MP 158 gr. " Hammer " in the 38 Spec.

[Ben]

I recently bought an MP 158 gr. Aluminum , 8 cavity mould.
I really do like the mould.

With the large meplat dia., I was concerned that the bullet might not feed well in my Marlin CBC, 38 Spec., ..........not so.......feeds like water running through screen wire.

5.0 grs. of Unique in 38 Spec. cases.

 

[glassparman]

I noticed the vent lines are so nice looking. Is there a benefit to a specific type of vent lines? Are MP molds better?

Maybe I'll start a thread based on this unless you have a discussion already . .

 

[Ben]

I don't know ? ?

On a few of my moulds ( not MP ), I think the vent lines may be a bit
deep. If the alloy is too hot, I get whiskers sometimes. 98 % of my moulds seem to be just fine with venting and vent lines.

Ben

 

[Jeff H]

Mmmmmm! I LIKE the looks of that mould and that bullet!

I have my ONE, chosen 158 grain 35 caliber bullet, a plain-base also, but I think i like this one better. I went with the Arsenal 360-158RF "RDO clone," but this one has a wider meplat and I personally like that idea, to "make up for" the moderate speeds in the 38 Special and my not-too-hot 357 revolver loads.

I wonder how close to 357 Mag external ballistics the 38 Special looks coming out of that long barrel? I'd venture a guess that a "warm" 38 load, in a revolver just might be close to a "normal" 357 load from a revolver, once it's had the opportunity to pick up some speed in the long barrel. I've never tried it over the chronograph, but have noticed that many of my moderate 357 revolver loads can be "a bit much" in the carbine for pest control. Informal "testing by ear" (with a suppressor) showed some of my 750 fps revolver loads breaking the sound barrier.

 

[Jeff H]

I don't know ? ?

On a few of my moulds ( not MP ), I think the vent lines may be a bit
deep. If the alloy is too hot, I get fins sometime. 98 % of my moulds seem to be just fine with venting and vent lines.

Ben

Some of mine, which I'm CERTAIN won't work when I first see them out of the box even work fine.

 

[Rockydoc]

I’ll bet those babies go THWACK when they hit something!
Nice looking bullets, Ben.

 

[Ben]

Many thanks,

Ben

 

[CZ93X62]

I concur with the others here--that 357 Hammer is a nice-looking bullet! That wide meplat would surely put the habeas thwackas on whatever target it engaged. Some of those in pure lead run at 800 FPS from my little S&W 642 would alter a goblin's perceptions decisively.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

I don't think you could go wrong with that bullet profile in a 38/357 loading.
Big meplat, close to the 158 grain sweet spot for 38/357, Crimp groove, large square bottom grease groove, flat base. Just enough taper to the nose that it isn't a Type III wadcutter, so it will feed well from speed-loaders or through a lever action.
And all of that in an 8 cavity mold block! What's not to like?

 

[RBHarter]

The difference from the 6" Sec 6 to an 18" 1894 C 38/357 was +375 - 425 fps regardless of load specifics or case length .

 

[JWFilips]

Ben,
I'm liking those! Those are really good thumpers!
nice mould!
Jim

 

[Ben]

Dropping 8 at a time really helps also.
This mould will drain a 20 lb. pot real quick.

Ben

 

[Jeff H]

Dropping 8 at a time really helps also.
This mould will drain a 20 lb. pot real quick.

Ben

Yeah, that'd cost me about a $100 premium on that mould.

I'd have to buy a new 20# pot!

 

[fiver]

the answer is to get a 40 or 90 lb. pot.

 

[Hawk]

I've got an LBT 4 cavity that he calls a semi wadcutter that casts .358 at 150 grains
Thumper is the right word.

 

[Mainiac]

I recently bought an MP 158 gr. Aluminum , 8 cavity mould.
I really do like the mould.

View attachment 31868
View attachment 31867

With the large meplat dia., I was concerned that the bullet might not feed well in my Marlin CBC, 38 Spec., ..........not so.......feeds like water running through screen wire.

5.0 grs. of Unique in 38 Spec. cases.

Love them 8 cav mp,s!!!!open,shake,,close pour,,,wish all molds ran so well!

 

[Ben]

Range is 35 yards, 5.3 grs. of Unique in 38 Spec. cases.

 

[scb]

I noticed the vent lines are so nice looking. Is there a benefit to a specific type of vent lines? Are MP molds better?

Maybe I'll start a thread based on this unless you have a discussion already . .

those vent line are easy to produce. a single tooth cutter like a fly cutter with a high feed rate and a relative slow spindle speed.

 

[richhodg66]

That looks almost like a Ranchdog design. It should be a very gòod hunting or self defense bullet.

 

[Hawk]

I've got an LBT 148 gr. Wad cutter that has a bit of a nose like Ben's bullet.
He said it was a little more accurate than a true wad cutter.
He was right.