Do I need to size?

[cakes]

Hello.

I was given a Lee 358-150WC mold today. This .358 diameter 150 grain wad cutter has three lube grooves. I am wondering if I will need to size these bullets. I am a 'shoot as cast' kind of guy but will size if required.

For general plinking in revolvers and a single shot rifle, can bullets from this mold be fired as cast with wheel weights?

This is my first .38 spl / .357 mold.

Thanks.

[Edubya]

Hello.

I was given a Lee 358-150WC mold today. This .358 diameter 150 grain wad cutter has three lube grooves. I am wondering if I will need to size these bullets. I am a 'shoot as cast' kind of guy but will size if required.

For general plinking in revolvers and a single shot rifle, can bullets from this mold be fired as cast with wheel weights?

This is my first .38 spl / .357 mold.

Thanks.

I ain't no expert, but I'd do it. Load a dummy round (w/o primer or powder) to see if they'll fit the cylinder. Be sure to start at the low end and be sure to check for any signs of pressure, i.e., does the fired case eject easily? Is the primer pancaked? ...etc. Oh yeah, don't over-crimp (will cause deformation of soft lead bullets and may cause leading), but do a thumb press against the loading bench to be sure that the COL will remain solid during the recoil.

Good luck
EW

[Echo]

What diameter are the boolits as cast? What is the groove diameter of the guns in which they will be shot? If the boolits are .001-.002 larger than the largest diameter they will pass through, you are set to go. If larger, size. If smaller, beagle.

[cakes]

Thanks.

If anyone can recommend a 38/357 mold that will shoot as cast with wheel weights, that would be great. I'm looking for a load that I can put into any gun, like I would with factory loads. Or let me know if this is too much to ask.

[leftiye]

Again...... shoot in what? What groove diameter, what throat or mouth diameter? They either must cast the right size for your gun, or if not, they must be sizeable to the correct size for your gun.

[happy7]

It might sound elementary, but I don't know how much casting experience you have so I will go ahead and say that you will have to lube the bullets one way or another. Without lube, leading is very likely. Liquid alox would be the least work and the least time consuming.

You cannot make a general statement that such and such a model mold will shoot good as cast. Individual molds vary in size even if they are the same model. Then it matters which gun they will be fired in as far as its internal dimensions. Even the alloy you use changes the size of the bullets. As was said, load a dummy round. If it chambers without being tight in the cylinder, then it should be ok to shoot. That does mean it will be as accurate as if it was sized or not. Maybe yes, maybe no. That is why we work up loads. As always start with starting loads and work up.

With your alloy, if you find a mold that drops about .359, it should work in most revolvers.

[runfiverun]

measure your fired cases and your cast boolits.
if the boolits ae smaller then the inside of the fired case you don't gotta size them.
if they are slightly larger than your cylinder throats they will shoot fine.

[buck1]

When sizes allow I love to use my gun as the sizer.

[mtgrs737]

If the loaded round will chamber freely then lube them with your fingers and some 50/50 or tumble lube them with Lee's liquid alox load and fire. At target velocities 100 % lube is not required. Good luck!