How soft can I go?

[Jim]

I've been working on some really slow subsonic loads in .38 Spl. cases for a .357 mag. Marlin 1894 rifle. I haven't run 'em over a chrony, but I'm pushin' 158 gr. TL SWCs with 2.2 grains of Unique. I'm lubin' 'em with Lars Xlox. They just barely pop comin' out of the barrel.

How soft can I cast these boolits? Can I make these with straight lead or do I need a touch of tin for fill-out and such?

Thanks, fellas.

[Echo]

I believe I would always use a touch of Sn for fillout. Won't harden the boolit much. Can't see not using Sn - expensive, but 2% goes a long way...

[fredj338]

Pure lead will easily work @ that vel/pressure level You may want to add 1/2% tin for good mold fill out, maybe even 40-1 ratio.

[Jim]

I can do that. Thanks, fellas!

[fecmech]

A board member sent me some "Hornaday clones" (158 swc)cast from pure lead about a year ago for some accuracy testing. I shot over 200 of them lubed with lee alox, alox with mica and Rooster Jacket out of a Rossi 92 working in the 1050-1150 fps range using Bullseye and 231. Never had any leading and accuracy was in the 2-3 moa range at 100 yds. If you choose you can go way faster than you are presently going with straight lead. My loads were in the 4-4.5 range for BE and 5.0-5.5 with 231.

[Jim]

Fecmech, I'm deliberately working on developing very slow, quiet ammo.

[Reload3006]

I swage with both hard alloys and pure lead (PB) using pure if you keep your loads mild they work great. get too hot your in for trouble.

[fecmech]

Fecmech, I'm deliberately working on developing very slow, quiet ammo.
I thought that may be the case by your wording but if it wasn't I wanted to let you know my results.

[excess650]

Jim's Marlin 1894c has microgroove but should still work fine with really soft boolits. Years ago when Alberts (or Taurus) swaged boolits were available I used some of their 9mm 125gr HPs in my Marlin, and they grouped well without any sign of leading. I'm sure they were 1000fps or less.

[Jim]

I haven't chronied anything yet, but I'm guessing what I'm loading is about half that, maybe just a tad faster. 2.2 gr. of Unique behind a 158 gr. boolit? That can't be going very fast.

[SkookumJeff]

How well do those SWC cycle through your Marlin from the magazine tube?

[Jim]

Perfect! I was surprised, too, seein' as they're .38 Spl. cases. Not a hitch!

[williamwaco]

The most accurate ammo I have ever shot is factory .38 Special and .32 S&W wadcutters.

They are both made of pure lead.

For casting however, I simply cannot cast good bullets with pure lead. I would add at least 1% tin but not more than 2%.

BUT. Why do you need a special alloy for these loads? Why not just use what you have? I have no idea what the velocity is but 2.2 gr Unique is going to be very slow. I think you are reinventing the slingshot.

I used to use 000 buckshot for these loads.





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[Jim]

The most accurate ammo I have ever shot is factory .38 Special and .32 S&W wadcutters.

They are both made of pure lead.

For casting however, I simply cannot cast good bullets with pure lead. I would add at least 1% tin but not more than 2%.

BUT. Why do you need a special alloy for these loads?

Who said I need a special alloy?

Why not just use what you have?

I AM using what I have.

I have no idea what the velocity is but 2.2 gr Unique is going to be very slow.

That's exactly what I want.

I think you are reinventing the slingshot.

William, what's up with all the fault finding and critisizing?

.....

If you can't be nice and/or helpful, leave me alone.

[williamwaco]

Sorry,

I will not bother you again.


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[Jim]

All, please be advised that I sent a PM to William explaining why his comment upset me. I apologized for the WAY I responded. He replied that his comment about reinventing the slingshot was not intended as a slight, it was just a comment.

I consider the matter dropped and settled and apologize to the group, as a whole, for getting my butt on my shoulders.