357 Magnum Single Action, 180g Cast Boolits

[gondwana]

Your experienced feedback will be very genuinely appreciated ...

I am looking for good performance out to 60 yards with my short barreled (4.62") 357 Ruger Blackhawk. I would like to use a nominal 180g, wide meplat, gas checked boolit, cast from my supply of linotype. I have enjoyed success with nominal 158g non-gas checked using the RCBS 38-158-SWC mold but am looking for something more. Before I hear you say "use a 44 Magnum or 45 Colt" I have both and a Freedom Arms Model 83 in 454 Casull, all of which sport longer barrels. I like the compact package of the 4.62" barreled Blackhawk.

The Blackhawk has a 1 in 16" twist but the short barrel is a concern; I have good access to a broad range of powders and primers, but maybe I am dreaming due to the short barrel. I would really appreciate any thoughts and feedback.

[shoot-n-lead]

I shoot 2 357 Bisley Blackhawks with 7.5 barrels and 1 OM 357 Blackhawk with 45/8 barrel with NOE 180gr 360-180 and with NOE 358429 that drops at about 175grs with my coww alloy...all of these guns shoot these bullets equally well over 12grs of 2400...although, I shoot the Bisley's better. None of my molds are GC as I find no reason for my hunting use. These bullets will do the job at less than absolute fullhouse on my deer. I find that my Blackhawks like the heavier bullets a little better than the lighter ones. The lighter bullets being 38-150-KT and Lyman 358156. YMMV

If forced to choose one bullet for my guns, it would be the 358429...I just prefer it a little over the NOE 180gr WFN.

Just a thought, but if you want to try the 358429 in your guns, I just cast a batch and I will send you some to try. Just send me a pm with your address.

[KYCaster]

Not a Ruger, but I've done some load development with a 180 gr. FP cast with a Lee group buy mold.

I've gone to 1200 fps using Alliant 2400, W296 and Hodgdon Li'l Gun.

In a Hawes SA, recoil can only be described as.....BRUTAL! I was never able to shoot more than one decent six shot group before my flinch opened the groups to unacceptable dimensions. I have 25 yard groups of 1.75 to 2 in. with all three of the powders mentioned, but there's no way I could repeat that on the same day.

I have similar experience with Black Hawks, Colt's, Ubertis and USFAs in 44 and 45. When the velocities go above 950 or so, I just don't want to deal with the punishment.

I never had any trouble putting three rounds into a 9 in. paper plate out to 60 yds. or so with the blade and notch SA sights from field positions, but I never became confident enough to trust my flinch on live targets.

Double actions are a different beast entirely. I've settled on that same 180 RF at 1130 fps. With a 4 in. S&W 586, I can shoot 2.25 to 2.5 in. 25 yd. groups as long as my ammo holds out, and ring the 12" 50 yd. gong on demand.

These are plain base boolits, I see no need for a gas check on revolver boolits at this speed.

Jerry

[MT Gianni]

I bought my blackhawk used and it has a Mustang grip. It has done good work with a group buy 180 fn.

[Beerd]

gondwana,
what will be the target of choice?
..

[9.3X62AL]

A 4"-barreled 357 Mag revolver has PLENTY of sight radius for 60 yard shots on game animals in the hands of a shooter practiced with the revolver and load. I assume you intend to hunt deer with this combination--I can easily get 1200 FPS with a 180 grain flat point casting with several powders in my 686 x 4". The additional custom touch I would add is to cast the bullet as a BruceB Softpoint, the instructions for same are stickied on this site.

[TCLouis]

Bruce

What powders are you using to get the 1200 fps in 4"

[gondwana]

gondwana,
what will be the target of choice?
..

Beerd

Spending a few weeks in MT next Fall hunting Elk, deer and bear. Have never taken deer with the Blackhawk and would like to try.

[gondwana]

I should also ask, what is everyone's preferred lube?

[youngmman]

LBT Blue. I use it for everything and load the LBT 180 WFN W/two lube groves. No leading at all.

[histed]

I've done some work with a K Frame 4" and 180 gr RNGC (which I didn't cast). I had good results with Enforcer, Blue Dot and H110. This was about the same time as the Big Panic, so I haven't used 2400 and can't comment there. At 25 yards I can usually get groups around 2" with the stock sights. At 50, from a good rest and the stars aligned properly, I can manage standard pie tin. Like you, I could go with a longer barrel, but I like the compact size and lighter weight.

[roverboy]

I've shot some 180 gr. cast gc flat points with 13.5 gr. 2400 out of my 6" Security Six. The recoil is heavy but not brutal. I've had no pressure signs at all. The accuracy is good but, I've not had the chance to deer hunt with this load yet. I don't have a clue on what velocity this would be.

[9.3X62AL]

My 686 x 4" gets 1125-1150 FPS using 13.5 grains of Alliant 2400/CCI-500/W-W nickeled brass using 180 grain GC/FP. This revo is a fairly "tight" example, with .357" throats and .004" flash-gap. 14.0 grains gets into the 1200 FPS toll-free dialing area, and no excessive pressure indicia. WORK UP TO THIS LEVEL USING YOUR COMPONENTS/TOOLS/ARMS. What works for me in MY war toys might not mesh well with yoursesp. K-frame S&Ws.

I have used 2400, H-110, WW-296, AA-9, WC-820, and IMR/H-4227 with 180 grain castings. None of these are especially better in my guns than any of the others in terms of accuracy, consistency, or velocity. The slowest revolver is my S&W pre-27 x 6.5". owing to its .011" flash-gap......the 4" 686 runs a given load 5%-8% faster than the 6.5" barrel.......and my 7.5" Bishawk is fastest, given its barrel length and tight tolerances. This latter example gets all of my George W. Bush (nuke-you-ler) 357 loadings, too--because it's a BH.

[gondwana]

Thank you one and all for the great replies and information. Making contact with Dan at AccurateMolds to get my 180g boolit mold made.

[jmort]

Accurate is great choice, and I believe you will need to speak with Tom.

[gtgeorge]

Don't get caught up with seeing how fast you can push it either. At 60 yards it will be a killer with a lot less recoil as well. I have shot many deer with a 4" Mod 66 with anything from a 158gr to 190 and out to 100 yards and only lost one that I can recall. It was with a jacketed 158 factory load b4 I started casting and loading my own. I prefer a faster follow up to the most velocity I can squeeze out of a handgun for when there are multiple shot opportunities In fact I averaged 7 deer a year several years with it as my only choice to hunt with.

[gondwana]

I know 2 years is a long time to get back and post my results but much has gone on in my world since I last posted. My results were excellent thanks to the hundreds of threads I read on here first and to all of you who responded to my dumb questions. I ran with Lyman #2 in Tom's brass dual-cavity mold, water quenched, lube-sized 358 with LBT Blue Soft. Great accuracy and consistent results. My 180 hard cast is all I use in my little 357 Blackhawk these days. Thanks again to this awesome board and all of you good folks for sharing your knowledge and experience with me.

[9.3X62AL]

"Little" Blackhawk. Too funny.

I am rather fond of "heavier-for-caliber" bullet weights in my revolvers, esp. the 357 Magnum. 150 grains is about as light a weight as I cast for the 38/357s (Lyman #358477), and Ly #358156 gets about 75% of my 357 Magnum shooting these days. A 180 grain FN/GC from a group buy on this site some years back gets some time as well, and the Lyman #358430 @ 195 grains takes up some of the slack too. I have looked around for a 357 Magnum rifle for a couple years now, and they are SCARCE. A Marlin 94 or Win 92 would be my preference, but those have been made of unobtainium since my search started. Drat the luck.

[Redleg11b]

Don't forget the Rossi 92. Sure, some have issues, but they all can depending on the load. I have a H&R Handi .357 that I am messing around with. Hopefully the SWCs I ordered will be in today. I am hoping to get a load worked up for my son to use on deer in a couple weeks.

[catboat]

Ummm, this thread is 2 years old. I think he's back from his trip. Time for some reports of what you finally took with you, and how it shot.

If you're still looking for a bullet, try a classic /true Keith design @ 168 grains. Leadhead bullets sells them (and others). Great quality. I shoot their 357Keith bullet (168 grain, plain base) out of my Ruger GP100. Just using Unique, but getting ~ 1.5" groups @ 25 yards. I did have this revolver's throats uniformed/reamed by the cylindersmith years ago, and it really helped (throats WERE .355" , .356", 357". Now all .358".

Leadhead bullets
https://secure25.securewebsession.co....com/order.htm

One belated thought. Keep your velocity under the speed of sound (depending on your elevation above sea level, but <1100 fps generally), and you won't subject your bullet to transonic upset. You'll have less velocity loss, and probably better accuracy <1100 fps. Plenty fast for a heavy .357 bullet. But, this is 2 years too late.

What did you wind up with for a bullet?

PS. I wasn't going to recommend a 44 mag or 45 colt. I WOULD recommend your gun's cousin in a similarly compact-sized 44 special Ruger flat top 4 5/8" rig with a 250 grain cast bullet-but too late.