good powder scale? + Paper patching .38s&w

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Colt .45

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Hey all,

I got a lee classic kit to start my reloading and I'm decently happy with all of it as a starter kit except the balance beam scale which seems like utter garbage. The scale beam can be wiggled back and forth minimally and that throws off the zeroing on the weighing process. This might not matter as much if I was loading larger charges, however I've been loading a lot of 38s&w and .380, a few 10ths of a grain off the wrong way and I'm over max load.

So what's a good beam scale to get?


( These are being shot out of an old .38s&w enfield mk 2 revolver )
Second, I just bought a swage die for .356" from the states, one thing I would like to try is recreating some .38/200 and 175 grain loads for the .38s&w ( barrel dia ~.363 ). Considering I've been getting around 12" groups shooting at 25 yards with a .358" cast 142 grain wadcutters / 158 round nose; how much of an accuracy improvement am I likely to see by paper patching some tips so that they properly fit the barrel? Either way I intend to give it a try for the experience and to see how much I can clean up the accuracy. ( Way to go me, go and get the accuracy bug with some 70 year old revolvers that were never made for it in the first place :onCrack: )
 
The Lee scale with the Kit is junk. I bought an MTM Casegard Digital Scale from Airgunsource. Le Baron also carries the same scale, under $ 30.00 There are RCBS and Hornady in the market which users claims to be accurate. Just keep spare batteries to be on the safe side. Also, check with the supplied calibration gauge on regular basis.

Colt .45 said:
Hey all,

I got a lee classic kit to start my reloading and I'm decently happy with all of it as a starter kit except the balance beam scale which seems like utter garbage. The scale beam can be wiggled back and forth minimally and that throws off the zeroing on the weighing process. This might not matter as much if I was loading larger charges, however I've been loading a lot of 38s&w and .380, a few 10ths of a grain off the wrong way and I'm over max load.

So what's a good beam scale to get?


( These are being shot out of an old .38s&w enfield mk 2 revolver )
Second, I just bought a swage die for .356" from the states, one thing I would like to try is recreating some .38/200 and 175 grain loads for the .38s&w ( barrel dia ~.363 ). Considering I've been getting around 12" groups shooting at 25 yards with a .358" cast 142 grain wadcutters / 158 round nose; how much of an accuracy improvement am I likely to see by paper patching some tips so that they properly fit the barrel? Either way I intend to give it a try for the experience and to see how much I can clean up the accuracy. ( Way to go me, go and get the accuracy bug with some 70 year old revolvers that were never made for it in the first place :onCrack: )
Click to expand...
 
i only have a lyman scale - old metal base style - works fine

as for the 38 S&W they are decently accurate guns if fed the right ammo. Old factory imperial ammo shoots about 3" out of mine.
as for bullets - if you cast there are a few molds available to get correct bullets
while paper patching might work - seems like a lot of trouble if you can get correct bullets.
I have a local guy cast me a few hundred per year just to keep the old girl shootin
 
I use an RCBS digital scale. Fwiw, I use 2.2gr W231 with my .38 S&W, and I buy 160gr lead RN bullets from Omaproducts here in BC. Bullet Barn (also in BC) carries bullets for this as well.
 
If you use a hollow base wadcutters, the pressure should help fill the barrel with the bullet. I did this until i bought a box of 500 160gr semi-wadcutters sized 0.360" from R & R bullets, near Kingston. These really work well in my S&W Victory and my Enfield.

R & R 613 320-0155

I share your concern about the powder scale. Not much wiggle room in those small loads. For that reason, the super fast powders like Titegroup should be avoided. IMR7625 or Unique would be better choices.

I use electronic scales and each has a 50 gr bullet on it. I use that as a quick check weight from time to time because it is around the weight of my typical rifle powder charge. you could also use a dime.
 
Colt.45,
I used to have a Webley 38 S&W (similar design to Enfield) that had accuracy problems because the cylinder throats were smaller in diam. (.362") than the barrel bore (.365"). Slug your revolver's cylinder throats and the bore to see if this is so because if it is, the only solution that might work is to use hollow-based bullets that can expand to seal the bore after they leave the cylinder. I never tried this though and eventually sold the revolver. Paper patching itself won't resolve the issue as the bullet and patch will still be sized by the cylinder throat leaving it too small in diam. to seal the bore sufficiently for accuracy. Also, be sure to use a fast powder to give best expansion (eg. Bullseye) keeping in mind that an accurate scale is essential. If the cylinder throats are larger than the bore, you have a much better chance of obtaining accuracy and you can ignore the above. I have tried cast 200 gr. bullets (from Lyman 358430 mould - now obsolete) that had a .360" diameter with no better accuracy.
40-82
 
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