need help, cast bullets

[pdog]

I have 500 midstates 357 158 grain bullets and its been a few years since I have reloaded cast bullets. My 2nd edition Sierra book shows 14-15 grains of 2400, the powder I have on hand. WIthout running back to look it up, I do have a new reloading book but it seems that may be to hot of a load. Back in the 70's when I started reloading, I show in my old book 14.5 was the most accurate in whatever I had then. Is 14-15 grains still a safe load today? Also, I don't know anything on the hardness of lead bullet A as compared to lead bullet B. I plan on shooting a deer at 30 yards or so, I am a expert pistol shot so know my capabilities. Or should I just get a good, Hornady(?) jacketed soft point? If these lead bullets will mushroom, I'll go with that. Thanks for your advise

[quilbilly]

My journal notes that 13.5 gr of 2400 gave 1400 fps with a jacketed bullet but failed to write down bullet weight so it was probably a 125 gr. In any case that would be quite a warm load for a plain base cast boolit. I would back off to about 11 gr and work up.

[Lonegun1894]

My .357 Mag huntilg loads for rifle use are in the range you're talking about, and are safe in MY guns, but I would still say to start lower and work your way up. I can shoot plainbase with those loads in a couple of mine without leading, most with a little, and have one that looks like a sewerpipe with almost no rifling being visible after a cylinderful of these loads. So your mileage may vary by quite a bit. I'd say try it and see how it works in your specific gun, and I really dont mean that to be a smartalec, but just based on what I have seen in my guns. And if you can't tell, I REALLY like .357s.

[runfiverun]

i would not count on them mushrooming in any way whatsoever.
not sure where you are, but some states mandate an expanding bullet when deer hunting.
i doubt you could show that happening to a conversatin officer, if he asks, with a commercial cast boolit.
spend the 20 dollars on some hornady xtp's or some gold dots

[357Mag]

Pdog -

Howdy !

As an aside:

In .357Mag.... the 14.5gr charge wt you mentioned makes for a superb load;
when the powder is WW296.

Use SP Mag primers, and a Lyman .357" cal lead SWC of 158-172gr.

I have not been able to best this load accuracy-wise, and can't imagine any real need too.

I always prefered the above load in .357Mag, to any tried w/ 2400 ( or other powders ).

With regards,
357Mag

[pdog]

Yeah, after researching more, think I'll just go with the XTP's to be safe. Thanks all.

[Dorado]

For me and my rifle I'm using 158gn RNFP boolits over 14gn of 2400. My new Lyman manual says that is the max load for rifle, with 15gn 2400 being max in revolvers. However if you're unsure about the hardness of the lead you could test it,or just not use it.
Lead boolits have some of the best expansion and weight retention you can get.

[brghp]

I believe that most of the major American ammunition manufacturers are loading 16.6 gr of what appears to be H110 or W296 behind their 158 gr jhp/jsp. This was determined by people disassembling both Remington and Winchester 158 gr jacketed factory loads. While I like 2400, I like H110 better.

[abqcaster]

Interesting. I'll be experimenting with Alliant pro 300MP under a 158 gr jsp. I haven't perfected my cast boolits for hunting yet.