Need advice on messup

[newton]

Well, I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later. I was lubing and setting gas checks on some 158 grain SWC boolits and just now realized I have the .357 sizer in there that I use for 9mm rounds.

Meant to put the .358 in there, but little too late now.

What do I do? Will these shoot out of a .357 mag without too much leading? Would they be better in a 38 special, lower end load?

I have never sized boolits too small. What should I expect from these? Please give me all the options. Thanks!

[**oneshot**]

I've shot both 357 and 358 sized boolits from my ruger BH 357. 357's are a slip fit without falling through and the 358's are a snug finger push fit.
Neither gave leading issues with coww's with 25%soft lead over unique and HS6.

See how they fit. If they are too small, I can't say they would be any better in a 38 load.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

Try a few and see how it goes. Just a few. Mistakes happen and sometimes we have to start over. At least you don't have 500 rds loaded up and then realize something is wrong.

[newton]

Thanks. Hope to hear more from others too.

I made these for another guy. Obviously I won't be giving them too him and are going to be making more. But I figured if I could salvage them for personal use I would. I made 200, and while it might not seem like much I made the checks myself, hand sorted boolits, and dip lubed each one. A lot of time in these.

If nothing else, they could be a stout 9mm load I guess. My main curiousity is if leading would be different with hard versus soft push, 357 versus 38. If the harder push from the 357 would help bump up the boolit, or if the higher pressure would be more likely to lead.

All in all I am hoping that someone can chime in on what their experience is with the same situation. I know they are safe to shoot, and I know that boolit fit is king, but that does not mean there is not a good way to use them versus just melting them. Which I would if there were only 50 or so.

[MtGun44]

With GCs, probably nothing. GCs not necessary in pistols.

Bill

[big dale]

Try some and see how they work. We worry too much about some of this stuff. If you can hit a beer can at the range you most often shoot, you can still have an lot of fun with them.

Have fun with is stuff.

Big Dale

[williamwaco]

1:

Shoot them, You will not notice any difference.


2:

Get you a mold with no gas check so you can afford to shoot more.
No load in the .357 magnum needs a gas check.



.

[fcvan]

Williamwaco, 'no loads' is an overbroad statement, but I do agree that 99.999% of most .357 loads don't need them. Some loads work great, showing good accuracy and zero leading without a check. Some loads tighten up just a smidge with them. As far as the expense, Newton made his own so I'd guess he was only out the additional time and effort. I've been making my own plain based gas checks for 35 and 45 which 99.999% of the time aren't needed. I just like making them and testing them out.

I personally have seen loads tighten up with the addition of the check. When it comes to using a softer alloy with a PB check I have had great success, especially when launching the Lee .356-120 TC with a PB check at 1500 fps. Mine drop at .358 and weigh 125 cast from range scrap. I don't shoot a lot of those as I prefer the 358-158 RF at 1250 fps. I've shot many of those without checks but the groups were noticeably smaller once I added the PB check. 1.5" at 50 yards is good, 1" is better :)

[Lead Fred]

On the rare occasion that I mess up, I just dropem back into the furnace, and watch Me troubles melt away

[44man]

I think they will shoot fine. Only one way to tell.

[jdgabbard]

Just shoot them. The barrel on one of my .357 Smiths mic's at .355" they would likely shoot great in that gun.

[MtGun44]

+1 on williamwaco, I have found no gains from GCs in pistols. Not saying nobody ever
had some improvement, but in my experience, I cannot reliably find any difference
in the target. I have even fired some very soft boolits with HP to get expansion and
worried a bit at .357 Mag velocities whether leading would occur. I have seen none and
they proved to be TOO soft, in the sense that they blew up rather than expanded nicely,
so a bit harder alloy was needed for expansion purposes, not to prevent leading.

Bill