for and old mould. Its an ideal 311something its a 4 hole gang mould. Was looking foreward to speeding up my production and finding a better bullet for my lever to feed, and general plinking. Did I screw up? SN

45-70.gov · « **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2010, 08:36:23 AM »

i have always heard the round nose is the worst hunting round

but then those solid 22 been killing game and punching targets a long time

never heard the round nose was in-accurate

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #2 on:** January 11, 2010, 11:09:28 AM »

lots of bullseye shooters shot 38s with round nose cast bullets

Sharps-Nut · « **Reply #3 on:** January 12, 2010, 06:03:11 AM »

Better news than my expert gave me. I sorta had the 22 lr idea. I used to shoot bpcr silhouette and dog gone it nealry all of the bullets we wung out to 500 meters were round noses. But in my shallow mind and lack of experience in pistol round nose leads thought he might have known more than I did. It sure smarted at the time as I was flying pretty high on my bargain mould and handles. 40 bucks, better than I usually fair on purchases such as this. Maybe the weather will permit some playing in the next few weeks. Thanks SN

rbstern · « **Reply #4 on:** January 12, 2010, 12:55:38 PM »

I've had great accuracy out of cast LRN bullets in 38 special. I think they get a bad rap for:

1) not cutting paper as clean as wadcutters do
2) higher ricochet potential from bowling pin (and other hard target) shooters
3) not being particularly effective on game or in defensive use

My experience is they are accurate (with all else done properly), and they chamber easily in cylinders and leverguns. I've particularly enjoyed them in my Rossi 38/357 levergun because they feed so smoothly.

Reed1911 · « **Reply #5 on:** January 13, 2010, 04:08:44 AM »

Accuracy wise, the nose shape has little to do with anything. Obviously you will have a different BC from the nose shape, but provided they are cast cleanly and uniformly and they fit your bore, they will be just fine.

To further the idea in your head, we've (shooters all over) have been shooting flat faced wadcutters for years with wonderful accuracy, why would a RN not do it? I think your buddy just ended up with a bullet that did not work for him and likely gave up before correcting the problem. The RN profile is great in both leavers due to the smooth feeding as well as speed loaders in a revolver for the same reason.

Sharps-Nut · « **Reply #6 on:** January 14, 2010, 03:55:21 AM »

Thanks for all the great input, didn't make sense to me but I had never used one. The profile looked good to me for a lever gun that I have that does not care for swc and if it work in my revolver well then its just a nice double dip. Thanks again. SN

steg · « **Reply #7 on:** January 29, 2010, 10:13:01 AM »

I have a one cavity lee mold 150GR RN, and they work well and are very accurate in my Puma, I also have two armory molds in 38 caliber, one is a 158 GR six cavity semi wad cutter, that also works well in my Puma, the last one is a 10 cavity 140 GR wadcutter that prints around 5 inches high when fired through the Puma, that is zeroed in with the 158 GR bullets at around 35 yards, Anyone have any ideas as to why this happens? I have a buddy that's a machinist and I was going to ask him to turn this mold into a round nose, what do you think? These bullets do the same thing in my Son's Puma, and both of our Ruger security six handguns. steg

45-70.gov · « **Reply #8 on:** January 29, 2010, 01:35:12 PM »

i have a round nose mold i never use

considered taking a drill

and making sort of a simi-wadcutter with a beveled point nose

it plobly wont be centered

steg · « **Reply #9 on:** January 29, 2010, 05:38:41 PM »

I doubt you'll get it centered too, but I was going to have mine done on a milling machine, I hope he gets it right and dosen't ruin the mold, but this guy is good, I'll let you know what happens when I get it done, It's going to be a while though.

45-70.gov · « **Reply #10 on:** January 30, 2010, 07:50:19 AM »

well if he messes it up
then you have an excuse to get a new old

i highly recommend 180 grain WFN from LBT

mine has 4 cavity 3 in PB and one gaschecked

if money is an issue just get the 2 cavity PB

i like 180 the weight slows it down to help avoid leading and quiets it a lot too
and adds power and penetration...more bearing surface for rifling
and retained velocity at distance [i shoot them in rifles too.....so will you eventually]

steg · « **Reply #11 on:** January 30, 2010, 04:00:21 PM »

I was mostly planning to use them in a rifle, I knew it would slow the bullet down, and all. but I didn't know about it being quieter, thats a plus.

That mold you mentioned sounds good, Plus having the one in gas-check, do you know how I could look into it, I mean a place to buy one, good talking to you again.

45-70.gov · « **Reply #12 on:** January 30, 2010, 04:10:07 PM »

http://www.lbtmoulds.com/webmail.shtml his e-mail

http://www.lbtmoulds.com/ this wouldn't open on my computer

steg · « **Reply #13 on:** January 30, 2010, 04:19:18 PM »

Thanks alot 45-70, I'm going to the site as soon as I post this, Thanks Again.

haroldclark · « **Reply #14 on:** January 31, 2010, 07:23:43 AM »

Sharps Nut,
Seems like this thread got sidetracked on your question. The round nose has nothing what so ever to do with accuracy.

I have a 6 cavity Hensley and Gibbs mold that dumps a 158 grain round nose plain base bullet. I have 3 wadcutter molds, a Saeco 132gr swc and a 10 cavity 160 SWC, plus several others.

Out of all the bullets in that weight range, the 158 grain round nose bullet is the most accurate in my handguns. I have used the RN in my Marlin 357 rifles with good accuracy. For plinking, stick with your RN mold, if it is accurate in your guns. The 158 grain bullets is good for accuracy out to 100 yards when shooting Clay Birds on the bank.

The SWC would probably be best for any type of hunting purposes. I have a 180 grain Saeco plain base flat nosed bullet that will hit any chicken out to 200 meters.

The question of gas checks was asked in your thread, here. In my Marlin 357 rifle, I use the 180 grain plain base to reach 300 meter pigs (steel targets). the bullet feeds through the action just fine.

However, I also, use the RCBS 200 grain rifle bullet with a gas check. If the mold didn't have the gas check shank, I wouldn't gas check that bullet. I have never tried it without the gas check. I won't tell how far I can shoot with that bullet.
The RCBS bullet is too long to feed through the action on the Marlin, but it is one good shooter.

Harold Clark

steg · « **Reply #15 on:** January 31, 2010, 10:52:57 AM »

Actually the question was why would the 141 GR FWC print higher than my other bullets up to 6ins , and I was using loading data from my Lee book.
In my puma, the round nose is comparativley more accurate than the swc.

haroldclark · « **Reply #16 on:** January 31, 2010, 05:05:06 PM »

Quote from: Sharps-Nut on January 11, 2010, 08:32:36 AM

I acquired a 158 grain round nose 357 bullet mould and then was told by a friend I would not like it. He claimed the accuracy was not very good on round nose lead. Any thoughts. Have not shot any, to darn cold. But did cast some up looked good for and old mould. Its an ideal 311something its a 4 hole gang mould. Was looking foreward to speeding up my production and finding a better bullet for my lever to feed, and general plinking. Did I screw up? SN

Steg, it appears that you piggy backed in on an already in action posting by Sharps-Nut. Unless you and Sharps-nut are the same person, you should start your own thread with your question, don't you think?

Harold

bilmac · « **Reply #17 on:** January 31, 2010, 05:17:33 PM »

I have used LRNs in several firearms and it is frequently my most accurate bullet. Maybe not the most effective as a killer, and they don't cut pretty holes in paper, but they are great in lever guns because they feed good. In cowboy shooting they really shine.

steg · « **Reply #18 on:** February 01, 2010, 09:49:37 AM »

Yes Harold, your right, I started my reply allright, but then I did go off on a tangent, with the other bullets, I hope that I didn't offend anyone, if I did I'm sorry, I hope that I'm still welcome on the site, sorry again........steg

haroldclark · « **Reply #19 on:** February 01, 2010, 06:39:21 PM »

You are always welcome, as far as I'm concerned.

Harold

steg · « **Reply #20 on:** February 01, 2010, 11:43:52 PM »

Thanks Harold, I just went off on a tangent, without thinking,something I do alot more that age is creeping up on me. I just found this site the other day and signed up, the site is great, thanks again!

45-70.gov · « **Reply #21 on:** February 02, 2010, 03:22:58 AM »

Quote from: steg on February 01, 2010, 11:43:52 PM

Thanks Harold, I just went off on a tangent, without thinking,something I do alot more that age is creeping up on me. I just found this site the other day and signed up, the site is great, thanks again!

he is off cheating on us already

i have a round nose mold from a yard sale
after this tread now i got to make up about a thousand and play with them

Steve P · « **Reply #22 on:** February 03, 2010, 09:08:41 AM »

Most folks who complain about RN accuracy in 38s are shooting them in 357s and ANY bullet that has to jump that far is going to be a little lacking in accuracy. Most of our law enforcement and military shooter shot RN .38s in S&W 38s and they were VERY accurate.

A buddy and I went together and got casting equipment. I buy most of the molds and he does most (better read as ALL) of the casting. I had a 4 cavity mold that he recently sold on another site. Once he heated it up, he had to cast nothing but the 38s (which didn't bother me because they are very accurate). He couldn't do his switching which speeds up his process. He will pour into one mold, set it down to solidify and pour in another mold. He will set the second mold down, pick up the first, drop the bullets into water, re-pour, set it down, and pick up the second mold. He is doing two different bullets and they are easy to separate once cool, but it speeds up his process.

Whoever got my 38 mold got a keeper. I still have the 2 cavity and a single cavity of the same bullet.

Steve

steg · « **Reply #23 on:** February 03, 2010, 12:12:13 PM »

Steve believe it or not all of my RN bullets are loaded in 38 spl cases, I never thought about the jump, but since you mentioned it I realise that it's there, now I'm looking foreward to the weather breaking and trying some in 357 cases, just to see what happens, thanks!

zoner · « **Reply #24 on:** February 07, 2010, 06:09:08 AM »

I bought some 158 gr LRN bullets at a local sporting goods store. Components were few and far between at the time but I had a new(to me) 357 mag Handi barrel i just had to try out. Started with 5 grs 231,the RN bullets and 357 mag cases, bumping up 1/2 gr at a time. 6.5 grs is about as far as you can go with this powder and bullet(max charge). At 5.5 grs I can get 3 shot groups the size of a quarter if I do my job real good.....so yes LRN bullets can be very accurate

ButlerFord45 · « **Reply #25 on:** February 08, 2010, 02:24:21 AM »

It is my belief that decades of off-hand comments by target shooters of various disciplines that "I won't use round nose bullets" (because they don't score as easily or don't show that the line WAS cut like a square sholdered wad/semi-wad cutter) has caused many to believe it is because they aren't accurate. I offer as evidence that they are: Black Powder Rifle shooters who compete at 600 to 1000 yards for the most part use round nosed bullets.

Sharps-Nut · « **Reply #26 on:** February 16, 2010, 09:23:11 AM »

Wow this thread took off again after I thought it had played out. Thanks again to everyone who replied and help set out the truth on round nose bullets. Sounds like I got a keeper if winter ever goes away. And for you confounded post jumpers, its alright I have done it myself not meaning to and information was exchanged that helps everyone. Thanks to you later contributers who brought it back to life, I really feel I got a valuable education on round nose profile. Looking foreward to trying it. SN