what is the most popular bullet grn for 38 and 45 for cas

[papahoss]

The fella where I buy my reloading supplies wants to know the most popular bullets for 45 caliber and 38 caliber. What grain bullets are the preferred type by most shooters.
He plans to purchase the molds to begin casting the favorite 38 and 45 caliber bullets that a majority of cas shooters would be interested in. This quy has been in the business for a long time and I do like the supplies and knowledge he provides me with, so I would like to help him out if I can

since I'm just the new kid on the block and have only been punching holes in paper plates in the pasture (still waiting for the spring shooting to begin around here) I thought I would ask the question here on this forum.

Thanks for your help

[Wild Ben Raymond]

Mind you this is only a guess but I think most folks that shoot 45's use 200gr. RNFP and those that shoot 38's use 125gr. RNFP or TC type bullets. Those two bullet weights seem to me as the most popular but I'm sure there are still a lot of shooters still using the 250's in 45 & 158's in 38's. WBR

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

Hard to say. I only shoot 250 grain bullets in my 45s. I think more folks shoot 200s though. But there are starting to be an awful lot who are gravitating to 165 grain hockey pucks in 45 Colt.

For Mrs Johnson's 38s I've been loading 125 grain truncated cone bullets. They feed well in her rifle and don't recoil too much in her pistols. I'm sure some are shooting lighter bullets though.

[papahoss]

Howdy

Hard to say. I only shoot 250 grain bullets in my 45s. I think more folks shoot 200s though. But there are starting to be an awful lot who are gravitating to 165 grain hockey pucks in 45 Colt.

For Mrs Johnson's 38s I've been loading 125 grain truncated cone bullets. They feed well in her rifle and don't recoil too much in her pistols. I'm sure some are shooting lighter bullets though.

I thank you for your input, and I hope several others will also share some infromation regarding this topic with me as well

[Wymore Wrangler]

I like the 358 diameter 158 RNFP, but I expect most folks do shoot the 125 grain....

[Buffalo Creek Law Dog]

I use the Hornady 140 gr in .358

[Camille Eonich]

165 gr .45 RNFP
200 gr .45 RNFP
.95 gr .38 RNFP
125 gr .38 TC

[Silent Joe]

I use 250 gr. for .45 RNFP and 158 gr. for .38 RN.

[Whiskey Hayes]

I asked that question to my bullet supplier back in Oct.

125 gr 38's with 105's gaining in popularity

200 gr 45's with an even split between .452 dia. and .454 dia.

[RattlesnakeJack]

I've never shot .38, but have always used 250 gr bullets in .45 Colt. 

A friend, who also used the 250 gr bullet exclusively, tried some 200 gr and hated them because he got very inconsistent ignition and velocities using them.  Admittedly, he did not change powders (we both use Win231) and only guesstimated the necessary change in charge, so that may have been a large part of the problem.  He had neither the inclination or time to mess around with developing a new load from scratch, so simply reverted to the 250's ....

[buck]

  Last year I shot only 200 gr RNFP in my .45's.  This year I plan on thumpin the targets with 250 gr RNFP.  I don't know why...except I just want to   

[John Barleycorn]

Papahoss,
       Check out my poll on popular shapes for CAS it my have some helpful info for your friend...JB

[skunkhouse]

i tried the 165 in 45lc and didnt like them? as some stated they didnt  sound right and had different igniting to  them iam a 200 and more towards 250's , rifle i use 255 sometimes

[Long Johns Wolf]

in .45 Colt I use 200 grainers RNFP, 452 dia, 16 BH, same load for rifle and pistols.
Bootsie

[Curley Cole]

In my 38/357 I shoot 158gr RNFP
in my 45lc I use 205gr RNFP

my pard Old Top uses:

44/40:  205gr RNFP

and Cole Harbour uses:

32/20  118gr (yup you guessed it RNFP)

Curley