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Author Topic: Range report: 38/357 cast  (Read 1285 times)

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Offline Jal5

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Range report: 38/357 cast
« on: February 21, 2011, 01:06:53 PM »
I was really excited to try out my cast boolits for 38 and 357 in the S&W M66-2 with 6" barrel.  35891 mold and homemade lube, Darr type.

I literally had a blast shooting my own rounds! I was looking forward to it like I had never shot a pistol before. 15 yd. paper targets, worked up a load first for Titegroup= a 3 shot group 1.87" plus one flyer. Second load workup was for Bullseye, which I shoot a lot of in other pistols= 1.04" 4 shot group all within the 3" stick on target.

No leading with any of these, barrel is pretty clean Darr Lube used on all of these.

I also shot 357 mag loads using 358429 168gr LSWC boolits with Darr lube. used alliant 2400= 4 shot group 1.96" again at 15 yds. That is a pretty snappy load in this gun but very manageable. No leading at all. All in all I am happy with the results. Thanks to all who have given me advice on these.
 I think I am really hooked on casting now.  Good thing I shot those over the weekend thaw...back to snow storms today!
Oh yeah- I brought home a large size coffee can 1/3 full of scrap lead too- always try to bring home more than I shoot!

Joe

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Offline Old Fart

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Re: Range report: 38/357 cast
« Reply #1 on: February 22, 2011, 03:48:45 AM »
The 357/38 was one of the first rounds I casted for.
Always seemed to me it was made for cast as everyone I ever had liked them.
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Offline revbc

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Re: Range report: 38/357 cast
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2011, 11:34:07 AM »
Just shot my first cast loads in the maxi.  Using a Ranch Dog mold 190 gr GC, I got the best group so far out of 20.5 grs. Lil Gun.  Two touching at 50yds.  Worked up from 19.5 grs in .5 increments.  I got a fair amount of spread in weight of the first rds I dropped, but I sorted them and they seem to do Ok.

Bobby
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Offline Jal5

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Re: Range report: 38/357 cast
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2011, 04:39:55 AM »
I tested some 358156 without GC using 2400 in 357 mag last weekend but they were sized to 357.  Not a great fit for this gun and resulting groups were not good. I will retry the load combination using the same boolit sized 358 and see how they work.

And I filled up that coffee can to the top with range scrap too!

Joe
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Offline GH1

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Re: Range report: 38/357 cast
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2011, 01:19:54 PM »
Quote from: Jal5 on March 01, 2011, 04:39:55 AM
I tested some 358156 without GC using 2400 in 357 mag last weekend but they were sized to 357.  Not a great fit for this gun and resulting groups were not good. I will retry the load combination using the same boolit sized 358 and see how they work.

And I filled up that coffee can to the top with range scrap too!

Joe

How bad was your leading?
GH1 :)
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Offline Jal5

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Re: Range report: 38/357 cast
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2011, 01:26:20 AM »
I haven't cleaned it yet, but looked down the barrel with a light. Slight leading strips at the base of the barrel. I shot another boolit load test cast at .358 and it seemed to clear it away.  At .357 though the accuracy definitely suffered, so I will make sure to size everything to .358 for this gun.

Joe
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Offline GH1

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Re: Range report: 38/357 cast
« Reply #6 on: March 04, 2011, 12:36:03 AM »
I went through the same thing with my revolver. .358 isdefinately the way to go.
GH1 :)
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