Wich Boolet?

[Mag357]

I'm new to casting and trying to get going on my first mould for my 357mag
And I was Thinking about the http://arsenalmolds.com/products?product_id=136 for my first mould and was wondering if it would be possible to effectively hunt deer with them?

[Conditor22]

Welcome to CB.

What are you going to shoot it out of?

It should be fine.

I've cast thousands of 6 CAV 358-158-RF a 6 cavity mold is only $49.82 shipped from Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/LEE-PRECISION.../dp/B003BWNI8K

you'd need to get a handle with it. maybe not as nice as the arsenal ($83.00 for 5 cavities) but you can produce a lot of boolits in a hurry for not much money.

[Rcmaveric]

I have both the Lee molds Lee 158 SWC gas checked and the Lee 158 RNFP (with the bevel base), like above. Both will work fine. I find the bevel base is more accurate at lower pressures and velocities. I blame the base. You would have to see what accuracy and velocity you get. If its accurate enough to hit a deer and 1000fps or so, then i would hunt with it. Cant remember if its a law or hunter safety course but 700lb of force at target distance is what i am for.

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[Mag357]

Thank you that boosted my confidence up i will be shooting a revolver 4inc barrel is the plan for now and if not then my Henry and for my state law is 500 fb at the muzzle for hand guns and 1000 for rifle and I won't be shooting much past 50 75 yards if that

[Norske]

Bevel based bullets typically don't work as well at higher pressures/velocities because they don't slug up to fit the bore as well as flat based designs. They do drop out of the mould easier, which is why they are common in store-bought cast bullets. At the distances you plan to hunt at, the wider the nose (meplat), the better it will drop game.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Mag357,

If your planning on hunting with your .357, a bullet with a large meplat - Wide Flat Nose - would be an advantage.

It was said for years that the shoulder on the front driving band of a Semi-Wad Cutter such as the one you linked would cut a full caliber hole through tissue.

However, if you were to read some of the writings of Veral Smith (LBT Lead Bullet Technology), he says that due to the pressure stream of tissue and liquid that flows back from the meplat on the Semi-wad cutter style, the driving band never touches the tissue. For that reason, it is his feeling that the larger meplat of the Wide Flat Nose or Long Flat Nose style of bullets is much more effective on game.

I have not used a .357 for game, but have found WFN cast bullets to be very effective using the .44mag in rifles and the 45/70. Every deer taken with those cartridges and the WFN bullets, with only one exception has dropped where it stood. Of the 3 elk taken with the 45/70, they were down in less time then it takes to tell about it.

Of course, shot placement is always important, but the WFN cast bullet is effective.

You can find bullets of this style on the Web site of Accurate Molds as well as other manufactures.

I have some bevel base bullets from lee molds, but for hunting I use other molds and bullet styles.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Wheelguns 1961]

I just got a NOE htc-359-173 wfn for my high end .357 hunting bullets. This is a powder coat- hitek mold. I cast and coated some yesterday and they look awesome. Looks like a killer. Send me a pm with your email, if you want to see pictures.

[Norske]

Missouri Bullets of Bonner, MT is often a good source for wide-nosed cast bullets. You can try before you buy your own mold.

[Beerd]

A 158 gr bullet has been the standard in the 357 magnum since day one and most firearms shoot that weight real well. Many prefer something heavier for hunting, the 180 gr wide flat nose gets a lot of positive reviews. I have yet to shoot anything bigger than a jack rabbit with my .357mag so I will be watching this thread with interest.

........... my state law is 500 fb at the muzzle for hand guns and 1000 for rifle ..............

ya gotta love laws like that.
..