Anyone here making 38 cal. 148gr HBWC?

I just bought a S&W model 52-2 brand new and am having trouble finding 148gr HBWCs. Does anyone here swage them?

Tough to swage them.

However, Mihec has some nose pour 148 gr HBWC molds that he did a while ago. Not sure if he has any left, but I have one of the molds, and they are amazing to cast with.

NRA Life Member
NRA Certified Metallic Cartridge Reloading Instructor
Author of a book on reloading

I beg to differ Duke a hollow base wadcutter would be very easy to swage. one would need a formed internal punch on a corbin or RCE setup. I could make a .357 hollow point lead bullet if I didnt point form it and all you wanted was a solid flat wadcutter point I could swage you ten or so to see if they work.

Boolit Master Join DateMar 2013Posts287

could you draw down a 9mm case to make .357? you would be going from 0.388 to .357, maybe draw it down .01 at a time and do this three times?

could you draw down a 9mm case to make .357? you would be going from 0.388 to .357, maybe draw it down .01 at a time and do this three times?Yes you can I do but I do it in one operation. only takes one draw.

I do too. (Make 357s from 9mm). Pic in my avatar. I anneal, then run them through a Lee 9mm factory crimp die rim first. I drilled the aluminum top stem out .375 and made a special extended punch. This gets them down to about .362

Then I run them mouth up through a .357 lee push through die. Cast up cores and melt them into the jackets. Then up into a 222 Rem resizing die to form a TC type profile. A 30 cal 113gr mold works about right for the cores, finished bullets come out around 180 gr. The ones in my avatar use a 92gr core and have a 6mm air soft pellet in the end and are right around 158-160 grains.

I load these in .357 mag but they would work in 38s too. If you really want wad cutters, you could use a slightly lighter core and not form the TC, then load them up with the rim pointing forward. I'd recommend bonding the cores in that case though, so they don't move in the jackets under recoil.

Of course it's a bit more work than just casting HBWCs, but it's fun!

Boolit Master Join DateMar 2013Posts287

earthling those look awesome... so you are essentially drawing them down twice then point forming in the 222 resizing die...

after you point form are you resizing the bullet to shooting dimensions? when I run my 40/10mm swages in the 220 Swift sizing die for point forming the dimensions change from top to bottom and i need to final size the bullet in another die i have made, but it works...

i am doing all my swaging/drawing with a Rockchucker so i need to draw down in smaller steps to keep the forces down on the press

i agree that swaging is a lot of fun, adds to casting and reloading

edit: making swaging dies and tools might be the best part of it!

Last edited by Cane_man; Today at 11:13 AM.

After point form I usually run them back through the Lee .357 sizer just in case, but they offer very little resistance. And the ones I've checked have never measured oversize.

Oh, and I use a Lee Classic Cast for swaging.

Here's a pic of some 45 Colt bullets I'm working on, these I put in the Hardinge collet lathe at work and hollow pointed with a center drill, #3 I think...

Left to right:

40 S&W Empty
Expander punch I made that fits in a Lee Universal Expander Die
Expanded casing
205gr pure lead core
Bullet after core seating
Bullet after nose forming in a 243 FL sizing die
Bullet after hollow pointing on lathe

I also make bullets for my 9mm from drawn and trimmed down 380 brass.

9mm Empty, Drawn & Trimed Jacket, 67gr core, swaged bullet.

Didn't mean to hijack this thread, but the OP did ask about swaging...

And one last note. These aren't my original ideas, got it all from this fine forum.

Last edited by earthling121757; Today at 05:27 PM.

Boolit Master Join DateMar 2013Posts287

very nice work! it is all there in the archives for sure... right now i think most of the pistol rounds are do-able at home with a small bench top lathe and Lee dies... rifle bullets, well not so sure at this point, the brick wall is the point forming die, making a 223 6s at home? have not figured that one out yet but working on it...

You may not post new threadsYou may not post repliesYou may not post attachmentsYou may not edit your postsForum Rules

Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"

View the original article here