105 SWC load recommendations in a variety of calibers--need your collective wisdom

[TexasJeff]

Ironically, as Cloudspeak was extolling the virtues of his Lee .359 105SWC, I was letting a batch of those very same boolits cool down before doing a size/lube on them.

I've been looking for data on loads for the 105 gr SWC in .38 Special, .380ACP, and 9mm. So far, I've only found a handful of loads. I chalk that up to most shooters don't reload, and most reloaders don't cast. And it appears the 105SWC is pretty much relegated these days to being cast.

Anyone have some starting loads they'd care to suggest?

The firearms I'll be shooting these out of are the following:

.38 Special
• S&W Model 686 4"
• S&W Model 19 2 1/2"
• S&W Airweight 38 (wife's carry gun--and will only be shot sparingly, just enough to keep her familiar with aimpoint and trigger pull)

.380 ACP
• Sig Sauer P230
• Star 380

9mm
• Taurus 92
• Browning FN High Power

If anyone has any loads that work well for you and don't mind sharing them, I'd sure appreciate it.

Thanks.

Jeff

[runfiverun]

in your 38 look at 125 gr loads 3.0 titegroup would be almost a nonexistent recoil load and you could work up to near4 or so

in the 9 mm 3.5 t-group up to 4.2 or there abouts should be enough to work
iuse 4.0 with 115 cast and j in my taurus.
i don't have a 380 but jacketed data would be about a good start.

[Lloyd Smale]

I shoot them with 3.5 grains of bullseye or 4 grains of aa2 in both the 38 special and the 9mm

[TexasJeff]

I shoot them with 3.5 grains of bullseye or 4 grains of aa2 in both the 38 special and the 9mm

Someone else gave me the 3.5 Bullseye load--I was wondering if that would be a little hot. I load my 148 gr WC with only 2.7 grains of Bullseye. But then again, the 105 is a lighter bullet . . .

4 grains AA#2 in the 9mm sounds right and shouldn't have any cycling issues.

I primarily use 231, Bullseye, AA#2, AA#5 for handgun loads--what is Titegroup or Clays comparable to?

Thanks.

Jeff

[randyrat]

Unique is unique and it works in most calibers. I have very good luck with Unique at almost max loads(pistols). For plinkin loads i like faster powders such as; Tightgroup,Clays,W231,Bullseye. BTW Unique is not for girly men with soft white fingers or night fire practice, The recoil is noticable and the flash is extra ordinare.

[38 Super Auto]

I like 2.5 grains Red Dot under the Lee 105 SWC in .38 Special. It's a sweet ultra low recoil plinker.

For .357 mag, I like 13.5 grains of AA#7 under the Lee 105 SWC. It's a very satisfying blaster, but surprisingly doesn't show high pressure in my vintage 686. I worked up to higher velocities, but accuracy suffers too much.

Have tried the bullet in 38 Super, but the bullet makes the OAL too short. Could not get away from feed jams.

[James C. Snodgrass]

I've been shootin 5 gr Bullseye in 38 spl and it's mild kinda a plus -p load.

[mooman76]

If you going to load cast the Lyman manual is a must. They have a lot of load data for cast bullets. Lee has some data too but I use Lyman the most. There is data in the Lyman cast bullet hadbook too.

[runfiverun]

clays is like red dot and t-group is about like green-dot, maybe a tad slower than 231.
if you got those powders i would go with 231 or the b-eye

[TexasJeff]

If you going to load cast the Lyman manual is a must. They have a lot of load data for cast bullets. Lee has some data too but I use Lyman the most. There is data in the Lyman cast bullet hadbook too.

[smilie=b:

My Lyman manuals are loaned out right now--but I have the Lyman Casting book on my gun cleaning/data area in the shop. . .

And it never freaking occurred to me to look in there.[smilie=b:

Maybe I need to get some sleep this week.

Jeff

[Lloyd Smale]

actually the most accurate load ive used with it was 4.2 grains of VV310 but that stuff is just to expensive for me to use.

[Bret4207]

2.7x148WC vs. 3.5x105SWC- It's not just that the boolit is lighter, the WC sits waaaay down in the case leaving little air space. The 105SWC sit just inside the case mouth relatively speaking. More air space, less pressure.

[GrizzLeeBear]

I shoot 3.9 gr. of TrailBoss in .357 brass with that boolit in my GP-100. Very light recoil and accurate out to 25 yds. Might go down to 3.5 grains in the .38. Would be an easy shooting load in the snubbie.

[utk]

2.7x148WC vs. 3.5x105SWC- It's not just that the boolit is lighter, the WC sits waaaay down in the case leaving little air space. The 105SWC sit just inside the case mouth relatively speaking. More air space, less pressure.

I've read about shooters seating their lee 105 gr swc's deeper into the case to reduce powder space.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

In .380 ACP, I've seated mine to where the case mouth is about midway on the final band. I've used 1.2 gns of Red Dot for a nice target/rabbit round in my FEG-PA63 in .380 ACP. Not all guns will function on such a mild load.

[flinchnjerk]

3.2 of Titegroup or 3.5 of Trail Boss in .357 brass. Real pop-gun loads. You guys that shoot it in 9mm...what COAL works best for you?

[Wally]

I have used the same load and it is quite accurate in my 6" Barrel revovler. I get 1,120 FPS MV and a Std Deviation of 14 using my Chrony--great load to plink steel cans with. As it is easy to double chgrage a case---I recommend that after you charge a case that you put them in a loading block and visually inspect each one to prevent double charging.

This bullet works well in my 9mm pistol with 3.5 grains of Bullseye---it averages 1,080 FPS MV and is quiet accurate.

Wally

[Will]

LEE makes the mold but does not show it for 380 or 38spl in his latest manual.
I've found 2.4gr red-dot to work well in 380acp.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

Anyone chronographing what "their load" with this bullet does in said calibers?

I'm mostly interested in gathering the data in .380 ACP.

Need firearm, barrel length, powder and charge weight, and primer and case would be nice. Obviously, would need velocity for each round recorded.

[Cloudpeak]

3.2 of Titegroup or 3.5 of Trail Boss in .357 brass. Real pop-gun loads. You guys that shoot it in 9mm...what COAL works best for you?

If you're asking about the Lee 105 gr. SWC, in my M&P (now sold) I loaded them to 1.003". In my CZ Compact, I load them to 1.027".

Cloudpeak

[flinchnjerk]

Thanks, Cloudpeak.

[Ohio Rusty]

I have that same mould. I wasn''t sure what to load for such a light boolet, so I'm glad for the info. I want to stuff a .360 round ball in a .357 shell, then load the 105on top making a 'double projectile' load. The weight of the two together is 160 grains. It might be an interesting home defense round, or then again it might be a dud. Every shot gives you two projectiles, and 5 shots from a revolver gives you 10 holes in your intended target ..... Kind of interesting ........
Ohio Rusty ><(((o>

[GunFun]

Well, round one of testing this in 9mm was mixed luck. My hi-point 995 liked it with 3.5 grains of B.E. It seemed to be accurate and flat shooting in the closer ranges I was testing. It cycled well. My Taurus PT 99 AF did not like it so much. very small variations in COL made cycling not work. Also, even sized to .357, I had a couple stick in the fairly forgiving chamber. I may try again with a lighter crimp to see if that helps chambering. Otherwise, I will not use this for the taurus.

It ran nicely in a couple smith .357s loaded with 3.5 and 4.3 grains of B.E. and lightly crimped in the forward lube groove. Both shot to point of aim very well.

Using 50/50 Lead & CLWW water dropped, and then lubed per recluse's 45/45/10 method, these were weighing 110 grains and even a couple came in at 114.

It also fed and shot well in Ruger LCP .380, although a couple did stick slightly while feeding. Either a lighter crimp or more sizing may be needed to get 100% reliability.