I had a chance this weekend to fire up the pot ad cast some boolits, something I have been meaning to get around for some time.
I started with a 358-125 RF and followed it with a 000 buck, couple sessions, ended up with about 3 shotshell boxes worth of projectiles, pretty straight forward process, didn't go as well as I hoped, but I can't complain either, did ok for a first try.
now part of the reason I wanted some 000 buck was to slug some barrels.
my 9mm measured .355, my 357 measured .357, and the .380 wait for it, .358 that was a bit of a surprise, I slugged each barrel twice and measured several times, so where do I go from here?
I want to order some sizing dies next, my boolits measure .360, well at least the ones I closed the mold tight do, I have had them larger, so If I were to shoot cast, about .002 over, I read, but how about if I am planning to powder coat them? same? do you guys load PC boolits to cast charges?, jacketed? or somewhere in between more like plated projectiles?
all that being said, the thought has crossed my mind to make up some .380 loads using the 000 buckshot, I saw the 38/357 duplex loads, but search as I might I have not come across such an example for the .380, read about the #3 in 25 acp thou.
those balls are supposed to weigh about 70 gr, I have yet to weigh some but the lowest 380 load I came across was 90? gr, read somewhere when a load is not avail for said projectile go to the next weight up.
any thoughts?