cohunt
Well-Known Member
158 xtp (hp) for revolver, 158 xtp ( fp) for rifle-- h110 and starling brass for both.
New 2 Me 357 Mag. Bullet help needed.
- Thread starter entoptics
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cohunt
Well-Known Member
They make excellent hard cast bullets, try the high tek coated ones too. Bruce will help you choose if you aren't sure. I use em in my 10mm, 44mag, and 45 colt-- never tried any in my 357 as I'm not fond of carrying 6" barrels for a side arm.Think I'm gonna try these bad boys...
357, LBT, 160gr, LFN-GC - Montana Bullet Works
Pistol bullets are sold in quantities of 100 & 500/boxwww.montanabulletworks.com
They are a bit spendy compared to XTP, Nosler, Sierra, Etc, but it appears that I can get them in hand in a reasonable time. If they shoot good, they're a viable "First Choice" anyway. They oughta be pretty ferocious with the big meplat, and with BHN 22 and a gas check, I think they should stand up to full tilt loads. Hoping I can get them up around 1400 fps, though I don't really know what to expect from a 6" Smith. Loading data either seems to be in 10" test barrels with no cylinder gap (utterly stupid and near useless IMO), or 4" guns.
They also have the longest nose to crimp offered by this manufacturer, so that should leave a smidgen extra space for powder over other options. I measured a piece of fired brass, then cartridge base to cylinder face, and it looks like I have ~0.4" to work with outside the case, so that leaves me ~0.075 "safety". Can't imagine 357 has enough sauce to worry too much about crimp jumping, particularly in a 6" full lug barrel.
Don't have anything to slug the throat/barrel right now, so I'm gonna assume 0.358" is close enough. Not like this is a revolver from the first world war or something.
Probably won't order till I get a line on some more brass (I only found 35 pieces in my stash, @snox801 PM inbound). If anyone has any other suggestions for quality hard cast, gas-checked bullets, let me know.
16.3 grs H110 fired by a CCI 550 mag primer under any jacketed 158 gr bullet usually shoots great in 357 mags. This is the suggested load out of the Sierra manual. Best 158 gr bullets I have used for deer is the Hornady XTP and the Speer Gold Dot which the 158s are now called Deep Curl. I would give the advice that Bob Milek gave about pistols for black bear and larger. The caliber should start with a 4 or larger. In my experience with the 357 mag revolver on deer keep you shots inside 75 yards and put it exactly were it needs to go and it will do the job. You can extend the yardage quite a bit with the T/C Contender solid breach break open pistols. I really like the 180 gr Hornady XTP fired by 13.5 H110 in my 10" barrel Contender. For protection usage on humans the 125 gr JHP has a very high percent of one shot stops. These days you get what you can find not what you want.
LoneTraveler
Well-Known Member
I shot a lot of 150 gr. Lyman Keith Design bullets in my 357 Mag's.
I may have some sized .357 and lubed out in an out building.
I will check and see what I have.
I may have some sized .357 and lubed out in an out building.
I will check and see what I have.
Hugnot
Well-Known Member
I shoot my modest stash of Hornady 125 XTP's with upper end loads of AC #9. I stay away from stubby 110's and much prefer longer hollow points. I also shoot plated Berry 125 HP's at much reduced velocities using light charges of H Tite Group. Gun is a 4" Taurus Tracker. It has a double angled ported barrel and "V" shaped flames may be seen jetting out of the ports on dark days. Red Acme (sort of like lip stick) semi wad cutters also work well and don't leave lead fouling at less than 1,200 fps.
D
Deleted member 115654
Guest
You don't need jacketed bullets at all. Buy a Lee mold 90322, a melting pot, Lee lube, a Lee .358 sizing die and you're all set.
Buy you metal here: https://www.rotometals.com/bullet-casting-alloys/
Stick with light loads of Unique, Bullseye or TrailBoss and have fun.
Buy you metal here: https://www.rotometals.com/bullet-casting-alloys/
Stick with light loads of Unique, Bullseye or TrailBoss and have fun.
Timnterra
Well-Known Member
I really like my 686's I have one like yours that is a no dash version that I had a trigger job and accuracy job done on. It is a hammer with 158gr JHP rounds. All the guys I know who shoot 357's at animals swear by the Hornady 158gr xtp. It seems to have the perfect balance of BC and speed to get the job done.
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entoptics
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I'm in the Pac NW.
I'm unlikely to shoot very many "light loads". I'll have some on hand for training new shooters, but otherwise, I like me some magnum. Frankly, the top end of 357 Magnum is already "plinker" in my book (outside of feather weight snubbies anyway).
From my understanding, the coated lead bullets can't be driven much harder than conventional of the same hardness, they just lead up a bit less. Also, I've run a few hundred of them through 45 Colt and 454 Casull (aforementioned trainer rounds at high end 45 Colt speeds), and they were fine. Problem I had was they seemed to dirty up my press and dies with coating dust. I'm sure not all are created equal, and this was a couple years back, but I was running a separate seating and crimp stage on my Dillon, and they still seemed to shed coating during those stages.
Regardless, bulk "plinkers" of any kind aren't really on the menu anytime soon. I shoot a few thousand 9mm and 40 a year for that purpose, and have a stash of that sort for 44 Mag, 45 Colt, and 454 Casull already if I feel the need for rapid fire revolver.
This gun is likely to almost exclusively see maximum performance 357 mag, and probably only a couple hundred rounds a year after I settle on a good load.
I'm unlikely to shoot very many "light loads". I'll have some on hand for training new shooters, but otherwise, I like me some magnum. Frankly, the top end of 357 Magnum is already "plinker" in my book (outside of feather weight snubbies anyway).
From my understanding, the coated lead bullets can't be driven much harder than conventional of the same hardness, they just lead up a bit less. Also, I've run a few hundred of them through 45 Colt and 454 Casull (aforementioned trainer rounds at high end 45 Colt speeds), and they were fine. Problem I had was they seemed to dirty up my press and dies with coating dust. I'm sure not all are created equal, and this was a couple years back, but I was running a separate seating and crimp stage on my Dillon, and they still seemed to shed coating during those stages.
Regardless, bulk "plinkers" of any kind aren't really on the menu anytime soon. I shoot a few thousand 9mm and 40 a year for that purpose, and have a stash of that sort for 44 Mag, 45 Colt, and 454 Casull already if I feel the need for rapid fire revolver.
This gun is likely to almost exclusively see maximum performance 357 mag, and probably only a couple hundred rounds a year after I settle on a good load.
PNW is kind of generic... LOL
I'm west of PDX.
I powder coat my 44 Mag cast bullets and shoot them at full power. No mucky-ing up the barrel either.
Edit2Add, Prolly have plenty of "scraps" to help you get started.
I'm west of PDX.
I powder coat my 44 Mag cast bullets and shoot them at full power. No mucky-ing up the barrel either.
Edit2Add, Prolly have plenty of "scraps" to help you get started.
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Critter Picker
Well-Known Member
Sounds like you have no shortage of handguns just a shortage of brass. With the assortment of handguns you have it sounds to me like you could benefit from bullet casting. The new hard lubes don't gum things up like the old soft lubes did. I had a friend that got me started back in the mid 70's and I thoroughly enjoy the casting. I had the good fortune of meeting an elderly gentleman back during the winter of 78 - 79 by the name of Elmer Keith. Got an autographed copy of " Hell I was there" that I treasure. The biggest thing I got from our conversation was that on a revolver the most important thing is that the exit holes on the cylinder must be larger than bore diameter. Simple concept but something no one checks.
The easy way to check barrel diameter is shoot a bunch of bullets into a snow bank and recover them in the spring. The snow melts leaving the bullets laying right on top. Once I've done that I size a bullet .001 smaller and make sure it will slide into all exit holes on a cylinder. I don't want to sound like a bragger, but I have both a 41 and a 44 that I've consistently shot 3" groups with at 200 meters ( open sights) from the Creedmoor position. My old eyes can't do it today but I can get 2 inch at 100 yards.
I really enjoy revolvers and hope you enjoy your 686. My favorite lately has been my 45 LC. I've developed arthritis in my wrists and can't take recoil as well as I used to. I've also bought moulds for some of my rifles and have a .308 load that will group under an inch in 3 different rifles. Not a long range load but I can get a lot of trigger time in with no throat erosion and very little cost.
The easy way to check barrel diameter is shoot a bunch of bullets into a snow bank and recover them in the spring. The snow melts leaving the bullets laying right on top. Once I've done that I size a bullet .001 smaller and make sure it will slide into all exit holes on a cylinder. I don't want to sound like a bragger, but I have both a 41 and a 44 that I've consistently shot 3" groups with at 200 meters ( open sights) from the Creedmoor position. My old eyes can't do it today but I can get 2 inch at 100 yards.
I really enjoy revolvers and hope you enjoy your 686. My favorite lately has been my 45 LC. I've developed arthritis in my wrists and can't take recoil as well as I used to. I've also bought moulds for some of my rifles and have a .308 load that will group under an inch in 3 different rifles. Not a long range load but I can get a lot of trigger time in with no throat erosion and very little cost.
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357, 180gr, WFN-GC - Montana Bullet Works
Pistol bullets are sold in quantities of 100 & 500/box
www.montanabulletworks.com
Not certain what distance you want to shoot with them, but you may want to consider the wfn [wide flat nose] if using for hunting. Shot 300 gr wfn out of my 44 mag out to 200 meters competitively. If they're legal in your state, they leave a large wound channel and there's no stopping them.
If bullets are properly powder coated and baked correctly you should not have any coming off in your press unless your seating stem is incorrect for the bullet and or you are not belling your case enough and they are shaving it off. Remember powder coating increases the size of the bullet and you must run them through a sizer of the proper diameter for your bore if you do the coating your self. If store bought check the true diameter of the bullet and go from there. You should be able to run a properly coated bullet at full speed with no problems.
