Which One Boolit For Dual Use In .35 Rifle Rounds And .357?

[Landy]

I am gathering gear to begin casting, including my first two molds. I plan to buy one for .45ACP and one, if possible, for .350 RM, .35 Whelen and .38 / .357. I'd like one of a weight and design with which I could load for small game / plinker without GCs and approximate .35 Rem. level with GCs in the rifles but still fit in a revolver.

Which short fat .35s of more than 170 grains would you suggest?

[sthwestvictoria]

I don't know about 38/357 being a rifle shooter however Lee are now making a copy of the RCBS 200 grain so that or the original would work. Wasn't the original police 38 load with 200 grain?

thanks to the generosity of Helice on here I have just cast up a mess of the LBT 180 grain however have not shot them yet in my 35 Whelen.

Edit: yes the 1930's 38 special used a 200grain according to Wikipedia:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/.38_Special#History

[Hickory]

I have found that a compromise boolits will in the end serving neither, unless the case capacity is real close, such as:
32 S&W long and 32 mag., or 38 special and 357 mag., or 44 special and 44 mag. and so on.
You might want to "bite the bullet" and get two moulds, one for each cartridge that will be best suited for the job required. I know from my own experience getting the money around can take many months, or even years if you're on a tight budget.

[dragon813gt]

It would be one thing if you wanted one bullet for a 357 revolver and rifle. But wanting one for a 357 as well as a 35 Wheelen isn't going to work. Sure, you can use the pistol bullets to plink w/ in the rifle. But you are going to want two molds minimum. At last count I had twenty molds for 35 caliber.

[white eagle]

Having those very thoughts before with my 35's
I could not find the answer to that question
you are better served with one mold for rifle one for pistol

[high standard 40]

I have the RCBS 200 mold and it is the bullet that I use in my 35 Rem. I also have a 358 Win and can use that bullet in it as well. I compete in IHMSA silhouette and at times I use my 357 Mag Dan Wesson revolver. The RCBS 200 bullet is my choice for this purpose as well. The bullet is too long to crimp in the crimp groove and has to be seated very deep and then crimped over the ogive of the bullet. I will not list the load I use because it is a non-published load. I get very good results with this combination in my revolver but this DW has performed well with every cast bullet I have tried in it. So yes, you could use the RCBS 200 in both rifle and pistol............but I would not advise it. My choice of doing so is for a very specialized purpose with the revolver. For most casual shooting you would be using a far heavier bullet than needed with the wheel gun. I would advise getting two molds. The RCBS 200 (or clone) for when you want to use gaschecks and a flat base pistol mold for the times that you don't want or need gas checks.

[Dan Cash]

.357 revolver wants a .357-.359 bullet. .35 Rem (at least mine) wants a .360-.361. If it were only a weight consideration, get a 200 grainer for both. You might consider getting a 200 grain mould that will fit your .357 revovler bore and then a sizer of appropriate diameter and paper patch for the rifles.

[Beerd]

something that might work is a copy of the Ranch Dog 359190

153643

I think NOE can make these with standard lube grooves in a combination GC / PB mould.
..

[bangerjim]

Remember: "this hobby that was going to save me hundreds......is now costing me thousands!" So true. But it is a hobby and it is fun.

I have 8 different 358-359 molds and shoot them in both revolvers and long guns. No so much the SWC or WC in the lever rifles! But trying to scrimp on mold $$ will not yield the savings you are after....leading to problems and potential "not fun at all"! Compromise is not good in this instance.

Buy 2 cav Lee molds for your starters and find out what works best for your supposed needs. Then invest in premium brass or steel molds from there and sell the 2 cav Lee mold on here. There are a ton of molds that change hands in S&S.

Good luck in your new venture! And welcome to the madness.

banger

[Blackwater]

We all want more for less. That's understandable. But to expect to GET it is often too much, and we usually wind up fooling ourselves that something OUGHT to work, but in my own personal experience, it very seldom if ever actually does. Lee molds are cheap enough, and if used with care and discretion, can produce very excellent bulltes. Get two Lee molds, and you'll never regret it. Try some exotic mold that may cost more than the two Lees, and likely as not, you'll never really be satisfied. That's how it's worked out for me, at least, in the past, and yes, we're all pretty well limited in what we have to spend on this and everything else we do, but not having what you really need has proven to be the most expensive thing I have ever experienced. Just seems to work that way for most folks.

[dragon813gt]

Get two Lee molds and never regret it? Buy a custom one and never be as satisfied? I'm glad I dumped all my Lee molds on eBay at the height of the panic after Sandy Hook. I breathe a sigh of relief knowing I will never have to make one work again. If money is tight than a Lee may serve you well. My time is more valuable than anything so paying more for a custom mold that works correctly and drops bullets at the correct size is worth the price of admission.

As I said above you will be hard pressed to find one bullet for both. You're better served by buying a RCBS 35-200 FN for the rifles and something around 170-180 grains for the 357. I'm partial to the MP 359-640 as it shoots lights out in everything.

[bangerjim]

Funny, that................I take a new Lee mold out of the box and it casts perfect boolits every time. Guess I am just lucky??????????

I have many brass and steel molds, but the Lee molds allow many to start and cast many different boolits without taking a 2nd on the house!

I have never regretted buying or owning them MANY Lee molds I have. The only reason I now buy brass and others is I have all the designs Lee makes and want more weights and profiles.

banger

[Larry Gibson]

I have found that a compromise boolits will in the end serving neither, unless the case capacity is real close, such as:
32 S&W long and 32 mag., or 38 special and 357 mag., or 44 special and 44 mag. and so on.
You might want to "bite the bullet" and get two moulds, one for each cartridge that will be best suited for the job required. I know from my own experience getting the money around can take many months, or even years if you're on a tight budget.

+1.

I suggest a Lyman 358477 or Lee TL358-158-SWC for the handgun and rifle plinking loads. I shoot lots of both in my M91 Mauser 35 Rem and all my 38 SPLs and 357 Mags. The RCBS or NOE clone 35-200-FN is the bullet for top end rifle use in the 35 Rem, 358W and 35 Whelen.

Larry Gibson

[Landy]

Thanks all.

I guess that I knew it was quite a reach, but had to at least ask those here that have been there and done or in this case tried that.

[MarkP]

NOE 360-180 works surprisingly well in my 350 Rem Mags; shoot them about 1,700 ish. The new Lee mold looks like the RCBS 360-200 FN pretty inexpensive to try it out. As others have said the RCBS 200 works well in rifles, never tried in any of my revolvers.

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

I've used the 35-200 (NOE 360-200WFN) in both 357mag, and 357 max and 358 Winchester.
Use Mag brass trimmed to 38 special length or 38 special brass, and load up to a max load.
It will barely fit the cylinder of my GP100, and shoots great. Light loads for plinking, heavy for killing stuff.
it drops at .362 so you can size for whatever your needs are

[paul h]

I have an old ballisticast 200 gr WFN that works great in my 35 caliber rifles and for full patch loads in my 357 mag. But it is not an all around bullet for both uses.

While I understand the intent, I find it's better to get a couple molds that work exceptionally at what you want them for, than one mold that doesn't really do anything well.

If you're not looking for conserving lead and the mildest recoil, than a nominal 158 gr ogival wadcutter or swc will be a great all around 38/357 bullet. For the rifle I suggest at least 200 gr and gas checked.

[Landy]

Since I've quite a few 158 SWCs that I bought before I decided to learn to cast, a rifle .35 mold fits best for now.

So I'm not in too deep for a first try of something, I think that I'll start with the Lee .35 200 grain suggested by several here and their .45 230TC.

[Beerd]

good choice.
..

[SSGOldfart]

Check out Noe's 358008 I passed my to another member that needed it for a 38special and a 35whelen

[MarkP]

That mold / design should complement your intended purposes; the RCBS 200 gr shoots very well in my 350's. Not at all fussy on powders.

The 158 SWC's may be a viable plinking option as well. I have used RedDot, 7625, Trailboss for lighter loads using the NOE 180 gr WFN intended for 38's & 357's. However these 180's were gas-checked.

[Landy]

Check out Noe's 358008 I passed my to another member that needed it for a 38special and a 35whelen

Thanks, I'll checkout NOE's site next.



That mold / design should complement your intended purposes; the RCBS 200 gr shoots very well in my 350's. Not at all fussy on powders.

The 158 SWC's may be a viable plinking option as well. I have used RedDot, 7625, Trailboss for lighter loads using the NOE 180 gr WFN intended for 38's & 357's. However these 180's were gas-checked.

The 158 SWCs are very effective grouse, snowshoe, and plinkers in .35 rifles. Load development was reversed, since I started with starting loads and stepped down until I got what I wanted. With slow and steady bolt manipulation, they even feed decently.

[JWFilips]

If you are looking for fun rounds in the 35 Rem: I have been using some "CB Cast bullets" Brand 125gr Truncated cones sized .360 ! With 5 grains bullseye they are dead accuate out to 80 yds and Great in most of my .357 Mag S&W's for normal loads.I also use the min my wife's S&W 31 which is a 38 S&W for practice rounds An Overall +++