.38 bullets in the Bulldog .357 experiment

[redlined_b16a]

Big surprise with some cheap 130 grain hollow points today.
Ordered in .358" and they made about 2" groups at 50 yards with a dirty barrel.

Sized a few .357 and 7/8" group
Expanded in a really soft soil pile I have to .517"

[redlined_b16a]

Ran a 3 shot string over chronograph
2800 psi fill
789
777
760
Peak of 180ft lbs.
Should would like to sling these a lil faster but then it would sling pellets too fast.

[redlined_b16a]

Great day in my book.
Academy had some Hornady 148gr hollow point Wadcutters.$23 for 250
Measured .360"
Ran them through the die and measure .357"
50 yards just over 3/4" group was my best.
Worse was a 1.023" ctc.
In soft loose soil they expanded to .520" and did not travel far in there.
I'm impressed and I'm going to buy some more.
Did not chronograph yet but I expect 750ish fps.

[redlined_b16a]

The Wad Cutter B.C. is 0.47
They drop alot and loose energy much faster than other bullets so I think I found a substitute for pellets.
On Chairgun just inputting 750fps they drop 22" at 100yards
184ft lbs at muzzle and 111 at 100.
Have to chronograph a shot string tommor and I may up my power input and drop pellets all together

[Sbak]

In my earlier post I showed a picture of some 130gr HP but didn't say what mold they were from.
These are actually a .355 mold but the bullets throw at .357 unsized and I can shoot them 'as cast'.but usually run them quickly through a 357 die just to true them a bit (they almost fall through but take a tiny bit of sizing to 'circularize' them)
If you are going to have someone cast for you (you could buy the mold and have them use it) this bullet fills out well and casts easily, dropping off the pins with just a shake.
Here's the link:
https://noebulletmolds.com/site/product-category/355-9mm/tl357-135-rf-au5
Here's another bullet I use in lower power rifles and as a plinker that in the HP has done a serviceable job
https://noebulletmolds.com/site/product-category/355-9mm/359-115-rf-r2

+1
The noe 135 is now my big game round, no hollow point for me though. Big meplats do enough damage on their own
Edit: Jus fyi it drops at 138gr in 1.5% tin and as kinetic said ~.357 diameter

[redlined_b16a]

Well I cant leave any airgun alone...…...ever.
Took her apart and found every screw on the barrel loose.

Removed the plastic transfer port and drilled out the valve and barrel port to .260"
Used a Dermel and a small bit to round off the edges and make it flow better.
Removed the barrel o-ring and cleaned the barrel a lot.
Reassembled and starting cranking in the hammer spring until I reached the Max velocity.Her are some strings on a 2800 PSI fill down to 2000 PSI.....so 1000 PSI for 5 shots.

Hornady 148 grain Hollow Point WadCutters 224 ft lbs
827
810
796
757
707
GT Bullets 9mm sized to .357 130 grain hollow points for 236 ft lbs
905
890
870
845
814
Hornady 158 grain hollow point  241 ft lbs
830
812
791
765
727
First 3 shots are nearly the same hole 4 and 5 drop a little at 50 yards.Every shot afte shot six is a big drop.
Probly going to tune it down for 5 respectable shots but I just thought my FPS gain was impressive and back to what I originally though that the transfer port size was the guns limits.
The groups at 50 yards are all about the same.I have some more Bullets in the mail.
I did not chrono them but the JSB are probly over 1000 fps and they even grouped 1" at 50 yards.
One of the WadCutters in clay mud expanded to .629" That's just over 5/8"

[redlined_b16a]

So more cheap ammo came in in .38 and 9m sized to .357
The 115 grains cycle and are really flying.No chronograph cause it's raining but fired off two rounds and they went into the same hole at 40 yards.
So there is promise.
All are about 10 cents each.

Sorry the pic is sideways

[redlined_b16a]

It's raining but shooting out of the back door the 148 grain wad cutters group 3/4" or smaller at 40 yards.

I installed the transfer port and lowered hammer spring back to factor settings for now.

At high power for 240ish fpe it uses about 900 psi for  5 shots

On low power which is probly just under 200 fpe it uses 600 psi.
However so far the wad cutters rule.

[redlined_b16a]

Returned the gun to near factory settings.
No chrono results but the 148 grain wad cutters are awesome.Teathered at 3000 psi at 51 yards.

Tried 100 yards but it's too much for my 3x scope to see results or to attain good ones.
But its $12 for 100 rounds.Im happy with them.

Hopefully when I crank up the power they stay accurate.I have a hog hunt planned next month.

[Iamscotticus]

Whats the details on those 148 wad cutters?

[redlined_b16a]

Whats the details on those 148 wad cutters?

Besides that they are awesome.......
Gt bullets.
http://www.gtbullets.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=92

Shipping is kinda slow so is updates but cheap and worth the wait.
Good quality.
I order them in .358 and run them through a die but they did measure .358 on arrival.

[redlined_b16a]

According to this vid
I shoot them backwards.......wonder if my fps will pick up and groups tighten if I shoot them correctly.

[Airgun-hobbyist]

According to this vid
I shoot them backwards.......wonder if my fps will pick up and groups tighten if I shoot them correctly.

Cool video find!  The way you have been shooting them puts the center of gravity more rearwards.   With them being a straight walled cylinder and the center of gravity only slightly behind it probably won't want to wabble and tumble to go weight first.  Longer range might be the real test there, when it really slows down.  Even though his velocities were comparable to yours, some ballistics gel testing with the rifle would be great to see.

[redlined_b16a]

Just want to put this out there
NSA ammo performed the best groups but for plinking at $30 plus shipping for 100 rounds.......not for me.
$17 shipped for 100 rounds cheap wad cutters.
Or 500 rounds $50 shipped cheap wad cutters for game and target shooting.......that's for me.
These wad cutters are cheaper than pellets currently.

.......And accurate......in my bulldog.

[Iamscotticus]

Kool.
I never got into the cast boolits so I don't know much.
Does the lubrication residue that is from the gas rings have any chance of detonation?

[redlined_b16a]

Kool.
I never got into the cast boolits so I don't know much.
Does the lubrication residue that is from the gas rings have any chance of detonation?

To be honest I never thought about that.......however I recovered shot slugs to check the rifling grooves and found no trace of burns or heat damage.
Not saying it is not combustible or flamable.Maybe I'm lucky so far.I'll research on it.

[redlined_b16a]

According to this vid
I shoot them backwards.......wonder if my fps will pick up and groups tighten if I shoot them correctly.

Cool video find!  The way you have been shooting them puts the center of gravity more rearwards.   With them being a straight walled cylinder and the center of gravity only slightly behind it probably won't want to wabble and tumble to go weight first.  Longer range might be the real test there, when it really slows down.  Even though his velocities were comparable to yours, some ballistics gel testing with the rifle would be great to see.

I have shot paper/boxes at 105 yards and its still clean round holes.They punch paper really nice.Perfectly cut holes.

[mackeral5]

thanks for sharing.  I am hopeful I can find a more economical slug for a .357 TJ's barreled QB78 project.  it doesn't quite have the horsepower for 140+gr, it's more of a 105-130gr gun.  I just placed an order with Desperado Cowboy bullets for 100 packs of their 105gr and 125gr.  They are advertised at 8-9 brinell. Hopefully they do well as they are priced very competitively, they are basically the same price, maybe a little less than 81gr vortex pellets when buying 100.  Buy more and they are significantly less. 

I am optimistic the driving bands/lube groove translate into less bore friction than NSA's .

[redlined_b16a]

I tried the 115 grains from GTBullets.My Bulldog is more accurate with longer slugs.
I have some 130 grain hollow points that do well.

[redlined_b16a]

Let's update:
Gt bullets .380 88 grains sized .357 are amazing.
Leaning against a post 90 yards yeilded 2.5" group around 160 ft lbs

The Hornady .38 158gr LRN yeilded a 2" group.
Best of all avalible at Al Academy's 300 count for $29

No pics.i buy the .38 cals and size them through a Lee die/hand press .357.
About 9 cents per round.
https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/hornady-lrn-38-158-grain-bullets

https://www.gtbullets.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=10&products_id=31