Cast bullet in 357 Maxi ?

[watkibe]

I like to develop at least one cast bullet load for every gun I own, so my newly reamed Maxi barrel needed one too. I got an idea of the type of bullet I wanted to use from Steve over on 357maximum.com His were from Lyman molds,
but I found what I wanted from Lee, their TL358-158-2R. They give this bullet a BC of .207, much higher than most SWC designs. BTW, with my alloy, the mold throws bullets weighing about 165 grains. I got the mold and cast and lubed a bunch. I could find no published data for this type of load, so I used the maximum charge weight of Unique for the 357 Magnum cartridge in my Maximum cases. It's been too dark and overcast here for the Chrony to work, but groups are starting to show promise.

[mechanic]

I like that bullet design.  I've worked a load with a 165 fp gas check  that is showing promise. Repost as you go along so we can learn...............

[Spanky]

I got some 200gr. gas checked flat nose cast bullets from Reed's for my Max. Can't wait to try 'em out on deer next season.
The max cartridges are mean lookin' little buggers.



Spanky

[Dinny]

I load a Magma mold 170gr SWC w/ gc that my friend casts for me. His come out closer to 175gr due to a higher amount of Linotype.  His is an older discontinued mold that most closely resembles their current 38-145 mold. Accuracy with H Lil Gun is excellent as noted with my 5/8" 3-shot group at 100yds. I have 50 of them loaded and ready to go.

http://www.magmaengineering.com/PDF/FBOct132008b.pdf

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,214603.0.html


Thanks, Dinny

[mrcoolid]

watkibe

I have used 180 hard cast gc boolits with 19gr of 2400 in my maxi.. I think it was a 100yd shot group of 1.25" center to center and approx. 2000 fps through my chrony from what I remember.. I am working on loading the 180 ssp with 1680 right now.. It is fun to tweak loads with different powders and see how they shoot...

have a great 2011... shoot more and shoot more often

Mike

[parson48]

I've been thinkin' hard about Ranch Dog's 190 gr. mold for my max. I have one of his .44s and really like it.

I've loaded up some Lee 158 swc with gc but haven't tried them out yet.

[watkibe]

In  my 357 Max Handi, I fired some of Lee's TL-358-158-GC SWC bullets in Mag cases with my usual amount of H110 for revolver use.
In my Handi, they chronied at 2400 fps !!! Seems a little fast for any cast lead bullet, but with the gas checks, after 5 rounds fired, I couldn't see any leading occuring. Still, it wasn't what I wanted - a midrange, economical, plinking/practice load. The higher BC of the LRN seemed like it would exploit the 22" barrel's accuracy potential better than a strictly handgun design like SWC.

Thanks for all the input, fellas !

[bikerbeans]

Watkibe,

I've been invited to deer hunt on a friends farm in Indiana next fall so I too am going to work up a cast load for my 357 Maxi.  I have a box of RCBS 35-200-FN 200 gr, GCs on the way from Western Bullet.  Going to try H110 & AA1680 & mayber IMR 4227 and see what works.   Good luck with your load workup.   

BB

[watkibe]

Hey beans -
I guess the laws regarding legal weapons for deer have changed in some states, usually I guess shotgun only.
Steve at WWW.357maximum.com lives in Indiana, and his site is the whole story about making up a legal rifle/cartridge duo that meets Indiana law. Sadly, some units here in WA are stiil shotgun only.
Thanks for the encouraging words, its been cold, rainy, snowing, windstorming, so I can use all encourage possible to get out of the house and go shoot ! I have to plan ahead and turn on the heat in my reloading shack 2 hours before I want to start loading.

[petemi]

my reloading/tool room is about 12 x 8 in the barn.  I have a 2000 watt electrric baseboard heater and the room is insulated.  It warms up enough to work without gloves in about 15 minutes.  The bad part is the tools retain the cold.

Pete

[watkibe]

There is plenty of published data for "max for maxi" loads, using W296, H110, 4227, and 1680. All of these give velocities higher than I am looking for. I can't find any data for a 1500 fps cast bullet load.
As a starting point, I figured that the maximum load of Unique in the 357 Magnum for that bullet weight would be safe in the bigger Maxi case. I fiddled with the numbers a little and drew a chart, comparing how case capacity in cc of water and charge weights for Unique with 158 gr cast bullets varies from 38 Special, 357 Magnum, and extended the graph to the Maxi using the case capacity and seeing where the unknown Unique charge weight would fall.
Please note here, I DID NOT just use my numbers and start loading tablespoons of Unique into Maxi cases. Instead I used the old school cut-and-try method, inching my way up by tenths of a grain from the 357 mag load. I finally reached a charge weight that chronies at about 1400 fps, has decent 50 yd accuracy, and that has very mild looking primers and no case head expansion that I can measure. This load also sounded right. Lower charges had kind of a hollow "pop" sound to them, but the final load just gave a normal, moderate "bang".
BTW, the load ended up being almost exactly what the math predicted, haha !
SO- Hey Mrcoolid, what was your source for your load using 19 gr of 2400 for the Maxi ? I recently got some 2400, and was disappointed to find no data.

[gcrank1]

As a confirmed cast bullet shooter Im really liking Trail Boss, but the 70% load is only a starting, and plinking, point. If you get a chance to try it use 80% and work up to the full case load beneath the bullet base. It should end up at about the velo you want and never any worries about pressure or a double charge.

[watkibe]

Thanks gcrank1! I have heard lots of good things about Trail Boss, especially my brother, who wants to get into cowboy action shooting.

[keith44]

Ok keep it up and you're gonna make me want a maxi...

I do have a question about the Lee tumble lube bullets I keep seeing here.  do they really carry enough lube?? how?

I shoot only cast bullets in everything, except my K-Hornet and can't make myself try one from a Lee mould, just because of the lack of a true lube groove.

[gcrank1]

I believe that what is at work with the Liquid ALOX is known as 'boundary layer lubrication, not unlike what you get in a fast spinning bearing. ALOX has proven its worth for how many years now, and that bullet isnt in the bore very long. I know a lot of people say you have to have a soft lube for BP, and also know a lot of lubes used on lubed/sized bullets on the market have a very hard lube. ALOX is not hard, and the Liquid can even be thinned out more and still works well.
Plain easy to use too......

[OSOK]

I really have a hankering to try the Beartooth 185 gr. FNGC in my max. I am very intrigued by the possibility of tempering the nose of the hardcast bullet to soften it and allow it to expand, as they explain on their site. I know it would be easier to just load a jacketed bullet, but I like the odd ball stuff...same reason I want to load some paper-patched 500 gr. bullets in my .45-70 BC. A 500 gr. bullet going as fast as a 300 gr. factory load, expanding to the size of a half-dollar, what's not to like about that? (I know...RECOIL!!!)

[gcrank1]

To stay the errant Buick?