38 Special Loads for the Lyman 35793 Bullet

When I started casting bullets in 1969 one of the molds I bought was a Lyman 35793 which casts a gas check bullet. The Lyman Pistol & Revolver Handbook, 3rd Edition, page 143, lists 9mm Luger loads for the 358093. It looks the same as the 35793 except without the gas check. The “most accurate” load uses 3.6 grains of N340 for a velocity of 1037 fps. I have had good results with it in several pistols.

Page 161 of the same book lists.357 Magnum loads for this bullet. The slowest and “most accurate” load uses 5.5 grains of Unique for a velocity of 890 fps. I use this as a target and plinking load.

The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, 4th Edition, does not list any loads for this bullet. I would like to use it for 38 Special but I can’t find any load data. Can any of you folks help me find me a 38 Special load? Perhaps one exists in an old Lyman manual. Thanks.

The 35793 or 358-093 was the 38/357 version of the 429-303 designed for the 44 magnum. I would try 4.0-4.5 grains of bullseye or titegroup, 5.5 grains of Universal or Unique, 6.0 grains of Power Pistol or Herco, or 10 grains of 2400. It was really intended for magnum loads in the 357 magnum, but it has other uses as well. Really, any starting load for a 125 grain bullet can be used to find a beginning point and work up from there until you meet your requirements.

Thank you for the suggestions. I am sure that all of your suggested loads will work very well. One is the same load I currently use in 357 Magnum cases and it will probably will work just as well in 38 Special cases. However, I prefer using loads where I can find published velocity and pressure data. Do you have any ideas?

I suspect that you'll have to do your own experimenting with that boolit.

That mold was never as popular as its bigger brother, and I doubt seriously that there are anywhere pressure tested loads for it. I was given about two pounds of them years ago. I didn't like the gas check and the pointy-nose meant getting the correct nose punch for sizing. I have read that some had issues with the nose deforming when seated, but my RCBS 38 die with the SWC seater plug worked just fine as I recall. I shot them in 357 loads using data from Speer number 10 for a 125 grain jacketed JHP, probably using 2400.

You might be able to find some data on line, but it would likely only be some guys report from the weekend firing five rounds over his trusty Pro Chrony.