38 special bullets

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mmcintyre1220

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I just bough some DRG 158 hard cast 38/357 bullets. When I measured them they are all .3565. From what I have read they should be 357-358. I am or was planning to shoot them in my ruger GP100. Are they okay to use ? Do they even have a chance to be accurate?

Thanks
 
Probably better suited to 9mm or 38 super. I am sure some one who knows more will be better able to help.
 
What are you measuring the Ø with? A digital caliper is easily manipulated from one size to another.
For accurate measurements, a micrometer is your best choice.

With that said; I think you will be ok even if they are 0.0005" smaller than what you expect them to be.

My 0.02¢
 
Load a few (10-30) and see how they shoot, and if leading is a problem. If they don't work melt or trade them to someone else. Usually lead performs best at 1 or 2 thousandths of an inch or more larger than groove diameter of the barrel. ,357 barrel needs ,358-,360 lead etc
 
All you can do is try them, check for leading, accuracy, and any signs on the target of instability, for the .38 I would think that you would want .358" bullets cast medium (not so hard).
 
Thanks for the replies, I guess I will give it a try and hope for the best. I can't believe that DRG would sell them at that diameter. I pulled a factory 158 grain american eagle bullet and found surprisingly that it was the same diameter. I also tried a micrometer to verify.
 
Hi there,

I have experience with DRG .38's for many years now. They shot horribly out of my revolver although other calibre's worked very fine. E.g. I couldn't group at 25 yards versus my 1911.

Finally measured the diameter and figured out they're just a tad too thin for me. Switched to Wolf .358' 158grn LRNFP cowboy stuff and now my revolver shoots like dream even at 50 yards.

This is a short answer as you need to also measure your cylinder throats and forcing cone etc to get a good idea of a good diameter bullet to use.

Hope helps.

on-ca

mmcintyre1220 said:
I just bough some DRG 158 hard cast 38/357 bullets. When I measured them they are all .3565. From what I have read they should be 357-358. I am or was planning to shoot them in my ruger GP100. Are they okay to use ? Do they even have a chance to be accurate?

Thanks
Click to expand...
 
Sell them or load then in 9mm

Just too small I think. The diameter should be .358 at the minimum. Even .357 is iffy.
I hand cast a very nice LEE 158 grain 38special SWC, and the bullet comes out at .358 which is normal. Unfortunately my Ruger BlackHawk's barrel is not .357 but .358 and this magnificent bullet is a key-holer. I can't change the mould but I will change the barrel....
 
Hatman...for that Lee mold, you could Leement it out another thou. or 2, a mold is better to be too big than too small.
 
Those sound like some of the unidentified commercial cast I got in a trade! Mine have a hard blue lube and they drop right through my .359 sizer. They shoot with decent accuracy but lead horribly after 50 rounds or so.
 
tinman905 said:
I measured a few of the same 158 38/357 and I got .357 . If you are using calipers you can easily turn in too tight that extra pressure will give you a smaller reading.
Click to expand...

And they were DRG? Maybe my caliper is a bit off no idea. I will find out tomorrow what they are like when I head off to the gun club. Hopefully im not going to lead up my bore
 
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