Range report: 358156

[Jal5]

Had a good morning at the range today, spent most of the time on two rifles I have been reloading J-words.

The 357 mag rounds for 358156 with my cast boolits, not GC went pretty well. At 15 yds. I was developing a load using 2400 and this was the result.
This was the upper end for 2400 pretty much I think. Very slight leading that removed with two passes of a dry patch through the bore. Lube was Darr. That is a 5 shot 1.81" and 3 shot 0.695" from a sandbag rest @15yd. At the end of the shooting session after I had been working most of the time with the rifles too. I might bump the load up and see-it would still be within the specs.

Joe

[44man]

Had a good morning at the range today, spent most of the time on two rifles I have been reloading J-words.

The 357 mag rounds for 358156 with my cast boolits, not GC went pretty well. At 15 yds. I was developing a load using 2400 and this was the result.
This was the upper end for 2400 pretty much I think. Very slight leading that removed with two passes of a dry patch through the bore. Lube was Darr. That is a 5 shot 1.81" and 3 shot 0.695" from a sandbag rest @15yd. At the end of the shooting session after I had been working most of the time with the rifles too. I might bump the load up and see-it would still be within the specs.

Joe
WHY, OH, WHY are you shooting a rifle at 15 yards? :kidding:
The 358156 is a great boolit and I used to shoot it under 1" at 100 yards with a S&W REVOLVER with 2400.
Please don't think I am being mean, but something is wrong.
We need about 200% more information.
You should be able to match what your rifle does at 100 yards with jacketed using a cast boolit. Cast does not take a back seat!

[Jal5]

I wrote the post in a confusing way. The two rifles I started the morning with were a 270 and 243 that I have only reloaded J-words with so most of the morning was spent with that project at 50 and 100 yds...I haven't started casting for those yet.

The 358156 was for handgun shooting using my S&W M66 @15yds. Sorry for the confusion.

Joe

[44man]

I wrote the post in a confusing way. The two rifles I started the morning with were a 270 and 243 that I have only reloaded J-words with so most of the morning was spent with that project at 50 and 100 yds...I haven't started casting for those yet.

The 358156 was for handgun shooting using my S&W M66 @15yds. Sorry for the confusion.

Joe
OK, that is more like it. I would say you have a good start with the revolver.
I was taken aback about a rifle that close. :mrgreen:

[Jal5]

Yeah it needs some more work but it is a start.
The gun is a 6" barrel, open sights so with my old eyes there are real limitations there too!
I found the cleartotarget stickons for my glasses and this does help with the front sight focus quite a bit. The gun seems to like the heavier boolits a little better too in 357 mag cases, 358429 is a favorite of mine. The 358156 was used without GC. I hate the added expense of checks just for plinking/target shooting but thought I would play around with it and see what I could do since so many speak so highly of their experiences with this boolit.

I am a novice caster but have reloaded using jacketed for several years, so I am still learning. Plus I really like the hobby of casting during the long winter months!

Joe

[x101airborne]

Feel free to have high expectations from a 66 series S&W. I own 3 and the only revolver more accurate is a customized model 57. I have been loading 2400 for the 357 for years with excellent results. At full house loads, watch your lube. I had a problem when my lube was running out. All my model 66's now shoot unique under 160 flat points for a mid range load. Those 66's are the bees knees!

[x101airborne]

If you are interested, my load is 6.5gr unique under the lee 160 fp 15 bhn and a standard primer. Feels nice in carpel tunnel hands.

[Jal5]

Thanks Airborne that is exactly what I use for a midrange load too. I need to pick up one of those molds since i bought a bunch of those boolits from a member here some time ago before my casting started.

What are you using for full house loads? That is what I am trying to work up now. I am looking at 358429 or the 358156 molds.
For 38spl loads the standard wadcutter 358061 under Bullseye works for me.

I do like this gun a lot. Plan to use it for deer hunting next fall with a different boolit purchased from one of our members here. I feel comfortable out to 25 yds with it. I could have taken a small button buck with it last fall, but let it walk to grow up some more.
Joe

[kelbro]

358156 with GC is one of my most accurate 357 bullets. 6" S&W 586 and 6" DW 15-2. I'll throw in the extra couple of pennies for the improved accuracy.