357 Mold

[Swamprat1052]

I've got a 3 screw Old Model RBH in 357 that I havent shot in a while. I really wanted to have it converted to 44 Special but thats gonna be down the road a piece. What is a good bullet weight and mold for it? I dont plan on hunting anything with it bigger than jackrabbits, etc. Mostly for plinking since I havent been able to find a 32 Mag. that I could afford. Was wondering about a lighter bullet in a SWC but dont know what I should go with.

What do you guys think?

Swamprat

[Adam10mm]

RCBS 38-95-RN. Drops .3585-.359 with WW and weighs 90.8gr when sized to .357 wearing Lar's red.

If you want some samples I can send you some to try before you buy a mold. I can have them sized and lubed (357 or 358) with Lar's red or can just send them raw.

[Swamprat1052]

Wow. Thanks a lot, that would be greatly appreciated.

PM Sent.

Swamprat

[mroliver77]

I sure like the 358477 150gr Kieth type boolit. I also bought a single cavity little short Lyman wadcutter fr woods loafing but havent tried it yet. Bump a flat nose on FS10MM's 93 gr and it ort to be a blast for plinking bunnies! J

[Adam10mm]

Sure, a few seconds on a grinder and you're golden.

[Larry Gibson]

Some years back I had a Ruger .357 OMBH with 6 1/2" barrel. I pretty much duplicated the 32 H&R load with the Lee 358-105-SWC loaded over 5 gr of Bullseye. Velocity was right at 1000 fps and accuracy was excellent with my records showing 10 shots (twice around the cylinder) in 1.6" at 25 yards. Recoil was very mild. I slew many a jack rabbit, snow shoe and ground squirrel with that load. Then I got a Ruger SSS in .32 H&R and quit loading the .357 as such. Traded off the OMBH (big mistake) and now have a Ruger Security Six with 6" barrel....may have to dig out that mould and load some more up.

Larry Gibson

[Swamprat1052]

Some years back I had a Ruger .357 OMBH with 6 1/2" barrel. I pretty much duplicated the 32 H&R load with the Lee 358-105-SWC loaded over 5 gr of Bullseye. Velocity was right at 1000 fps and accuracy was excellent with my records showing 10 shots (twice around the cylinder) in 1.6" at 25 yards. Recoil was very mild. I slew many a jack rabbit, snow shoe and ground squirrel with that load. Then I got a Ruger SSS in .32 H&R and quit loading the .357 as such. Traded off the OMBH (big mistake) and now have a Ruger Security Six with 6" barrel....may have to dig out that mould and load some more up.

Larry Gibson

Thats the same barrel length I have. I'll try that load, thanks. Was that with 357 or 38 brass or would it matter. I have over 500 pieces of 38 brass and not much 357.

Thanks to everyone for your help.

Swamprat

[Adam10mm]

The first Lyman cast book has some data for a 90gr or so bullet. Bearing surface, etc is slightly different but gives you a place to start.

[Larry Gibson]

Thats the same barrel length I have. I'll try that load, thanks. Was that with 357 or 38 brass or would it matter. I have over 500 pieces of 38 brass and not much 357.

Thanks to everyone for your help.

Swamprat

I loaded the same load in both .38s and .357s. Shot the .38s in a 5" M15 and the .357s in the Ruger. I don't recall shooting the .38s in the Ruger but it's certainly worth a try. I used a light taper crimp BTW, not enough recoil there for the bullet to jump in recoil.

Larry Gibson

[GrizzLeeBear]

I've got a bunch of 357 molds, but the Lee 358-158-RF is quickly becoming my favorite. Shoots great with Trail Boss for light loads and Unique for medium to warm loads. Haven't shot much with slower powders like Blue Dot or 2400 yet, but I suspect it will do well with those as well. I've got a 6 cavity mold for it and I love how fast you can crank out bullets with it.
I also have a 4 cavity in the Lyman 358477 150 gr. SWC that MROLIVER mentioned. Its a very accurate boolit as well. But the 4 cavity steel mold wears me out a lot more than the aluminum Lee mold if I cast for very long.
I have read good things about the Lee 358-105-SWC that Larry talked about. A 6 cavity of that boolit is next on my list for my NRA Bullseye Pistol loads.

[Leftoverdj]

What's wrong with plain old 148 grain WCs?

[joejr]

i have the lyman 356477 lw 2cavity. what's the lw stand for? they shoot great in my smith mod 66
yhanks

[crowbeaner]

I used to load either the RCBS 38-150-KT or Lyman 358477 over 3.5 of Bullseye for accurate plinking and small game loads in 38 cases. You can load them over 5.0 of Unique for heavier stuff. If you shoot them in the 357 you could use 11.0 of 2400 (great load). DON'T shoot the 2400 load in small or older 38s! Your OMBH will be worth more in the original configuration; you could always send it back to Ruger and have them install the repro 44 mag. cylinder and barrel from a 50th anniversary .44 however.

[miestro_jerry]

I used a discountinued Lyman 357, 214 gr mold, these bullets are for my 357 Max, great bullet, have loaded it in 357 mag also.

In my collection I have the 158 SWC and the 148 WC, all shoot well, but keeping the cost down for plinking is what I want to achieve.

Jerry

[Swamprat1052]

I used to load either the RCBS 38-150-KT or Lyman 358477 over 3.5 of Bullseye for accurate plinking and small game loads in 38 cases. You can load them over 5.0 of Unique for heavier stuff. If you shoot them in the 357 you could use 11.0 of 2400 (great load). DON'T shoot the 2400 load in small or older 38s! Your OMBH will be worth more in the original configuration; you could always send it back to Ruger and have them install the repro 44 mag. cylinder and barrel from a 50th anniversary .44 however.

I just talked to Rugers service dept and they wont convert calibers. They'll rebarrel and fit it with a new cylinder but only in the original caliber. But thanks for the loads and info.

Swamprat

[floodgate]

joejr:

If that is in capital letters, just after the mould number, it identifies the outside shop that made the mould cherry for Lyman. The first letter indicates the number of this particuar cherry in the series, here it is the twelfth (A, B, C,...L); the second is a code for the maker (we don't have info on who "W" is).

floodgate

[shaggy357]

5.0 grains of Unique works well with the SWCs or with cast up to 158gr. Load up a few of those HBSWCs with the HB facing out. Makes ground squirrels explode. This load is also good in either 357 or 38 brass. When loading in 357 brass, I put in a powder wad just to keep the powder in place. Never had major position sensitivity, but it can happen when case capacity is only about half full.

Steve :)

[crowbeaner]

WELL, if Ruger won't do it there are 'smiths who will. Contact Hamilton Bowen of Bowen Classic Arms out west. Hellacious gunsmith and darn fine work.