358156 Question

[FISH4BUGS]

Does anyone shoot the 358156 WITHOUT gas checks? Seems to me that it wouldn't be much different than shooting a bevel based bullet.
Intended use = light 357 (under 1000fps) and up to max 38 loads........alloyed 5lbs ww to 1 lb linotype.....any 357 faster loads will be gas checked.
Any thoughts?

[Kraschenbirn]

I've shot quite a few 358156s w/o gaschecks. Bullets were cast from straight WW, sized .358with an Alox lube, and loaded over 4.5 gr Unique. We use these for informal practice and plinker loads in my S&W 586 and my wife's old 4" Diamondback with no appreciable leading in either gun.

Bill

[singleshotbuff]

Fish,

I shoot a LOT of 358156 w/o GCs in my 38spl loads. I use a warm load of HP-38 and they shoot just great with no leading at all. My alloy is 50/50 WWs and soft range lead, dropped into cold water straight outta the mold. They come out quite hard and I size em to .358 for use in my S&W M&P 5" taper barrel.

This is one of my favorite molds. I like to cast with 2 or 3 molds in rotation to allow time for the sprue to harden without waiting, and 358156 is always one of the molds.

SSB

[crowbeaner]

I've shot them without the gascheck, and as long as you keep the velocity around 1000 fps. you won't have any problems. The # 357446 is the same bullet with a plainbase, and I've shot thousands of them at high velocity using hard alloys. Just use a good lube, and size them to .358. CB.