Lee 105 SWC loads in 38 Special?

[ShooterAZ]

Would anyone mind sharing some load data?

Thanks!
Shooter

[paul h]

I've used 3.5gr of Bullseye and shot them out of a 357 snubbie and 4 5/8" blackhawk. Very mild and reasonbly accurate.

[ShooterAZ]

Thanks Paul.

[btreanor]

Check out this thread for more info:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=105996&highlight=Lee+105+SWC

[Bardo]

I've used 3.5gr of Bullseye and shot them out of a 357 snubbie and 4 5/8" blackhawk. Very mild and reasonbly accurate.

Same load for me. I have shot this load for 8 or 9 years and it is very accurate. It dosent seem to matter on the primer.

Bardo

[garym1a2]

3 gr BE

[Wally]

4.0 grains of Red Dot---1,000 FPS Muzzle velocity. About as accurate as a 358495 WC bullet.

[sagamore-one]

I load the 105 Lee over 2.7 of Bullseye for my daughter to practice with. My Star is set up with a 2.7 powder bar.

[ShooterAZ]

Thanks for the link and more info. I will be ordering this mold today. What top punch do you guys use?

[rexherring]

Thanks for the link and more info. I will be ordering this mold today. What top punch do you guys use?
Get one from theperfessor here. The Lee 105 is a small SWC and you can get one from him cheaper and can custom fit it yourself.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=156937

[paul h]

Make sure you get the 6 shooter mold, you'll want to make them in qty.

I use a generic swc top punch for most all of my 38 bullets, not sure what the number is on it, and I might have modified it. That said, the 105's seem to shoot just as well unsized and tumble lubed as lubed/sized.

[DrCaveman]

3.0 gr trail boss

3.0 gr ramshot competition

Haven't got any stuck in the barrel with either one, and they're very light.

Tumble lube with LLA

[ShooterAZ]

Update:

I tried the following loads, all with excellent results. Accuracy was outstanding (shots touching at 15 yds, 1-1/2" at 25) in all loads, with only slight variations in point of impact. All were shot in a S&W 686 6" bbl. Loaded in Starline 38 cases, Federal 100 primers, BAC lube. All were sized at .358. Alloy was 1/20.

3.5 gr Bullseye
3.0 gr Clays
4.0 231
4.0 Red Dot

Again, all shot very well. I would like to find a load using Tightgroup. I did a search and came up empty on that powder for this boolit. Does 3.5 grains seem like a reasonable place to start?

Thanks...Shooter

[felix]

Yes! ... felix

[Elkins45]

I've yet to find a reasonable load that doesn't shoot well with this bullet. I haven't tried tumble lubing them yet, but I'll give it a try---what a timesaver that would be!

I'll bet the Recluse formula would be great for anything other than full-house magnum or 357 Sig loadings.

[Echo]

I TL all my 38 PB boolits. Haven't cast any 105's in a while, but when I do, they will be TL'd and unsized.

[paul h]

I've tumble lubed them and they seem to shoot fine. Something to be said for a 6 cavity mold and tl to make alot of bullets in a minimal amount of town.

[ShooterAZ]

I found found that my most accurate loads have been sized and conventional lubed. BAC has been awesome in all of my 38 special loads. Zero leading and top shelf accuracy. Tumble lubing is OK, but I will continue using BAC for these loads. They shoot as well as any wadcutter loads I've tried.

[ShooterAZ]

Haven't cast any 105's in a while, but when I do, they will be TL'd and unsized.

Spoken with a heavy Castillian accent....:)

[fcvan]

5 grains of unique, kinda my standard load. 2 weeks ago I was shooting some of these through a S&W M13. My brother watched in amazement as I put 4 into the same hole (the next 2 opened it up a bit) from about 35 feet. I too was amazed as I was firing double action only.

That gun is so smooth! All I did to it was degrease when new, applied pearl drops tooth polish to the working parts, and shoot a hundred rounds. This mated and smoothed the working surfaces. Then I sprayed it out, lubed it up and shot one of the slickest double action revolvers I have ever handled. The closest I have seen was the S&W M10s we had at work that were dedicated range guns that saw lots of use.

The 105 boolit is a great shooter but I tend to use it more in the 9mm and .380. I only loaded them up because my wife loves them in a Taurus J frame. I used to call that one mine but now she won't give it back! Frank

[JoeTheMechanic]

i was loading them over 3 grains of clays or 3.5 grains of old Dupont 7625 (now IMR 7625). seated to the crimp groove and with a light roll crimp. accuracy was OK but i always had problems with position sensitivity, so 25 yd groups tended to be elongated. i plan to get some trail boss and try them again, since thats pretty much the best powder to fill all that empty space the 105 leaves in the case.

[ShooterAZ]

I have not had any problems with position sensitivity in 38 special with fast burning powders (with reasonable loads). I would like to try Trail Boss however, so if you find a good load with it, please let me know. The powder I will work with next will be Tight Group. The Lee 105 SWC is a great little boolit. I am using very soft alloy, and not pushing it too hard. My 686 loves this boolit, this weekend I will see how it does in my 10" Contender and 3" S&W model 10.

[rintinglen]

+1 on 5 grns Unique--great shooting round that does't beat me up in an airweight S&W.

[Dusty Wheeler]

3.5 grains Bullseye and the Lee 105 grain shoots into one hole at 20 yards from a 3" S&W M-60 and a 4" Colt Python... Favorite "fun" load in the M-60!