Experiments with cast boolits

[Wheeler]

First off a little background.

My main focus in shooting pistols is IDPA. For most of the past ten years I have shot a revolver in one form or another. When I bought my Dillon 550 it was to produce ammo to shoot, not for experimentation. Once I got onto this site the bug to experiment bit me

I recently picked up some 9mm .356 RNL boolits to experiment with. The main focus was to be able to speed up reloads, thus the desire for the sharp pointy boolits. The original test involved the 125 gr .356 RNL over 4.2 grains of W231 in a .38 Spl case. The original test platform was Ruger GPNY .38 Spl that was shooting 8" low and to the left from POA. I then tried the same load through my S&W 686 and was getting about a 6" group at 7 yards. That wasn't going to work. I had a few left over and shot them through my Winchester M94 .357, with impressive results ie a 4 shot cloverleaf at 15 yards. So there was hope for the idea after all.

Fast forward to today, I pulled out the 28-2 as an entertainment piece for my local IDPA match today. I loaded up some more of the .356 9mm loads only this time over my standard charge of 5.2 grains of W231. I regret not taking pictures of the 3" group at 20 yards with two fliers. I'm thinking this is worthy of further development.

[Love Life]

You should try playing with the NOE 360-95-SP. It is a very pointy boolit and it does wonderful things in my model 28.

[44man]

It is what cast is all about. You can make them out shoot jacketed.
The crutch is when you buy bulk boolits.

[Wheeler]

Buying for now.

[sagamore-one]

Hensley & Gibbs offered a 158 gr "speedloader special" #316 as a possible answer to speeding up revolver reloads. I have Custom Matched Pair in 10 cavity.

[fecmech]

Here is the RCBS 9MM truncated cone 124 gr over 4.5/Bullseye in a K-38 at 50 yds. A little over 1000 FPS and very accurate. The lee 120 TC(lube groove version) shoots just as well. If you can't hit the charge holes quick with these bullets ?????

[Iron Mike Golf]

I hope to be picking up a 28-2 tomorrow after work. I am going to have to try my SAECO 383 (140 gr TC) in that. It's working great as cast (.358) in my SR9c.

[Love Life]

All of these people with model 28-2's and picking them up makes me sad. Less left on the market for myself!!

[Frank]

fecmech:

Yeah, pin that target to their IDPA shorts.

[Wheeler]

Sorry for the crappy cell phone picture, these are the loads I cooked up. First chance I get I'll shoot a group for accuracy and post.

[Old Caster]

I see that you like light bullets but in my experience the best bullet I have tried is a 200 grain bullet for a .35 caliber rifle. The reason I like it is because with a light bullet, it is hard to make power factor without a fast powder and a lot of recoil. With a heavy bullet and a slow powder it is easy to make power factor and people will claim your load isn't hot enough when listening how quiet your gun is until you prove it is. I don't know if it will satisfy your accuracy requirements or if it will hit point of aim if you use a gun that doesn't have adjustable sights but I think it is definitely worth a try. I used them in a model 10. I think there is a 195 grain bullet that is made for 38's and you might come up with some of them that are commercially made. Another good thing about them is how soft you can make them if casting because they are going so slow.

[Wheeler]

I just recently swapped over to a 125 gr. bullet. I used to use a 158gr. SJHP or a 158gr. SJFP but the prices have gotten a bit ridiculous. I found the 125 SJHP for a decent price and have been working with them until prices (hopefully) go down again. Being the cheap bast... err feller that I am, finances sort of drove me into looking into casting.

IDPA recently changed the power factor for Stock Service Revolver to 105,000. Apparantly folks are having a hard time finding a factory .38 load that meets the originaly 125,000 PF without buying the very expensive defensive ammo.

Speaking of power factor, I've always kept my load at the equivilant of my defensive load. Probably the main reason that I've never made Expert or Master class is that I stubbornly refuse to shoot what I feel are light target loads. I might change that if I can find a load that will keep a 3" group at 25 yards. It seems the older I get the more tiring it is to shoot the "heavier" loads in larger matches.

I'll look into some of the heavier bullets, I suppose I could have a custom mold made if I do make the jump into casting.

[44man]

I can understand the "power factor" because it will be real life shooting. Unlike the CA guys with zero recoil. Recoil is a part of shooting, yes it gets tiresome. I think CA shooters should at least use what real cowboys shot.
Well, I can't argue, they do have fun but it seems dressing up is more important and that leaves me out. I could not afford the clothes!
A friend shot at Winchester VA, the civil war stuff. It really looked like fun but if he changed outfits, he needed new uniforms to match. Go through Sutler's row and weep!
Too many of the shooting sports are for rich people. Even gas to get there leaves most of us out.
Going to cast is smart and from the shooting shown, I would stay there because it is too good to let go.

[fecmech]

IDPA recently changed the power factor for Stock Service Revolver to 105,000. Apparantly folks are having a hard time finding a factory .38 load that meets the originaly 125,000 PF without buying the very expensive defensive ammo.

That's great now you can shoot target wadcutters and make power factor! Might as well let the .22's in.

The load I posted previously with the 124 gr RCBS makes the old PF as it's over 1000 fps. To make the old power factor a 158 gr only needs to be going 800 fps. The factory's must really be loading the .38 spl down!

[Frank]

fechmech:

The load I posted previously with the 124 gr RCBS makes the old PF as it's over 1000 fps.

That's a slow load, but if it's accurate and knocks the rams then why not.

[fecmech]

fechmech:

That's a slow load, but if it's accurate and knocks the rams then why not.

In Hunters Pistol I use that load to 75 yds for chickens pigs and turkeys, for the rams I use a 158 RN with a 900 fps MV.

[Frank]

fechmech:

In Hunters Pistol I use that load to 75 yds for chickens pigs and turkeys, for the rams I use a 158 RN with a 900 fps MV.

For the field, a good WFN pushed to +P velocity will also provide a good smack down on big game in the little .38. So I hear.

[Wheeler]

Fast forward to a month later. I started toe experiment process by loading 10 rounds each starting at 4.2 grains of W231 up to 5.0 grains of W231. The plan was to run 5 through my M28 4" and 5 through my M12 1 7/8" Smiths. As I carry the M12 I wanted to see about a lighter target load that I didn't have to worry about streching the frame. As I got down behind the house and I set down my range bag, disaster struck. My bag tipped over and all the carefully cataloged and sorted cartridges dumped out of the shell tray I had put them in into the main compartment of my bag. Bad words were said...

Not being one to let a minor catastrophe (and a couple of hours worth of loading) go to waste, I decided to shoot what I had for plinking and start over again. I loaded 6 (mixed) rounds in my M12 and fired started to cock again and had a hard time getting the cylinder to advance. I opened the cylinder and pulled the case, it was completely black and there were particles of ...something in the cylinder and barrel. I ran a few more and swapped to the M28.
Same thing, particles in the cylinder, under the extractor star, the brass came out black with carbon.

When I ran these same boolits over 5.4 grains of W231 I didn't this. Can someone explain what is going on?

[thegreatdane]

fecmech:

Yeah, pin that target to their IDPA shorts.

haha. IDPA shorts.

[Frank]

The picture says everything. Talk means keyboard shooters.