- Joined
- October 7, 2011
- Messages
- 1,666
Nice!!! What are your favorite bullet/loads & do you size them to 357 or 358? I’m in the process of changing redoing all my reloads this winter. I’m trying to get away from the speed/power thing & go back to some target loads.
I have had several Taurus .44 Special and .22 LR revolvers. Had one blued 4" in .32 mag that was a real beauty but the chambers were way over sized. That wa the only issue I ever had with one. They are great revolvers. I know someone who has one of the more recent 7-shot .357s and it's a very nice gun.
My .357 preferences have been more on the heavy cast side at around 1000 fps and then several 125 grain and 158 grain loads at about the same velocity or less. The heavier (160 and up) .357s' at about 1000 fps are much less obnoxioius in terms of muzzle blast and still provide considerable punch and range. The Lyman 358429 (170 grains) is good and Ranch Dog Outdoors has a new 175 grain RNFP TL, GC I would like to try in the Rossi carbine and the SP101.
Is that the Lyman 358429? If so, are you able to actually use the crimp groovew with that Taurus? That bullet was originally designed with the .38 case in mind and many .357 mag. cylinders are too short to accommodate it when crimped in the crimp groove - like the SP101. It also is WAY too long for my Rossi unless seated deeply and crimped in the front driving band or if used in .38 cases. It's iffy in the Rossi in .357 cases regardless, but runs like snot in .38s. I like that bullet a lot but don't get to use it the way I would like. I also don't like trimming mag cases short to accommodate it........My cast bullets are dropping at around 160-165 grain so they are a bit on the heavy side using my Lyman mold........
Is that the Lyman 358429? If so, are you able to actually use the crimp groovew with that Taurus? That bullet was originally designed with the .38 case in mind and many .357 mag. cylinders are too short to accommodate it when crimped in the crimp groove - like the SP101. It also is WAY too long for my Rossi unless seated deeply and crimped in the front driving band or if used in .38 cases. It's iffy in the Rossi in .357 cases regardless, but runs like snot in .38s. I like that bullet a lot but don't get to use it the way I would like. I also don't like trimming mag cases short to accommodate it.
So far......... I have had no leading in the Rossi using traditionally sized/lubed .358" cast bullets. The only thing that has leaded in it is the LEE 358 SWC TL, which is cast of 50/50 WW/Pb and air cooled. These were cast by a friend and left unsized, so there should not be a problem, but they do lead in one spot of the bore - very odd. At really low speeds, they are OK and do just fine in the SP101 up to 1000 to 1200 fps...........I am still a little hesitant because of leading though.
Good to hear Jeff, leading in my Rossi 92 is one thing I worry about due to how hard the barrel is to scrub. I don't TL any bullets, so far I have used ALL Lyman Moly lube but waiting on some BAC to arrive from White Label Lube. Thus far my lead came from my father-in-law and I suspect it probably is WW lead and unknown mix. I'll have to watch for that spot to lead and see what it does.So far......... I have had no leading in the Rossi using traditionally sized/lubed .358" cast bullets. The only thing that has leaded in it is the LEE 358 SWC TL, which is cast of 50/50 WW/Pb and air cooled. These were cast by a friend and left unsized, so there should not be a problem, but they do lead in one spot of the bore - very odd. At really low speeds, they are OK and do just fine in the SP101 up to 1000 to 1200 fps.
The spot in the Rossi bore that leads is a little weird. If you hold the gun just right and peer down the muzzle just so, while shining just the right light in through the action, you can see a weird spot - like very, very minor undulations. It looks like many Ruger, Charter and Smith handguns I have seen where the stamped lettering on the outside of the barrel shows through on the inside. This is more common in Rugers in my experience, but it has never caused me any such problem - hence my "weird" statement.
Slugging my Rossi indicates a .357 groove diameter, which is tight, and I run my projectiles at .358, but relatively soft and at relatively low pressures. Shoots cleanly and accurately.
I would love too Jay! Thank you. You know I never shot a .44 handgun just my Model 94 in 44mag and that has a pretty good thump too it. LOL I can only imagine a Super Black HawkAJ,
You will have to come out one of these days! I have a Super Black Hawk in .44 mag. Also have one(BH) in .45 Colt. Also have one in .357. The thump is something different than a .357's "crack".
Jay
Yeah, don't forget - that longer barrel will increase your velocity considerably. I factor that into my loads and figure I am getting "magnum-level" performance from some of my milder loads when shot through the 16" tube. I have yet to get time to chronograph any of my Rossi loads. The upshot is that you can use less powder, get less muzzle blast and go easier on the brass for varmints and the like......and I am going to start loading to a little milder level.![]()
I never thought about using brillo pads for cleaning the barrel. I will have to get some of those next time I've at the store. As for brushes I think I am gonna raid your supply Forrest.If you want to cut way down on your scrubbing /cleaning of your bbl’s you need to get a couple of the copper brillow pads that they sell in the stores to clean pots & pans. They look like steel wool pads but are made of copper. Just pull some of it off a pad & wrap it around a cleaning brush. The copper wrapped brushes will cut thru anything in a hurry saving you time & brushes. This works great for old wore out brushes, I use 1 for the bbl’s & 1 with a little more copper pad (bigger in dia) for the chambers in revolvers.
I completely forgot about the added velocity because of barrel length. I am not gonna max load the .38 any more after those 10 are gone. Less powder use would be great, especially with the price of powder and primers right now. Hopefully the prices come down soon but I am not gonna hold my breath, I don't look good blue.Yeah, don't forget - that longer barrel will increase your velocity considerably. I factor that into my loads and figure I am getting "magnum-level" performance from some of my milder loads when shot through the 16" tube. I have yet to get time to chronograph any of my Rossi loads. The upshot is that you can use less powder, get less muzzle blast and go easier on the brass for varmints and the like.
I am using my rounds only for target shooting, they are a lot cheaper to cast and reload then buying FMJ bullets at this point. If I and I hope I hear positive news soon, I get the Casino job, I will be investing in more molds so that I can cast some different rounds and not just stick with the same old, same old.If I were loading this for deer, I would want to step up to a 180 grain plus WFN but I believe that would pose some issues for me in this particular Rossi as far as feeding goes. I have tp deep-seat the LEE 158RFN and swage the case mouth into the front driving band with a LEE factory crimp die to get those to feed reliably. I have worked this rifle over and I will have to clean up the chamfer at the bottom of the chamber to improve further and just have not had the time or patience to get to that one. What I have loaded in it shoots great though - especially the medium loaded 125RFN and the 120TC or the 158TL, all of which provide some serious punch for less than deer-sized animals.
OOH, no, not BRILLO PADS!I never thought about using brillo pads for cleaning the barrel.............