Found sweet cast bullet load for my 357 BBS

[Mgr2]

Hi all.

Finally I found a sweet cast bullet and load for my 357 Magnum Big Boy Steel. I have experimented with 5-6 cast bullet designs, and the most accurate is the RCBS 38-158-SWC (gas checked), tumble lubed with Lee Alox. Powder is 6.0 grains of Hodgdon Universal.

Left is the Lee TL358-158-SWC for comparison, right the RCBS bullet. Same load. Distance is 100 meters, 10 shot each, with scope from rest. Not bad accuracy for homecast unsorted bullets, in a pistol caliber, I would say.

Img_1125.jpg (105.41 KiB) Viewed 1727 times

[JEBar]

not bad at all ... do you plan to continue refining your load ?

[BigAl52]

Looks good to me. I sure would load it again

[Mgr2]

not bad at all ... do you plan to continue refining your load ?

I love to experiment, so will continue searching for the perfect load, yes .

[Rifletom]

That is some mighty good shooting. And at 100 meters! You have a very good load there indeed.

[fortyshooter]

Very nice grouping from 100 meters! Lock that load down!

[Vaquero]

Nice shooting for sure, looks like you have it figured out.

RP

[Vaquero]

Have you ever tried a heavier bullet?
Myself and a few of the guys here and had some good results with one if ya ever want to try.

RP

[Mgr2]

Have you ever tried a heavier bullet?
Myself and a few of the guys here and had some good results with one if ya ever want to try.

RP

I have tried the (jacketed) Hornady 180 XTP, which was very accurate, and the Lee C358-200-RF, which was not such a great success. Mainly because I had to load them one at a time due to their length.

[clovishound]

I did not have good accuracy with the tumble lube design bullet.

[Steve51]

From the holes punched in the paper, the Lee bullet makes holes duplicating a full wadcutter. Can you post a picture of the two bullets you used in the test?

Excellent 100 meter shooting with the RCBS bullet.

[Mgr2]

From the holes punched in the paper, the Lee bullet makes holes duplicating a full wadcutter. Can you post a picture of the two bullets you used in the test?

Excellent 100 meter shooting with the RCBS bullet.

I also noticed that, but they are both SWCs. The RCBS bullets have a sharper step and should have cut the paper cleaner, but they didn’t. Could be the target, it has many layers of old target paper glued together.

I dont have any of the LEE ones left, and I will probably not cast any more of them.

[Vaquero]

Those 200's were actually designed for the 35 Rem., if I'm not mistaken, and work good in my two Marlins.

RP

[Mgr2]

Those 200's were actually designed for the 35 Rem., if I'm not mistaken, and work good in my two Marlins.

RP

Yes, they work well in my 356 Winchester 94.

[Mgr2]

From the holes punched in the paper, the Lee bullet makes holes duplicating a full wadcutter. Can you post a picture of the two bullets you used in the test?

Excellent 100 meter shooting with the RCBS bullet.

Here are some more pics of the actual target. The only explanation I have is that the Lee bullets have a larger meplat, and that their edge is a bit rounded, so they slipped through without cutting.

RCBS bullet and holes:

357_RCBS_1.jpg (99.93 KiB) Viewed 1236 times

Lee TL358-158 mold:

357_Lee_2.jpg (112.65 KiB) Viewed 1236 times

Lee holes:

357_Lee_1.jpg (106.61 KiB) Viewed 1236 times