What bullet for .357/.38 if I want to stock only 1 for all around use???

[smong2000]

I'm trying to simplify my life and reloading bench so looking for a bullet that I can use in my SW686 to cover light load plinking, defense against 2 and medium sized 4 legged varmints, and deer hunting as the opportunity arises.  I'm also limiting my powder to Bullseye and 2400 and using magnum primers.  Pretty sure a cast bullet will fit the bill, but which one can I buy ready to load and where? 
THANKS!

[Noreaster]

38 spl for light plinking, 357 mag 158 JHP for everything else.

[Scibaer]

well i think a 158 grain cast lead, lubed  in a semi wadcutter would do you really nice..
 here is a link to alot of online cast bullet manufacturers.. http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,144909.0.html

[dan3]

I have been using Cast Performance 160 & 180 WFNGC  bullets - excellant performance at all velocities - so far its been "one hole in...big hole out" just what I'm looking for. I've used them in S&W M27, M28, M19, M640, and Ruger Blackhawks and SP101.

[teamnelson]

I use the Lee 2 cavity mold for tumble load 158 gr. swc, and load it in .38/+P and .357, revolvers and lever guns. It was suggested by a lot of folks here, and its been a trooper for me at the range out to 100 yds. I've yet to hunt deer with it, but I hope that's coming.

[Mikey]

I use one bullet in all my 38 specials and 357 handguns, a 200 gn cast Keith style semi-wadcutter.  I shoot that bullet through 38 snubbies and Model 10s at standard pressures and use the same bullet in my M28 at magnum velocities when I hunt. The same bullet is accurate from about 600'/sec to about 1300'/sec in my handguns.

[coyotejoe]

Several years ago I bought a case of Winchester 158 grain JHP's for both .38 and .357, I think that's a pretty good compromise weight for all purposes. They are less expensive than good commercial cast bullets and I don't have to spend an hour scouring lead out of my revolver bores after a shooting session.

[SHOOTALL]

A good 125 gr SJHP. Nuff said.

[BCB]

Jacketed bullets are always good in the 158 grain range…

But, unless you buy bulk, and I do mean bulk, they will still be pricey to shoot even being reloaded by yourself…

Cast boolits will be less expensive, but you will most likely get bevel base boolits if you purchase commercially.  They can infamous for leading.  A flat/plain base is the best.  I would look for a Keith design and they will come in a variety of weights with the 170+ being probably the most common.  I shoot the 358429, but I cast many different boolits so this is not a single setup...

I suspect casting your own might be the way to go, except initial setup could be a bit expensive even if you go with the minimum.  Ladle pour and an inexpensive mold…

All are expensive to shoot, some just a little less than others…

Good-luck…BCB

[gman628]

I agree that a cast plain base bullet is a great all around way to go.  I do know of a guy on another forum that cast's and sell's them.  He has a lot of .358 dia. to choose from and I hear good things about him and his products.  If you're interested in contacting him, shoot me a PM and I will PM you back with the info.

Gary

[Ahab]

180 cast.

[Ak.Hiker]

The 158 grain Speer Gold Dot would be a good choice.

[Lloyd Smale]

for not much more then the price of a couple boxes of bullets you can buy a lee mold and a few other things and make your own.

[SHOOTALL]

If the object was a good bullet then cast would be good but as it ask for "all around use " then jacketed should be included i would think.

[FN in MT]

 This is similar to those "I want ONE rifle for everything" threads I SO hate.

 WHY in the world would You voluntarily LIMIT yourself to a single bullet for cartridges that can be loaded both UP and DOWN with slugs weighing 100 grs up to 200 grs??

 Whenever you limit yourself to a single cartridge, or bullet your handicapping yourself.

 I load 115 gr lead and 148 gr WC's for plinking/target  loads in .38 cases. Then 158 or 168 gr lead SWC's for long range or field loads in .38 or mag cases. Also  use the LBT 180 gr slugs for deer or antelope in mag cases.

 NO comment on any single bullet for everything as I feel it's silly. How much room are you going to save by eliminating a few extra  boxes of bullets anyway?? 1/3 or  1/2 a sq foot??

FN in MT

[SHOOTALL]

might be they have a loading set up they don't wish to keep adjusting for different bullets 

[WD45]

I understand why. While I do not limit myself to one bullet I have found that for the most part 1 bullet will do about everything I need and all I have to do is vary the powder charge of the same powder and still get good accuracy and know where its going to hit. Nothing wrong with more bullets types but you know how the reloading thing goes. You also usually end up with more than one powder and bullet types that either just dont work well with your gun or even if they do well you find yourself only using 1 or 2 loads 95% of the time anyway
You don't have to go check load data for what you are loading this time cause its always the same. Alot of us like to reload and play with bullets loads new powders and such as a passtime and probably spend more money on it then we ever save and then there are people that see reloading as a chore that allows them to shoot more and after finding a good load then thats it. If crap ever really hits the fan like we talk about all the time then probably having one good  bullet mold and one powder that shoots that bullet well is probably a darn good idea.

[smong2000]

Lots of great feedback from you all. Thanks!  I'll explain where I was coming from...Like many of you have said, it's nice to have lots of options to cover all the bases and specialize with everything but when you come right down to it, one bullet in a .357 will probably do most everything we would ever need pretty well and not be a serious handicap.  Maybe a .44 would be better but I don't expect to encounter anything over 350lbs so settled on the .357.  Load it down for practice and heat it up for serious stuff.  I expected that to be a decent cast bullet, but some have pointed out that some semi jacketed and jacketed bullets do pretty well and are priced reasonably.
 I have a bench full of powders and bullets for everything from mice to moose, a bunch of various loaded ammo for all my weapons and am gradually weaning it down to one or 2 loads for each of them.  It was fun to experiment and develop loads but for goodness sakes I never saw a need to carry a magazine full of .270 Win 130's for open shots at deer, a mag full of 150's for angling shots and another mag with 110's for any coyotes that might show up.  Similarly, some feel the need to have a carbine for one hunt, a long barrelled bolt for another and so on.  If you enjoy that, by all means have fun and be yourself.  I am trying to go back to a simpler lifestyle, fewer things and therefore less speciallized stuff.  Will I ever get down to 1 pistol, 1 shotgun and 1 rifle -not likely, but maybe a lot closer than I am now.   

[Groo]

Groo here
 If your talking cast I submit a 158gr round nose flat point like the cowboy shooters use
 but cast harder.
 The round nose will feed in a lever gun well, speed load in a wheel gun,and the flat is about the same
 as a Keith. ["The nose does all the work"]
 They are shot with light to heavy loads and about the only thing they don't do is cit a clean whole
 like a Keith..
 That is what I use as I also am reducing my selection to increase supply.