purchasing heeled bullets

[Pomona Pete]

Is there a preferred place to purchase heeled bullets for .38 and .44, or is everyone making their own? Thanks

[Pomona Pete]

Seth:

      I tried buying from him and it was a totally (with a capitol T) bad experience.  All the bullets I got from him were incorrect as far as length.  His suggestion for correcting the problem was to cut all the cases down!  He had no idea of correct cartridge length.
I was hoping that there were some other suppliers out there, but I may be resigned to casting them myself.

                                                                                                                         Pete

[Fox Creek Kid]

Pomona Pete, this is your lucky day!! I happen to have two hundred (or more) .44 cal heeled bullets I will gladly sell. PM me & we''ll discuss terms. 

[Advertising]

[Pettifogger]

Not so much a preference as it is finding ANYONE that sells heeled bullets on a commercial basis.  No major caster makes them and it is hard to find anyone that can or will cast them.  GAD actually has a lot of interesting bullets.  I have some conversions with .375 bores, but might try some of their .38 heeled bullets.  I can't find the site right now, but someone was making crimpers for heeled bullets.  Does anyone know of anyone that sells a crimper for heeled bullets?

[Angel_Eyes]

Uninformed Ignorant Limey here (again).
Got to ask,,,,what is a "heeled" bullet???
We must call it something different over here 'cos i've never heard the term applied to a bullet.

Regards, UKshooter.

[Lone Oak]

Bernie Rowels makes a great crimper for heeled bullets. I have one of his .375 heeled moulds also. Give him a call and he'll give you lots of info. Here's a link to his web site:

http://www.oldwestbulletmoulds.com/

I am yet patiently waiting for my gated conversion cylinder from R & D (ordered in mid February......) for my Uberti '51, so I cannot comment on how the bullets perform. I did load one dummy round to get the crimper set and it sure works slick. Bernie recommends using Rooster Jacket lube or Lee Liquid Alox lube. If you're going to use heeled bullets you have to shorten the .38 LC cases to .900".

Lone Oak
 

[Angel_Eyes]

Seth Hawkins,
          thanks for the info, I think I got the idea now. Is it so that you can fit a stepped base bullet of about 0.375 into something like a 38 special case of nominal 0.357 to put through a ".36cal" barrel on your Kirst or R&B conversions??

(Hopefully) Enlightened, UKshooter.

[Pomona Pete]

Hey pards:

      I am a machinist and have had this idea in the back of my beady little brain for awhile on the "heeled" bullet issue.  I think that I know a way to make them very easily.  I am just curious about how many of us use heeled in our guns?

                                                                                                             Pete

[Pettifogger]

About 3, so the market won't be real big.

[Dusty Morningwood]

Buffalo Arms sells a .451 dia. HB heeled bullet for original .44 Colt.  I am thinking about trading out the lined barrel on my Kenny Howell 1860 conversion and play around with original loads.

[Pony Racer]

I have had outstanding service from GAD custom.

My 11m french revolvers are being sparingly shot in some monthly shoots due to his ability to make these cartridges. Outside lubed, heeled bullets whose shoulder sits on the rim of the brass case.

PP - he is a little grough, but my experience with him and his cartridges 43 spanish, 8mm lebel, and 11mm french has been nothing short of outstanding.

You do have to tell him exactly what you want, but in my three years he has gotten more and more willing to chat about the right and wrong way to do older/obsolete cartridges with heeled bullets and long range cartridges like the 43 spanish and my 8mm lebel.

He uses the special crimp tool already mentioned bulit by Mr Rowles.

Just my experience

PR

[Hoof Hearted]

Seth:

      I tried buying from him and it was a totally (with a capitol T) bad experience.  All the bullets I got from him were incorrect as far as length.  His suggestion for correcting the problem was to cut all the cases down!  He had no idea of correct cartridge length.
I was hoping that there were some other suppliers out there, but I may be resigned to casting them myself.

                                                                                                                         Pete

Pete

There are differing length cases for most calibers that were originally designed to use "heeled" bullets. Think "short" colt, "long" colt and then the "special" length, in that order. I load a dozen or so different heeled bullets in 20 or so different pistols (heck, even one rifle) and have not run into a "heel base" bullet that is "too long". Shoot me an email and I'll be glad to share my experience with ya!~

Hoof Hearted