Getting 358 swc to expand?

[bbwhais]

I have been casting Lee's 358 158 gn tl swc with 50/50 lino / pure pb and would like to try to try it with pure pb. I use Lee liquid alox on these. Question is will I be able to get some expantion and at what velocity should I keep the load to? this load will be used on 4 legged pest up to 45 lbs. Thanks for any help in advance.

[BABore]

Myself and several others are shooting a 358, 158 SWC of my design cast from pb at over 1100 fps using Lee alox. I use a single coat of thinned (50/50 alox/mineral spirits) or 45/45/10, then give the dried booits a light tumble in motor mica from Ballistic Products. Any more than a single thinned coating decreases accuracy. The same with the motor mica. I'm loading my boolit in a 357 mag case over 5.0 grs of WW231/HP38 and a CCI 500 primer. Similar burn rate powders will work as well.

[ku4hx]

50/50 Linotype metal / pure Lead will yield an alloy of 92% Lead, 2% Tin, 6% Antimony. That’s essentially “Hard Ball” alloy sold by Rotometals which I’ve blended and used very successfully for years.

Why do you feel the need to go to a softer boolit? Many a game animal has been taken by non expanding boolits. The max 45 pound game you plan to take with a 38 caliber class of handgun will likely not need to “mushroom”. Assuming proper shot placement of course.

[fecmech]

I'm casting the Lee TL158 swc out of 50/50 WW/soft lead and doing the 45-45-10 plus mica. My load is 5.3/231 or 4.5 Bullseye and runs right at 1100 fps out of my Rossi 92 with no leading and very good accuracy. I shot some of BAbores bullets that were made out of pure lead with the same lube and they shot slightly better than the Lee TL bullet. Wish I had bought the mold when they were making them!

[fredj338]

A dead soft lead bullet will expand or deform some if you can get impact vel up over 1000fps. Unless you HP it though, don't expect much.

[390ish]

That is why 38 rocks. You don't need expansion, just meplat.

[Carolina Cast Bullets]

I just looked at Titan Reloading and they show that mold in two cavity
as being in stock and available. it is shown as "out of stock" in 6 cavity.

http://www.titanreloading.com/molds/bullet-molds/357-mag-38spec-38-sw-38colt-np/lee-dc-mold-tl358-158swc-

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets

[Boolseye]

you can always HP it with a forster tool. It's a very forgiving and accurate boolit in a wide range of alloys and velocities.
Never had an issue with that boolit, fast or slow, hard or soft.