Lee 158 gr. 358 RN FN

[odis]

I have just finished sizing and lubing 50 boolits from this mold, any body have any experience with this slug? I would like too load up some 357 mag. loads and then some mild plinkers. How does it perform at magnum velocity?

[Dale53]

odis;
The "correct" answer is that it depends on your gun. However, it is now my "go to" bullet for .38 Special and .357 Magnum. I use Carnauba Red bullet lube, size to .358" for my revolvers and it shoots well. Lee's six cavity bullet moulds allow you to turn out a bunch of match quality bullets in record time.

This seems to be a very good choice for general use.

I have a new Mihec mould for his 359640 hollow point (160 grs) and solid point (180 grs) that I believe will be a better "special purpose" bullet.

Dale53

[odis]

Thank you Dale this is my first experience with casting and sizing. I am using the lube that came with my LAM II. The gun is my wifes Colt Trooper MK III. Plan on starting out with 2400 and then developing a lighter load for plinking with Unique.

[Rocky Raab]

I load that bullet to 38 Special speeds only, and use a gas-checked bullet for anything at 357 Mangleum speed. But the Lee is a very good choice for the 38. I use Liquid Alox and a dusting of mica on mine (as I do with ALL cast bullets) and load it as-cast/unsized.

[Wally]

I have used that bullet which has a beveled base with homemade Freechex GC's--it takes GC's quite well and is very accurate in all my .357 magnum guns incl a Marlin 1894C. Works well w/o a GC in a .357 Magnum at up to 1,100 FPS...use 5.5 grains of Red Dot

[odis]

These slugs are cast from wheel weights and water quenched one week ago. Is the grease groove shallow on this boolit? I have had a bit of experience reloading cast before and they all have hard lube so I'm not sure about the depth in comparison. I have found little difference in the past between gas checked slugs and plain based in 44 and 45 caliber. This is my first mold but not my last.

[462]

That boolit will fill your needs. You will have to experiment with different alloys and loads. I suspect that you will soon discover that water quenching is not required, and that either an air-cooled 50/50 or 2:1 mix of clip-on/stick-on will get you want you want.

I use W-296 for magnum loads and 2400 for less than magnum.

That's what works for me, your results may be different.

[leadman]

I water quench this bullet for my 38 Special to 357 Magnum in a Marlin 357 lever gun. I have shot it to 1,600 fps with no leading and great accuracy.
If you find you are getting leading at magnum velocities you can use a gas check inverted under it. After flaring the neck, set the gas check in the neck and let the bullet push it in the case so there is no air space between the check and bullet.

[Cowboy T]

That's actually the boolit I use for both of my .357 Magnum loads. The first one is just above .38 Spl +P and is cast from straight WW. The second one is at near-full-house and is cast from 50/50 lead/Lino. The second one is the most accurate load I have.

[odis]

Thank you all for your replys, I appreciate it.

[NickSS]

I have a six cavity mold for that bullet and use it in both 357 mag and 38 spl mostly with WW air cooled in both. My most used magnum load is a light mag load of 7 gr of Unique and for the 38 spl I use 4.5 gr of unique most of the time. I have loaded this bullet in magnum loads with full power W 296 load and have had no leading using 50-50 allox and bees wax in my lever action Marlin.

[colonelhogan44]

Over 1600 fps seems to be the leading point on this one.

[EMC45]

Great bullet! I have shot many of them.....Many.

[Thumbcocker]

4.5 of red dot in magnum brass is very popular at my house.

[Curly James]

Having recently found a good deal on 5 pounds of Titegroup powder I have discovered that 3.6 grains behind the Lee RNFP shoots very well. Nicely, 3.2 grains of Titegroup is a very mild target load. With those charges 5 pounds will go a long way.

[selmerfan]

It's the preferred boolit in the .357 I used to own that I sold to my seminary roommate. It's still used in it. I'm pretty sure 10 gr. of Blue Dot is the powder charge behind it, but double check that charge!!!

[odis]

Thanks to everybody who responded to my post. After reading the replys I confident that I made the right choice. My next purchase is going to be an RCBS 2 cavity Kieth mold for my 44s.

[Fire_stick]

I just had a good experience with this bullet, air cooled ww, with LLA/JPW lube.

I had some 357 mag cartridges loaded with 7.7 gr. of Longshot. My friends and I were hanging out at the Ranch House, and shooting water filled jugs at various ranges with rifles and open sites. There was 1 jug at about 125 yards or so, and I wanted to see if I could tag it with my GP100 (open sites). On the first shot, my spotter said I was a little high, but center. I adjusted, and the second shot, BOOM! direct hit. That was the shot of the day.

Can't wait to try again to see if I can replicate.

[Thumbcocker]

Fire Stick remember that the hard part is looking casual like that sort of thing happens all the time. That is the mark of an experienced shooter.

[EDK]

I shot 60+ rounds of the LYMAN 358665 this afternoon...very similar to your LEE...in 357 brass with 4.5 grains of TITEGROUP in Original Size VAQUEROS...going to give the 44s a break for a week or two.

For your 44 mould, I'd see if MIHEC has any of his 429421/H&G 503 clone moulds in either aluminum or brass. It is Elmer Keith's original design, and THE BOOLIT for a 44 revolver. I have the brass 4 cavity and the aluminum 6 cavity...fill the MAGNUM MELTER and then cast some boolits...one or two cavity moulds just don't cut it anymore!

:Fire::castmine::redneck:

[Dale53]

I have the brass 4 cavity and the aluminum 6 cavity...fill the MAGNUM MELTER and then cast some boolits...one or two cavity moulds just don't cut it anymore!

:Fire::castmine::redneck:

Amen!

Dale53

[odis]

I am quite satisfied with this mold, the test run on 50 rds. went quite well. I used old 2400 and they ranged from 11 grs. to 13.5. I have already contacted BRP about the 44 mold. I plan to purchase a few more after that including for my rifles. I guess all it took to get me casting after 35 yrs of reloading was 200lbs of free wheel weights.

[truckmsl]

That boolit and 6.8 grains of Unique in a 357 case is my go-to load for my marlin lever in 357 mag. Chrono's around 1350 fps and accuracy is good.

[Junior1942]

That boolit and 6.8 grains of Unique in a 357 case is my go-to load for my marlin lever in 357 mag. Chrono's around 1350 fps and accuracy is good.Try Lil'Gun and that bullet in your Marlin. I get 1800 fps in my Rossi.

[Thumbcocker]

Junior;

Does Lil gun cause problems with pb boolits? Does it have the heat/erosion issues with rifles I have heard about with revolvers?

[PacMan]

Not sure how Lil Gun could cause a problem with PB bullets unless you beleive in the myth that burning powder melts/erodes pb lead bullets.

I have heard of problems with erosion in handgun forcing cones after a while. I may be on the long road to problems with my Marlin but i have some where between 2500-3000 180gr LBT FN thur mine at 1760fps and as high as 1800fps and i can find no signs of throat eroision at all. It does burn hot but i do use common sense when shoot it.
I would say that if you work up loads for hunting and proper pratice you should have no problems.

Am i saying that it is not a problem,maybe i dont know.

I do know it is real easy to get max velocity and great accuracy with.

Dwight

[lastborn]

Is this the one you are talking about?
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=172810

[Dale53]

lastborn;
Yes, that is the bullet. I just finished casting and sizing/lubing 21# of finished bullets.This is an excellent choice in a value priced bullet mould and a very good bullet design for the .38 Special/.357 Magnum. It should feed well in most lever action rifles, also.

Dale53

[HANDYMAN]

I use 14-16grs lil-gun with my Revolvers and love it. my 686 6" has seen thousands of these and show no signs of erosion yet. 1300-1450fps.

[odis]

I haven't had the kind of weather I need for doing a lot of shooting as of late but what I have shot has been quite satisfying. My initial experiments have been with old 2400 and have settled on 14 grs. for that. The slugs were all straight WW and water quenched I have cast 500 air cooled and am going to start working up some 357 special loads staring out with 5.5 grs. of unique. I am enjoying my self immensely and am quite happy with this mold and the LAM II sizer. I have been mostly lurking here for a few years soaking stuff up like a sponge but this is my first experience with casting my own. I guess all it took was a couple hundred pounds of free wheel weights.