Lyman 358212 at the range

[RDub]

Hello
Well, got out to my range today and played with some 38 Special and shooting some Lyman #358212 Round nose boolits out of a 4” 686.

Boolits were cast with WW with 5% tin added, sized in a Lyman 450 at .358”. They weigh 145grs +- 0.5grs. Lube is Javalina

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f218/rafswede/Lyman%20358212/145grRN_zpsa821350a.jpg

In the past I was able to get some nice loads in the 700fps range, but I was wondering if I could push these a bit harder, maybe into 800fps accurately. I wonder if the major ammo makers adopted a bullet like this, how would they load it?

The powders I tried were;

Titegroup
AA#2
Bullseye
Red Dot
N-320
231
Universal
Unique
Longshot
Power Pistol
800-X

Many of these loads were right out of the Lyman 3rd edition Cast Bullet Handbook. A few were SWAG..

Target velocity, 800fps.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f218/rafswede/Lyman%20358212/3582123-13_zps6d1dd028.jpg

Well 5.5grs Power Pistol looks the most promising, as it is at the target velocity.

I could drop N-320 down a tenth or two. I wonder if that flyer is me ..

Titegroup might need another go also.

AA#2 turned in a nice group... Might just bump that up a few tenths.

800-X could be dropped a few tenths also.

Longshot was kind of a longshot for this test.. It didn’t do well. Velocities were all over the place.

Anyway, this is my first attempt at 800fps loads with this boolit, in this revolver.
Some previously shot targets at 25 yards with this boolit..

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f218/rafswede/Lyman%20358212/40Bullseye358_zps44f4b9b9.png

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f218/rafswede/Lyman%20358212/51PowerPistol358_zps7c09944d.png

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f218/rafswede/Lyman%20358212/51SR7625358_zps9e9dd660.png

[rintinglen]

Interesting.
I am a bit surprised at some of the results. I have shunned AA#2 i recent years because IME, it was less accurate than Bullseye or WW-231. Now granted, one of anything doesn't prove much--Jesus rose from the dead, but that is not the statistical average--but that group looks great and is well worth investigating further.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

That N320 did look pretty close. It looks like you had a great day at the range. Thanks for posting the results you got. If you don't mind, update on how it goes.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Lyman #358212 is an excellent design that works well in the 9mm, 38 special and .357. It does not cut clean holes as do WC or SWC designs, but it is a reliable performer. It casts and loads easily. It performs well with a wide selection of powders in the 700 to 800 range and can be pushed a bit faster although I have never tried it. The true test at the bench is the use of a machine rest, a commodity/luxury that I could never afford, but the next best substitute is a two hand hold with good support under both arms. The use of 5% tin is a little high...2% is really adequate with WW metal. Its worth trying the lower figure so that the bullets are not quite so hard. Another factor that might tighten things up is trying a different lube; Javelina is good stuff, but sometimes a different lube changes results. Its kinda like the lottery. "ya never know". LLS

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

Might I suggest sizing to .359, that made a huge difference in my Smiths and my Rugers.

[RDub]

Interesting.
I am a bit surprised at some of the results. I have shunned AA#2 i recent years because IME, it was less accurate than Bullseye or WW-231. Now granted, one of anything doesn't prove much--Jesus rose from the dead, but that is not the statistical average--but that group looks great and is well worth investigating further.

Hi
Yep, once you shun a powder or anything else, its hard to get yourself to go for it again..
But I've actually had good results with #2, accuracy wise.. I cant' remember ever getting the velocity that Accurate lists in their data though. I've never taken the time to measure case heads to get an idea about pressures with #2, but I'm thinking you could take it a bit further.

Each bullet style and caliber seems to have its own preference about what powder it likes.. One powder cant' do it all.

[RDub]

Might I suggest sizing to .359, that made a huge difference in my Smiths and my Rugers.

Hi
This mold barely drops boolits large enough for a .358 sizing.. What I might try, is just shooting them as cast and puting a Lee Alox treatment on them. I've had some bullets that shot better that way than sized in the 450..

[.22-10-45]

Hello, RDub. I have an older two cavity that drops them around .360 from soft range scrap. Here's what I did with them...I had installed a Kirst cartridge conversion cylinder in .38 long colt in a 1972 era Colt re-make 1851 navy .36 percussion revolver. But I had neither the heeled base or any .38 hollow base wadcutters to try. Taking an unsized 358212 bullet, it was a snug thumb-push fit in bore..but in no way would begin to take the rifling.
I pushed bullet in .360 sizer die with base flush with die mouth. Chucking this up in wood lathe, I used a 5/16" dia. ball end cutter & sunk .125" deep in base. Lubed and loaded over 2.8gr. Bullseye..I was hoping the last band would at least expand and give some kind of accuracy?
At 25 yds..they grouped in around 2 1/2" about 5" high..not too bad for a bead front & notch in hammer rear..and 50+ year old eyes! But the real surprise came when I dug some out of the soft backstop dirt..not only the base band..but the WHOLE bearing surface had expanded up to full groove dia.

[RDub]

Well, I shot some more of these, adjusted some charges.. reduced some and added a little to others. Also added a load of 700-X.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f218/rafswede/Lyman%20358212/358212-d_zps1b4d7aea.jpg

A step down with 800-X sure helped things... Too bad it's such a pain to work with.
Everybody did pretty well, except I can't figure what happened with Unique this time..

Anyway, got it pretty well figured now..