Cast bullets in the 357 Maximum?

[fatelvis]

I've been shooting alot of 357 max with my 12" G2 barrel, using Hornady's 180 XTP and IMR4227 with fabulous results! Problem: Try to find them....Nobody has them in stock. So I started casting Lyman's 358627 (215 grn. Keith style w/GC). I'm wondering if someone has a good recipe they could share using this bullet. And hopefully I can match the .75 MOA results I was getting with the Hornadys. Thanks in advance.

[selmerfan]

I'm running this bullet out of my .357 max as well. 21 gr. of H110 is good enough for deer, but not great on paper at 100 yds - 2" groups or so. I have had EXCELLENT success with 26 gr. of RL7 and the 215 gr. bullet, MOA or better at 100 yds and HELL on deer. I'm shooting them out of my 16.5" Encore barrel, mine is cut with a true throat, so I'm seating them out to touch the lands rather than crimping, which helped accuracy and case capacity, as putting that bullet on top of 26 gr. of RL7 is an awfully tight fit. I crimp just enough to take the flare out of the case.

[fatelvis]

My barrel started out as a brand new 357, and I sent it to Mike Bellm to ream it out to the Max. He said the modern factory 357 Max T/C barrells have long leads and wide throats so he reams magnum chambers out to give tighter, shorter throats, and I think it results in better accuracy. Maybe I'll try your little tip on loading the bullet out further. This barrel is shooting 3/4" groups @ 100 meters now (with XTPs), and hearing your MOA results with this bullet gives me hope for similar accuracy. I'm going to load up some using IMR4227, and your RL7 load, and see what happens! Thanks.

[Glen]

Yup, that bullet shoots very well in my Ruger SBH. For the details, see:

http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell357Max.htm