357 mag lever gun load

[dogmower]

I had my first chance to try out a new load today for my 357 mag lever guns (Winchester carbine and Rossi with 20 inch barrel). I just got a new mould (Arsenal 158 grain K/T 5 cavity), which makes NICE boolits. I've had fantastic luck with Arsenal moulds, BTW.
Just recently, I switched to the shake and bake method with harbor freight red for powder coating. They dropped at .360 with my alloy and weighed 150 grains, I sized them back down to .358 and loaded over 14.7 grains H110. Didn't chrony them, but they were MOVING. The guy next to me was shooting cowboy action loads (158's at 1200 fps) in a 20 inch 357 mag carbine, and asked me why my loads were so loud. There was a NOTICEABLE difference in impact energy on the steel targets as well.
Best news is the accuracy. Out of the Winchester, which has a 3-9 scope on it, at 200 yards, it shot a 5 shot group on steel where I could barely see each bullet impact site. In other words, almost all touching! I don't have a scope on the Rossi, but had no problems hitting the rams at 200 yards, and I'll bet the accuracy in that rifle is just as good. This seems like a good, fast load, with no overpressure signs. YMMV, though. Needless to say, I'm quite happy with this one.

[MrHarmless]

H110 is an awesome powder as long as you play by it's rules. I shoot a similar load out of a 6 inch GP100, and it fuggin' thumps. I have yet to use it with some 158gr cast I have. I'm not sure how ~14 brinell hardness will respond to those velocities.

[dogmower]

That should be ok. These are plain based, and water quenched from 400 degrees (at the end of the powder coat). I think one of the reasons they work so well is that the base of the boolit is powder coated as well. I shot the same cast boolit design that had been powder coated (sprayed) while standing up, thus leaving the base unprotected. The boolits that were done by the "shake and bake" method grouped better. No significant leading with either type. I know one thing, I'll never go back to traditional cast/lubed. I shot some 38 specials that were laying around that were the cast/lubed type. Totally forgot what a smoky mess and how much wax is deposited in the bore. PC is the way to go.

[curioushooter]

Try lil'gun with 180s!

[robg]

my loads drop 3ft at 200yards .195g over 11.5g 2400 =1250fps but are very accurate

[georgerkahn]

I have a Marlin .357 Mag lever gun, and was quite surprised to see your load, which is but two-tenths of a grain heavier than mine! Using H110, I charge with 14.5 grains with a quite similar (NOE) bullet also sized to .358. Your shooting results are MUCHO better than mine -- my criterion is generally a paper plate at 75 yards -- and my almost-identical load to yours gets all bullets in the plate.
geo