Easy-Squeezy reformed 38 hbwc

Ran an experiment with the old Clark 38. Everyone talks about the super Remington 38s that you can't get. They were great because they were 0.360 in the skirt.

I took a Lyman sizer with a home made square base punted plug and resized some Zeroes to 360.

Doesn't take a lot of force. They flow into the lube channel as evidenced by the circular spots on the bullet. Big difference in group size at 50 yards. Gil Hebard screwdriver advice for free.

Very interesting Bruce. What barrel is in your Clark? 5" or 6"? His two-piece Douglas barrels seemed tighter (0.355-356).
Jon

5” but its an aftermarket, about 1/2” dia muzzle

I have a spare pencil bbl but not fitted yet

Maybe you?

No marks on the barrel as to manufacturer?

Those petite Colt barrels shoot great. Have fit two in last couple of months.

Jon

Bruce
Always believed in Gil’s #4 rule. Worst case was you were just as far out, except on the other side!

So when can we expect to see, "Bruce's Bullets" hit the market?

WOuld it be easier to call up a company that makes your bullet, and ask said company to measure the bullets to see what they are AS CAST,,, and before they go through any machinery?

Or have a custom mold made?

Or get a custom barrel made that is "better" dimensionsed to using "inferior" bullets?

Eindecker wrote:WOuld it be easier to call up a company that makes your bullet, and ask said company to measure the bullets to see what they are AS CAST,,, and before they go through any machinery?

Or have a custom mold made?

Or get a custom barrel made that is "better" dimensionsed to using "inferior" bullets?

These are not cast, they’re swaged so they are what they are. It’s not a wildly popular and profitable product for suppliers. The few suppliers left also have following with a majority of customers happy enough with things as they are. Swaging dies, commercial, are not cheap and are meant to last a long time. They may start out smaller on the tolerances and grow. Few would want to change to satisfy a gun that is was never in production and even in Outdoor Bullseye, has rare use.

I’m simply tinkering with a 1969 Clark 1911 in 38. These bullets would be fine, as struck, in a 52. Many that l have are no longer made. Im grateful that I can get any at all.

Since all the modern/ new barrels are cut .355 in .38spl would this help with the new 1911 barrels?

bruce martindale wrote:

Eindecker wrote:WOuld it be easier to call up a company that makes your bullet, and ask said company to measure the bullets to see what they are AS CAST,,, and before they go through any machinery?

Or have a custom mold made?

Or get a custom barrel made that is "better" dimensionsed to using "inferior" bullets?

These are not cast, they’re swaged so they are what they are. It’s not a wildly popular and profitable product for suppliers. The few suppliers left also have following with a majority of customers happy enough with things as they are. Swaging dies, commercial, are not cheap and are meant to last a long time. They may start out smaller on the tolerances and grow. Few would want to change to satisfy a gun that is was never in production and even in Outdoor Bullseye, has rare use.

I’m simply tinkering with a 1969 Clark 1911 in 38. These bullets would be fine, as struck, in a 52. Many that l have are no longer made. Im grateful that I can get any at all.

I fully know how they are swagged, is just that i have seen many that were not up to snuff in dimensions,, in general for swagged bullets. Particularly speer swagged SWC. 

But they do have expensive molds for making hollow base wadcutters.

bruce martindale wrote:

Eindecker wrote:WOuld it be easier to call up a company that makes your bullet, and ask said company to measure the bullets to see what they are AS CAST,,, and before they go through any machinery?

Or have a custom mold made?

Or get a custom barrel made that is "better" dimensionsed to using "inferior" bullets?

These are not cast, they’re swaged so they are what they are. It’s not a wildly popular and profitable product for suppliers. The few suppliers left also have following with a majority of customers happy enough with things as they are. Swaging dies, commercial, are not cheap and are meant to last a long time. They may start out smaller on the tolerances and grow. Few would want to change to satisfy a gun that is was never in production and even in Outdoor Bullseye, has rare use.

I’m simply tinkering with a 1969 Clark 1911 in 38. These bullets would be fine, as struck, in a 52. Many that l have are no longer made. Im grateful that I can get any at all.

hello Bruce
yes i use the Zero's in my 52 and they work very well but i don't use for the long line. thanks for another Bullseye-L lesson.  you should write a book.... lol

So how will this help when using a new Kart barrel that is bored .355" ?

May not be needed but only you can determine that. This was done to get 0.357 barrels to shoot. 

OTOH, too small or too soft will lead in a M52, BTDT too.

Got leading with some 357 swaged in a 52 too

Hmmm Thanks Bruce, I have seen some leading in my 1911 .38spl Kart barrel. I have since used a larger Lyman sizing die, .358" and bumped the soft swaged bullets up to .358". I also put Liquid Rooster lube on the newly sized bullets which keeps the leading down.

Good! I’m a big fan of liquid tumble lube adders on long bearing length bullets like 38s and the two groove Lyman 452460 45  bullets and the H&G#130