RCBS 35-200 in revolver?

[joatmon]

Been reading Best 200gr Boolit and saw mention of using this boolit in a handgun, seems kinda heavy but would like to give it a whirl. Are there any load info out there? My manuals stop at 180 grains. Also any in put from a experienced user of same would be welcome!

Thanks Aaron

[cbrick]

In what revolver? Cylinder length will matter a lot for seating depth, a short cylinder means seating much deeper meaning less powder space. No way to give any kind of sensible load data with no info to base it on. I shoot it in an FA and crimp in the crimp groove, a Colt sure won't do that.

Rick

[dragon813gt]

The poster mentioned shooting it in a S&W 686. That means I should be able to shoot it in my 586. Not sure I want to shoot a 216 grain bullet out of it :eek:

[Scharfschuetze]

Years ago I experimented with that very boolit a Model 65 K Frame Smith & Wesson with usable results. It was just for fun though and it was pre-Chrono days for me so I have no idea what the velocity was. What was kind of neat was that my Model 65 (fixed sights) shot a bit left of point of aim with issue police loads, but shot right on at 25 yards with the 200 grain RCBS boolit. I no longer have the data for it so I can't help with the details other than I crimped it hard over 2400 as I recall.

The long cylinder of the K Frame S&W allowed me to crimp the boolit into the crimp groove without exceeding the cylinder length of the revolver. If you run out of cylinder length, as in a Model 27 or 28, you can opt for 38 Special cases to reduce the overall length.

At one time, before jacketed service ammo became common, a favorite load for police in 2" revolvers was a 200 grain swaged lead round nose in the 38 Special. I never quite understood that, but I believe Remington-Peters made the load. The old salts referred to it as the Police Load or something like that.

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

I just got the NOE version of that bullet yesterday :D
The first thing I thought was "I wonder if that will fit in my GP100"
I think, maybe trimming some mag brass back to 38 special length
will do the trick. Might take just a touch more. 38 S&W loads used a 200 grain bullet in the long ago past,
I would think that flat nose with a moderate load would be hell on bowling pins with out much recoil :D
I intend to find out and am anxious to try out my ream job from 357 mag to max in the handi rifle

[KYCaster]

Not RCBS, but I use to load Lyman 35875 in 357 Mag. Similar to the RCBS, but smaller meplat and no GC. Also had a Magma 200 SWC with GC.

Shot them in a S&W 686 with 8 3/8 barrel and a Hawes single action with 6" barrel.

Used Herco, 2400 and W296. Worked up to 1150 fps with 296 and accuracy was pretty good; as good as I could manage with iron sights, with the Magma slightly better than the Lyman.

Finally gave it up when I realized the heavy boolits wouldn't do anything I couldn't do with 160 and 180 gr. boolits, and with much less stress on guns, hands and wrists.

The 686 with the long underlug barrel, steel scope mount and 4X Redfield wasn't too bad, but recoil with the Hawes can only be described as BRUTAL! Most groups showed lots of vertical stringing due to my flinch...:oops:

The 686 was gone before I started keeping any records (wish I had it back, but that's another story). Best 25 yd. group with the Hawes and 35875 was 2 1/2". That group actually had two called flyers, most often the flyers would open the group to 3.5 to 4+".....on a good day. The Magma 200 SWC would do slightly better....occasionally under 2".....always with the flinch induced flyers.

So, yes, it will work.....it doesn't do anything a 170 or 180 gr. boolit will do. It doesn't extend your effective range. The 180 will go end to end through a deer, so any additional penetration from the 200 just goes into the dirt on the other side.

But you're gonna do it anyway, no matter what I say. So go ahead and get it out of your system. Eventually you'll come to the same conclusion I did.

Jerry

[Tatume]

This bullet performs very well in the M686. I used H4227 and data from

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/

for a 200 grain jacketed bullet. Recoil was surprisingly mild! I looked in my data book and find that I didn't make a note about seating depth; sorry. You'll determine seating depth easily though.

[Beerd]

I just got the NOE version of that bullet yesterday :D
The first thing I thought was "I wonder if that will fit in my GP100"
I think, maybe trimming some mag brass back to 38 special length
will do the trick.

Why not use 38 Sp brass to start with?
..

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

Not as tough as mag brass

[taco650]

Years ago I was reading some stuff written by some dude named Elmer Keith and he talked about loading 200 grain cast in 38 Special cases and shooting them out of S&W 357 mag. He did it because overall length in 357 brass was too long. Bottom line, it can and has been done.

[country gent]

In the 40s or so there was a 200 grn 38spl loading england used it quite alot. It was available here also. I believe remington and winchester both loaded it. If I remember it was a 200 grn round nose lead bullet at just over 700 fps. It was thought by mant to be more effective than the old 158 grn round nose load from what I have read. Loaded a 200 grn round nose for a security six for my wife to use shooting bowling pins with very good results. Bullets were stable till they hit then tumbled thru the pins transfering more energy. This was a 357 mag so had longer cylinder. Load was a 200 grn cast bullet traveling at an estimated 800 fps. To find data for these bullets look at loading manuals from 50s and 60s I know my one old spiral band lyman manual shows 200 grn data for 38spl.

[Tatume]

In the 40s or so there was a 200 grn 38spl loading england used it quite alot. It was available here also. I believe remington and winchester both loaded it. If I remember it was a 200 grn round nose lead bullet at just over 700 fps. It was thought by mant to be more effective than the old 158 grn round nose load from what I have read. Loaded a 200 grn round nose for a security six for my wife to use shooting bowling pins with very good results. Bullets were stable till they hit then tumbled thru the pins transfering more energy. This was a 357 mag so had longer cylinder. Load was a 200 grn cast bullet traveling at an estimated 800 fps. To find data for these bullets look at loading manuals from 50s and 60s I know my one old spiral band lyman manual shows 200 grn data for 38spl.

That was the 38 S&W, an entirely different cartridge. See http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/ for data.

[WallyM3]

The Brits replaced their 455 with a 38 S&W loaded with a 200 gr bullet, "380/200", after WWI. Their test determined that it was about as effective as the 255gr 455.

[joatmon]

Thanks for all the replies! The guns would be a Ruger new model flattop a Smith 66 and a 1894CP (yes a rifle?) I don't have a 180gr mold but do have the 200gr. I guess with me on disability and the wife just lost her job mold buying is put on hold for awhile.

Thanks again Aaron

[imashooter2]

OAL with mag brass crimped in the groove is going to be about 1.780 inches. That's going to be trouble in an 1894, even with the carrier mod.

[dragon813gt]

Good luck getting it to cycle in the Marlin. They have a max OAL they will feed and that's it.

[725]

YES!! Go to LASC site and look up articles by Glen Fryxell. Scroll down to an article, "A Bullet for All Seasons". It will detail .38 / .357 loads for a 220 (mine cast @215 gr) gr. boolit. Very interesting article that will give you all the info you need. Modify from there and start at the lowest loads.

[WALLNUTT]

You can crimp over the ogive to get it short enough. Use a slow burner to start below the base of a seated bullet. 296,H110,4227,2400

[JohnH]

In the 40s or so there was a 200 grn 38spl loading england used it quite alot. It was available here also. I believe remington and winchester both loaded it. If I remember it was a 200 grn round nose lead bullet at just over 700 fps. It was thought by mant to be more effective than the old 158 grn round nose load from what I have read. Loaded a 200 grn round nose for a security six for my wife to use shooting bowling pins with very good results. Bullets were stable till they hit then tumbled thru the pins transfering more energy. This was a 357 mag so had longer cylinder. Load was a 200 grn cast bullet traveling at an estimated 800 fps. To find data for these bullets look at loading manuals from 50s and 60s I know my one old spiral band lyman manual shows 200 grn data for 38spl. Lyman still offers this mold, 358430, data exists for it in 38 Spl, but is scarce, most drive it at circa 650 fps. Fun but no barn burner, goes haywire when driven 1300 fps from my 357 Contender as it falls into subsonic velocity.

[leadhead]

I used the RCBS 35-200 in a Freedom Arms .357 for years in handgun silhouette shooting.
Shot many of great scores with that bullet.
Denny

[dubber123]

Not as tough as mag brass

You can draw your own conclusions, but I sectioned a fair bit of brass years ago, and found no difference in the web or wall thickness between .357 mag. or .38 Spl brass from the same manufacturer. I also did load work ups using cut down .357 brass, and it showed the same pressure signs at exactly the same load level as regular .38 spl brass.

[dubber123]

I used the RCBS 35-200 in a Freedom Arms .357 for years in handgun silhouette shooting.
Shot many of great scores with that bullet.
Denny

It is the most accurate boolit I have tried to date from my F/A .357. My NOE casts at 220 grains. The HP version makes a great looking .357 cartridge too.. :)