need advice , converted 1851

Captchee · April 14, 2013, 10:23 PM

Ok so im very new to this aspect of BP pistols so im in search of advice as to what to do .
Recently I converted a Uberti 1851 to 38 long colt . This is a kirts conversion.
Ok so my barrel swags at .370 . I been shooting Ultra max 158 gr RN
The accuracy is ???? Well about a 12 inch pattern at 25 yards , off hand . The bullets are tumbling and im getting real nice little rectangles in the target .

Im new to reloading cartridges and today I cast up some .376 heeled bullest from one of my old Dixie moulds .
I tried reloading the .357 long colt casings in my 38 special dies . Well it didn’t work to well . The casings all sized fine but when I went to seat the bullet it would stick in my setting dieand pull back out of the casing . I would then have to take the die apart and nock the bullet out , then reset the die
The bullet is a 125 gr, with a rather sharp point . It mic to .357 ant the base and then to .370 at the first band then .376 at the nose

So now my question . Is the die for a heeled 38 cal long colt larger then a 38 special ?

I see that Lee makes a set of dies for 38 long and short colt . Is this the difference IE the seating die and crimp die is larger .

Now the other option is
a) wad cutters “ I don’t like them :
B)Hollow based .357 bullet . Which would be great if I could find a reasonably price HB .357 mould that doesn’t cost in the range of having the barrel relined

Im wondering if it would be better to simply have the barrel lined to .357 .
If this is your opinion as to the best thing to do , who would you recommend and what type of cost would I be looking at .

Anny advice would be appreciated

Captchee · April 15, 2013, 04:32 PM

LMAO ok . no replies ,
However i figured out what i was doing wrong LOL

Jim Watson · April 15, 2013, 05:02 PM

Well, good. What was it?

Me?
I had mine lined down to .358" so I would not have to play happy heel games.
(Hollowbase wadcutters worked most but not all the time.)

Captchee · April 15, 2013, 06:30 PM

well i have some 38LC brass and some 38 special brass .
i been trying to reload my 38LC
my dies are 38 special . so my exspander die wasnt exspanding the casing mouth like it should have been . as such it was compressing lead into the die and jamming it up .
but when i put 38 special casing in , it works fine .

this weekend i also picked up a old steel ,dixie heeled bullet mould that casts a 125 grain . which so happens is . 357 at the base ..367 at the first lub ring , then grows to .372 .
being im using soft lead , i rana lubed bullet through my .358 sizing die and WAAA LAAAA no more problems .

now im to figure out a way to hollow base the mould . after using a counter sink on the base , i still am getting a 110 grain bullet

but that was all after spending the morning shooting .60 rb from my 38 special casings . my group went from 12 inchs at 25 yards down to 6 inchs at 25 yards .

what a kick in the but .

newfrontier45 · April 16, 2013, 04:39 AM

I would have to have the barrel relined rather than screwing around with heeled bullets. However, there is a source for dies, bullets and info.

http://www.cartridgeconversion.com

Hawg · April 16, 2013, 05:12 AM

Having the barrel lined would be the best option.

Captchee · April 16, 2013, 06:14 AM

thanks for the imput guys .
finding a mould isnt an issue as i can make my own .
the problem was with the dies . actualy not even the dies , it was with me

as to re lining the barrel . ya im thinking ill probably end up doing that down the road . but with the groups i got yesterday , thats about as good as i can shoot a pistol now days anyway LOL

April 14, 2013, 10:23 PM	#1
Captchee Senior Member Join Date: April 2, 2013 Posts: 439	need advice , converted 1851 Ok so im very new to this aspect of BP pistols so im in search of advice as to what to do . Recently I converted a Uberti 1851 to 38 long colt . This is a kirts conversion. Ok so my barrel swags at .370 . I been shooting Ultra max 158 gr RN The accuracy is ???? Well about a 12 inch pattern at 25 yards , off hand . The bullets are tumbling and im getting real nice little rectangles in the target . Im new to reloading cartridges and today I cast up some .376 heeled bullest from one of my old Dixie moulds . I tried reloading the .357 long colt casings in my 38 special dies . Well it didn’t work to well . The casings all sized fine but when I went to seat the bullet it would stick in my setting dieand pull back out of the casing . I would then have to take the die apart and nock the bullet out , then reset the die The bullet is a 125 gr, with a rather sharp point . It mic to .357 ant the base and then to .370 at the first band then .376 at the nose So now my question . Is the die for a heeled 38 cal long colt larger then a 38 special ? I see that Lee makes a set of dies for 38 long and short colt . Is this the difference IE the seating die and crimp die is larger . Now the other option is a) wad cutters “ I don’t like them : B)Hollow based .357 bullet . Which would be great if I could find a reasonably price HB .357 mould that doesn’t cost in the range of having the barrel relined Im wondering if it would be better to simply have the barrel lined to .357 . If this is your opinion as to the best thing to do , who would you recommend and what type of cost would I be looking at . Anny advice would be appreciated

April 15, 2013, 04:32 PM	#2
Captchee Senior Member Join Date: April 2, 2013 Posts: 439	LMAO ok . no replies , However i figured out what i was doing wrong LOL

April 15, 2013, 05:02 PM	#3
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,543	Well, good. What was it? Me? I had mine lined down to .358" so I would not have to play happy heel games. (Hollowbase wadcutters worked most but not all the time.)

April 15, 2013, 06:30 PM	#4
Captchee Senior Member Join Date: April 2, 2013 Posts: 439	well i have some 38LC brass and some 38 special brass . i been trying to reload my 38LC my dies are 38 special . so my exspander die wasnt exspanding the casing mouth like it should have been . as such it was compressing lead into the die and jamming it up . but when i put 38 special casing in , it works fine . this weekend i also picked up a old steel ,dixie heeled bullet mould that casts a 125 grain . which so happens is . 357 at the base ..367 at the first lub ring , then grows to .372 . being im using soft lead , i rana lubed bullet through my .358 sizing die and WAAA LAAAA no more problems . now im to figure out a way to hollow base the mould . after using a counter sink on the base , i still am getting a 110 grain bullet but that was all after spending the morning shooting .60 rb from my 38 special casings . my group went from 12 inchs at 25 yards down to 6 inchs at 25 yards . what a kick in the but .

April 16, 2013, 04:39 AM	#5
newfrontier45 Junior member Join Date: February 23, 2012 Posts: 921	I would have to have the barrel relined rather than screwing around with heeled bullets. However, there is a source for dies, bullets and info. http://www.cartridgeconversion.com

April 16, 2013, 05:12 AM	#6
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,189	Having the barrel lined would be the best option.

April 16, 2013, 06:14 AM	#7
Captchee Senior Member Join Date: April 2, 2013 Posts: 439	thanks for the imput guys . finding a mould isnt an issue as i can make my own . the problem was with the dies . actualy not even the dies , it was with me as to re lining the barrel . ya im thinking ill probably end up doing that down the road . but with the groups i got yesterday , thats about as good as i can shoot a pistol now days anyway LOL