Results of first casting test

[Lightning Ross]

150 grain, swc lee six hole mold, 13 grn, 2400 @ 25 yds.
1.75 inch group.
Late 1970 s Ruger Blackhawk 4 5/8 barrel.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Ross, you're off to a great start. The only downside is that you will have to go some to improve on it!

[mag_01]

Looks good for your first casting session-----With different loads you should be able to close that group up--keep up the good work------Mag

[Lightning Ross]

The first loads I tried were with unique and I would be embarrased to show them . sprayed all over the place. 6 to 8 grains . 8 started to lead. I tried some tight grooup It shot better than the unique. still not great. then came the pyrodex .I had the second best group with that.Settled on the 2400. Now will play with primers and lube.All I had for lube was the rcbs green that I got with the sizer.

[LAH]

Love that 2400........You did good...............Creeker

[Jerry Lester]

Feels awsome don't it! I just started casting myself, and mine are shooting pretty good too.:-D

[44man]

Try water dropping the boolits to harden them. Step up the load a little at a time because you haven't reached the sweet spot. You should be able to work slowly to 15 gr's of 2400. Try a standard primer with 2400 to see if there is any change. That RCBS lube might be too hard, try some Felix lube. Lar's carnauba red should work great too. Try hand or pan lubing so you don't size the boolit, it should shoot better unsized. You can use a larger size die also.
Do not mix brands of brass with a .357 because there is a great difference in capacity with these cases.
You have done well to start but I am sure you can cut those groups by half.

[Bass Ackward]

I don't know. He may be pretty close now. If you just eliminated the fliers from shots 1 &2 and 3&4, he would have cut that by 50%. Since those occurred where they did, I figure that he just got lubed up and had he then shot, he would have been much happier.

Personally, I would shoot a box or two of shells and see what kind of accuracy he has at that time, because I would expect it to pick up slightly to that point. But that's just me.

[44man]

Bass, I didn't even pay any attention to the fliers and discounted them. I was figuring he started with a clean bore. Since the .357 is one of the most accurate cartridges, I would expect he can make almost one hole at 25 yd's with a little work. From a rest of course!
What he has shown is that he has a great start but it is not the place to stop at. If he is as nuts as the rest of us, (He soon will be!) he is just at the start of a lot of fun and a lot of hair pulling. I am going to urge him on and to caution him not to go haywire and drool in the lead pot!

[Lightning Ross]

That was shot from standing leaning up against a post I dont have a bench. I was cleaning gun between each increment change in powder. First two then sight change #3+4 sight change. The rest well best I could do without sand bags and bench.I think I will Work on that load and tweek it a little and see what I can get out of it .It feels good to shoot. I am no a super rocket lead pill pusher .I like one small hole. Did that last statement sound funny

[44man]

I take back some of what I said!! If shot off a post, you are a darn good shot and the group looks a LOT better to me.