Cast .38WCF Bullets In .40S&W Question.

[cshold]

Can my 180 grain cast 38-40 bullets be loaded into .40 S&W rounds and be safe and functional out of my Sig P239 SAS?

[3leggedturtle]

As long as it feeds reliably there will be no problem. I shoot RFN 180's out of my P94. I used Red Dot and Uniquie for middle of the road loads, wont be able to chrono them till May, but they shoot to POA up to 15 yards or so.

[cshold]

Thanks...
One reply?
I guess not many people do this.
Or I should have posted my other Sig P239 picture.

[44shooter]

I know that the writer, Mike Venturino, uses cast bullets in both 38-40 and 40 s&w. Probably what is most important is finding a place on the bullet for a taper crimp while keeping the correct OAL.

[Sixgun]

Casahastle,
Relax bro......with me, it's the opposite way around. 25 years ago, when the 40 S&W came out, I bought a 180 grain Lyman 4 cavity mould. It was the same time when I started to reload for the 38-40 and up to that point, the only mould that was available for the 38 WCF were standard 1 and 2 cavity moulds.

Remember now, I'm half Italian...but the other half is German......so......I looked at the specs and decided a 4 cavity mould made for the 40 S&W would work for the 38-40. I bought it and have since cast 17,360 bullets from this mould........yea..I keep a log of everything....you know, Germans are very anal.

Got me a Lee Factory Crimp die and the rest is history. I have YET to have a failure to function out of Colt Lightnings, 1892 Winchesters, 1894 Marlins, Remington pump 14 and 1/2 rifles, single action Colts, single action Rugers...yes, Ruger made a 38-40.......double action Colt New Services, and even an 1878 Colt, of which a handful were made...in that caliber.

It's much easier the way I do it, but there are so many guys....here.....that think I don't know what I'm talking about. I hear you on the "NO RESPONSES thing.....I answer questions like this near everyday and only a small handful of people have ever thanked me for my 40+ years of experience....giving it out for free.....unlike gun writers who get paid for their thoughts.

I put up a post on extremely rare Colts, Winchesters, Marlins, and the last one, an extremely rare Colt SP 2 that is tiger camo striped factory prototype but got a minimal response. Other guys will put up a post of a 10 cent do-it-yourself AR that they may have $400 in it and they get 100 responses. A post on a 1910 Colt 1911 that only 22 were made and that gun was handled by John Browning himself got a few responses.

Relax.....Christians think different than Jews......where Jews help each other out and promote personal advances, Christian talk the goodness of Jesus but rarely back it up with action. Now you know why Pitchy and others have left here. It don't bother me none though.....I know who I am and will continue to give out 40+ years of personal experience......let the dammed be dammed. they know who they are.

Terry Murbach was right... We have discussed it at length.

It's just the way of the modern world and products of the Klinton Generation. They feel they are "owed"........by whom, I have no idea....nobody ever taught me anything....self taught

Anyway, here are a few pics that might help you.
Raw bullets from the mould


Loaded rounds for the grand old 38-40-------6

[cshold]

Now that's a reply right there.
Thanks brother 6

[EdinCT]

Six, I see you use the same load Ken Waters recommended, 9 gr of Herco under a 180 gr cast. I have found it one of the best also !

[Sixgun]

Six, I see you use the same load Ken Waters recommended, 9 gr of Herco under a 180 gr cast. I have found it one of the best also !

Your not going to believe this, but that's exactly where I got it from. For 25 years I have used either 6 gr. of Bullseye or 9 grains of Unique, depending on whether its a blackpowder firearm or a smokeless one.

I have found that 9 grains of Herco works excellently for both of them, which allows me to use the same load. I also use 10 grains of Herco for the 44-40.

In fact, in the last several years I have found that Herco is one of the best powders for these old cartridges....it's a little faster than Bullseye and a tad slower than Unique. It's also great in the 10mm.----6 See.....we all learn something new everyday.

[hayabusa]

Sixgun, I have a Ruger 38-40/10MM that I do not remember ever having shot.
I believe it was a Buckeye Sports run.

hayabusa

[Sixgun]

Sixgun, I have a Ruger 38-40/10MM that I do not remember ever having shot.
I believe it was a Buckeye Sports run.

hayabusa

Shoot it. You might lose a hundred dollars of it's value. Yes, its a Buckeye.....with the little rose on the topstrap. Mine is extremely accurate with perfect cylinder and groove dimensions.

[J Miller]

casastahle,

I've never owned a 38-40 or a 40 S&W, but I've done a lot with the 45 Colt and ACP switching bullets between them. Never had any problems as long as neck tension was good and the load appropriate for the caliber and bullet.

My Step son had a Ruger P95 I think and when he first got it he couldn't afford ammo. So since I'm a brass scrounger and had some 9mm brass I told him to go buy a set of dies and we'd load him up some.
He did, we did, and in short order he'd burned up all his 124 gr bullets and started in on my 158gr SWC bullets. We adjusted the load and his gun shot them like nobodies business.

In your case as long as you use the right powder charge, got it crimped right with the right OAL you'll never know the difference.

Now, why didn't I answer before? Cos this is the first time I saw this thread.


Sixgun,

That Truncated Cone bullet looks right at home in the 38-40 case. I like to shoot that shape bullet in my 45s. They seem to work very will in revolvers and bottom feeders.

I too like Herco, the only thing I don't like about it is that it's a bit dirtier than Unique. At least that's what I found when I used it for standard pressure loads in the 45 Colt.

You just answered a question I've had rumbling around in my head for many years with your comment about Jews and Christians midways down in your response. Thanks.



Joe

[3leggedturtle]

casastahle,

I've never owned a 38-40 o 40 S&W

Joe

Joe: As much as I hate to admit it, I like the 40 S&W more than the 9mm or 45ACP. at least in a pistol.

[J Miller]

casastahle,

I've never owned a 38-40 o 40 S&W

Joe

Joe: As much as I hate to admit it, I like the 40 S&W more than the 9mm or 45ACP. at least in a pistol.

Although I've never owned either, I have fired both the 38-40 and 40 S&W. Although they went bang and the holes appeared in the targets correctly, I still prefer my 45s.
Nothing against the others, just me.

I sure wouldn't turn down a Winchester 73 or 92 or a Colt SAA in a 38-40, I'm not that brain damaged

Joe

[FatJackDurham]

Six, if I never thanked you THANK YOU!