C358-180RF mold buyers how they shooting?

[jeff223]

i was just wondering about the boolit from your molds.how they shooting for you out at 50yds and at 100yds.been to hot here to fireup and cast boolits so i havnt been shooting any yet.i do have a 5 gallon bucket of wheel weights ready for the job.tell me how they are shooting

thank,
jeff

[jeff223]

must be no one shoots the boolits from this mold??

[Junior1942]

I was a-gonna shoot some @ 75 yds when it cooled off late this afternoon, but danged if it ain't-a raining now.

[Junior1942]

Well, the rain stopped. I shot 3 for group at 75 yards. Results = 3 shots in 1 1/8". Velocity = 1732 fps. That's with a peep rear and my homemade plastic cheese spreader front. I'd say the mold is a resounding success!

You know, a lot of folks laughed about my cheese spreader front sight. Guess what? It's been over the hill and through the bushes, and it's still perfect!

Here's a look-see in case somebody missed the article:

http://www.castbullet.com/makeit/photos/rossi06.jpg

[Junior1942]

Jeff, I couldn't stand the pressure so I took a photo of the group. It's a little bigger in the photo than actual size, believe it or not.

http://www.castbullet.com/shooting/photos/35804.jpg

[imashooter2]

Nothing wrong with that sight. Some folks just don't appreciate craftsmanship.

How long is the tube on that Rossi?

[Junior1942]

It's a 20" tube. Circa 1983 or 1984.

[jeff223]

thats some good shooting.i would be happy with a group size like that with a cast boolit.i shot last night with my 357max Contender and i wasnt happy with the cast boolits at all.i shot at 100yds and i would say the boolits grouped in a 6 inch group.i also shot some jacketed boolits and those shot more to my liking with 1 to 1 and 1/2 inch groups.my 100 yd cast boolits groups were bigger than the groups i shoot at 200yds with jacketed boolits.its time for me to make a powder change like johnh told me to do.been shooting w296 and im going to try some aa1680 on my next go around.if i dont get the results i want out of the cast boolits there will be a nice 6 hole lee mold up for salehttp://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Hardcast]

thats some good shooting.i would be happy with a group size like that with a cast boolit.i shot last night with my 357max Contender and i wasnt happy with the cast boolits at all.i shot at 100yds and i would say the boolits grouped in a 6 inch group.i also shot some jacketed boolits and those shot more to my liking with 1 to 1 and 1/2 inch groups.my 100 yd cast boolits groups were bigger than the groups i shoot at 200yds with jacketed boolits.its time for me to make a powder change like johnh told me to do.been shooting w296 and im going to try some aa1680 on my next go around.if i dont get the results i want out of the cast boolits there will be a nice 6 hole lee mold up for salehttp://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

jeff,
I do not claim to be an expert on this subject, but your cast bullets should shoot much better than 6" at 100 yards. Did you clean all the jacketed bullet fowling out of the barrel before you shot the cast? What alloy are you using? What hardness? Any sign of leading in the barrel? Did any of the bullet holes smudge, as in not entering the target straight on? I don't want to seem discouraging, but there are many variables other than powder that can be causing your lack of accuracy. Keep us posted on how it comes out. I have one of the 358-180 RF molds from the first group buy, but have yet to use it. If I can get my friend Jim L. to Leement it and cast a few we will try some in my .358 Win pistol. It's a monster to shoot with full power jacketed handloads, because of the concussion. I plan on backing down to 2000 fps or so with the 180 cast. That should be a much more pleasant load to shoot.

[35remington]

Jeff, if it was me, and I had tried some proper lead bullet loads, I would be more likely to be suspicious of the Contender barrel than the Lee bullet design. If your barrel was made by T/C, well, you may be in for a rough time shooting lead. Their throat design often shoots poorly with lead bullets.

This opinion comes from loading and shooting thousands of lead bullets through T/C barrels in various calibers, including those they make in their Custom Shop.

Only way I could get T/C's to shoot lead in many instances was to throat the barrel. If a reasonable amount of experimentation with seating depth and varying loads using moderate speed powders doesn't yield good results then I suspect the barrel is your problem.

[Junior1942]

Jeff, our C358-180-RF is a bore rider design. Back off your powder charge and push the bore-riding nose into the lands and see what happens.

[David R]

I have a contender in 32-20 with an 8" barrel, it will shoot 1 1/4 groups @ 100 with a lee soupcan. Next I am going to put the 223 carbine barrel and rifle stock on it for my children to shoot. I have not tried it yet, but being a quality company, I expect the chanber to be close to spec, maybe on the tight side, and hope it shoots well.

David

I will keep you posted on how it shoots.

[Leftoverdj]

Jeff, you always mumble and groan and threaten to sell stuff at first, and then get it shooting. This time won't be any different. Cast bullets take some learning, but that bullet will shoot.

Drop the bullets into a bucket of water as you cast them and crimp the GC on with a .359 or .360 sizing die. That and getting the copper out of your barrel should shrink your groups by at least half before you even start fiddling with charges and the like.

[jeff223]

OK i will keep tringhttp://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/icons/icon10.gif