Beginner cast bullet for 1894 .357

[wbrco]

Any of you lever gun guys have a recommendation for a good mould for someone starting out casting for a newer (non-microgroove) 1894?

I plan on either pan or tumble lubing. I guess I'm asking if the Lee TL 158's are any good in an 1894 or should I try tumble lubing a "standard" lube groove bullet for better performance?

[yeahbub]

If I had my 'druthers, Lee would make a micro-band version of their 358-158-RF with a flat base. Ah, but, no. I have gotten good service with the bevel base 358-158-RF with conventional lube grooves, and I generally pan lube them. They'll bust the snot out of hedge apples with a full load of 2400 or LilGun. There are those who tumble them in LLA, but I've always driven them hard and wanted the grooves full of lube. I've even taken to paper patching them, which allows me to go full blast with no leading, but those are for hunting. No way would I go to that trouble for every round I shoot. Another good one is the 358-125-RF which is fine for light plinking and low recoil for those new to the sport. Pretty zippy velocity out of a carbine length barrel, too. I haven't tried it yet, but the 358-158-SWC looks like it would work well. The shoulder isn't very wide, so it should chamber easily enough, and it's a micro-band design, which lead less in my experience.

Good luck with your efforts. The .357 levers are definitely great fun.

[hickstick_10]

Once I learned to pan lube, I havent tumble lubed, used a tumble lube mold........or used my lyman lubesizer for a plain base bullet since. Been ruminating over getting a star sizer so I may go back to lubesizing plain base.

Stand the bullets up in an old pie tin, poor melted lube in till it covers the lube grooves, pop pan into the fridge for a few minutes, then pop the bullets out of the lube cake with your thumb. No waiting longer then the second coming for plain alox to dry, no mixing of paste wax to kill aloxs tackiness, no dirty bullet noses to collect crud, smudge loading gate area and grime up the magazine tube and your hand which grimes up the rest of the gun. And you can use bullets that you can really push as fast or slow as you like.

Dont get me wrong I like the Lee tumble lube SWC (still have the mold, might play with it again), but they turned out to be way more work then they were worth. Try the RCBS 358-150 SWC (more expensive then a lee but worth it) and pan lube em with your goo recipe of choice, I use them in the "ballard rifled" 1894 357 with pretty good accuracy and this bullet can be pushed mighty fast. They also feed nicely.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Yes there are better molds out there for the 357.....more costly also, starting out ,I would try the mold and ask questions as you go along if you are having problems. The more info you give , the better answers you will get, good luck and Welcome....Jim

[wbrco]

Well, I read the entire thread on the whole 45/45/10 formula and technique. Whatever mould I buy has to work good in my NMBH 6". I'm buying cast bullets now but they are even getting expensive.

[fecmech]

I guess I'm asking if the Lee TL 158's are any good in an 1894 or should I try tumble lubing a "standard" lube groove bullet for better performance?
I shoot that bullet a lot in 3 rifles and 2 pistols but I don't push it to mag velocities. That said it is an excellent, accurate bullet out of handguns @1000 fps and under and in the rifles at up to 1200 fps. That is not to say it won't go faster, I just haven't shot it faster myself. Over the past couple years I've probably shot at least 10K of that bullet. It will average 2"@50 yds in the handguns and 3-4"@100 yds out of the rifles in the speed ranges I mentioned lubed with 45-45-10 or thinned alox and mica. It is an ugly little critter but it shoots!

[ReloaderFred]

I can't remember the last time I fired a jacketed bullet through any of my Marlin 1894's. They get a steady diet of cast bullets, ranging from 105 gr. TCFP to 185 gr. RNFP. I've never tumble lubed or pan lubed, though. Almost all my bullets go through one of my Star sizers, or possibly through a Saeco, RCBS or Lyman, depending on the bullet, but the majority are sized in the Stars.

Most any bullet will work, as long as it fits the bore, plus .001" to .002" over the bore size. I've gotten some pretty good accuracy from my rifles, and a couple of them are shot several times a month in SASS matches.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[wbrco]

Well, most of my shooting will be .38 plinking. The current favorite load is 158 swc over 6.8 of bluedot, which gives me 900/950 in the BH, and if I remember right, about 1400 out of the rifle. 1400fps and 158 gr bullet should be able to stop anything I find on the farm here in Missouri, even a cougar. They shot one not 5 miles from my place couple of years ago.

I'm really thinking of trying more rn bullets though. Just to see if there is much of a difference.

[wbrco]

Anything 50 yds and under.. 😛

[Leadforbrains]

Accurate Molds 36-160L over Alliant 2400.
100554

[runfiverun]

look at the top of this page at the cast boolits logo.
that's the boolit I use in my 357's...

I have other molds for the 357 but this particular boolit gets 90+% of the 357's trigger time
and 100% of the use in the lever guns.

[beagle]

I've been using a bunch of RCBS 38-162-SW bullets in both my M1894 and two Blackhawks.

I picked up this mould and had the GC shank removed and had it HP'd in one cavity with a .140" cavity.

Feeds well in the M1894 (the 358429 won't unless seated and crimped over the driving band) and shoots well in the Blackhawks as well./beagle

[TCFAN]

In my Marlin 94 I use the Lee 158 gr. RF nose boolit shot as cast tumble lubed with one coat of 45-45-10.These are used for steel plate and tin can plinking only in 38 special case with 3.5 grs. of Bullseye.For full house varmint load my boolit of choice is the Lyman 358156 SWC gas check or the NOE copy of the same boolit with a hollow point going 1700 fps.These are lubed with BAC and sized .359...............Terry

[rststeve]

2400 is the go to powder for the 357 for accuracy I use lyman 358156 this is a gas check design i shoot it full house with checks and lower velocities with out. All purpose bullet for the heavy stuff I use a saeco design model escapes me at the moment it is there 180 grain version. 2400 powder gives best accuracy for me in all bullet weights. good luck 357 fun gun to shoot with cast.

[dragon813gt]

Any version of the 358156. If you don't mind spending money on a custom molds look at MP's 359125 for a lightweight and a 359640 for a heavyweight. Both shoot great out of mine when pushed by W231 and H110. I'm not a fan of 2400 as I don't need a versatile magnum powder and it hasn't been the most accurate.

[FergusonTO35]

I shoot the Lee 358-125-RF and 358-158-RF in my 1894 pan lubed with great results. They will take a plain base gas check really easy too, although I find you have to push 'em pretty hard before you need it. Don't even bother to size them, no need for it.

Also, if anybody has a Lee tumble lube 150 or 158 grain SWC, and/or the old conventional groove 150 grain SWC, mold they would like to part with please give me a PM.

[wbrco]

Well, I was able to pick up a Lyman 358156 DC with handles for $45 shipped on another site. Now I just need to smelt down my 5 gallon bucket of free COWW. I'm just starting, so now I need to find a cast iron pot, an old hot plate, and something to use to make ingots.

[michiganvet]

I have on order a LBT 38 200 FN for my late '70's 94C for big critters along with 358156 for every day and a 145 gr plain base flat nose for sub-sonic small game. The twist rate makes this the most versatile really light rifle that a 70 year old can carry in the woods.