Newbie.

[barneyboy]

Hi guys ,
Just joined this good site . I am from Tasmania ,Australia . I have a Win 92 , just over 100 yrs of age . It has a half mag and an octago6570599nal barrel , was originally a 32/20 but now a .357mag . Looks completely original , nothing has been changed ,just the calibre whic it loves to devour. I am just about to start reloading using local manufactured cast 'boolits' and was wondering if any of you kind people may suggest some loads that may be appropriate.
Cheers to all
Barneyboy.

[LtFrankDrebbin]

G'day,
Welcom to the world of cast. I have a 92 in 25/20 and luv it!
Can't be much help for 357 rifle but I do load and cast for two 38spec revolvers.
Couple of questions before I throw ideas at you.
You looking at using Hawkesbury river boolits?
ADI powders?

[northmn]

Depends on your uses. The 38 sp pistol loads are fun to just plink with and would make a good rabbit load if you have any to shoot in Australia:razz: For bigger stuff any pistol load will work. Were I buying bullets I would get the heavier ones at about 160 grains as they work on about anything and would not tear up much on smaller critters at 357 velocities. I liked the Unique loads at about 5 grs in 38 special and used 2400 up to max. Depends a great deal on what you want the rifle for again.

DP

[barneyboy]

Greetings Frank [ One of my favourite characters]
Have been looking at using projectiles from Westcastings, from what i have read they appear pretty good . Most likely will use ADI powders ,as they appear to be the most reasonably priced and easily attained. One of the things i like with what I have read with the
Westcastings projectiles is that they make projectiles for various velocities. With this in mind , 180 grainers may be the go .
Cheers ,
Barneyboy.

[barneyboy]

Thanks for that . Would use a mix of 38spec cases as well as .357 . >357 mainly for the rifle ,and 38spec for pistol which I will get in the near future. Tend to think the heavier projectiles in the rifle may be the more accurate, at this stabe contemplating 180gr projectiles .
Cheers,
Barneyboy.

[rollmyown]

Welcome aboard barney.

[PS Paul]

Welcome to the forum, Barney and Frank. Some little more information will help all of us to make some very good suggestions. I enjoy IMR4227 in .357, which I believe is sold in Aussieland, perhaps under a different name? Would have to look into that, though. You might readily have an answer befor I can find it?

Some other folks on the forum can probably uncover and share the twist rate on that fine rifle, which might help in choosing shape/weight of the boolit. Lots of great powders out there, but a longer barrel like yours would make VERY good use of the slower 4227 with a 158 gr. cast boolit, SWC or RNFP (which might cycle better/easier in the '92?). So, 158 gr. cast with anywhere from 11.5 gr. to 17.0 gr. (compressed load and about max with that powder for around 40,000 CUP- pretty warm load) should do you well. I really like a 158 gr. cast SWC with around 14.5 gr. 4227 gives me right around 1,350 fps in a 6" revolver. Lots of fun! I always try be very careful in making load data suggestions unless the data are available from several sources.....

I'm not sure if this helps, but the data is readily available from Lyman books and other sources......
Paul

[sthwestvictoria]

. I enjoy IMR4227 in .357, which I believe is sold in Aussieland, perhaps under a different name? Would have to look into that, though. You might readily have an answer befor I can find it?
Paul

IMR4227 is made by ADI, here is Australia it is called AR2205.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?83580-Powder-Cross-Reference

[LtFrankDrebbin]

PS Paul has just beaten me to some sugestions :smile: but in our case ADI AR 2205 is about the same as 4227.
I have been using AR2205 in my 25-20 with good results and have loaded some into 357 for a mates revolver with great results. Don't be alarmed if you try 2205 and find unburned powder in the barrel it's just a trait of the powder.
I have tried Westcastings boolits once! 150gr SWC, could not get good grouping out of my Colt and they were a problem in my Hornady dies. You may find different but I think Hawkesbury river boolits are far better.
150-158gr boolits with AP50 has worked really well in my 38spec.
Just starting to toy around with AP70 and the 125gn boolit for the wifes Smith 38 and its looken good also.

[northmn]

In Northern MN a 357 rifle can be used literallyused for anything from grey squirrels to whitetail deer. However they do not shoot to the same point of aim or even close with varying loads. My Rossi needed a higher front site to use the magnums and still shot high with 38 special laods. Heavier bullets make the best "all around" load. Also a rifle may not feed some semi wadcutters. The flat noses with a decent ogive give better feeding. I bought a Lee mold and the flatnose was close to a wadcutter, which did not feed. I had some commercial bullets that did. I would want to borrow some semiwadcutters before using them to incure feed.

DP

[williamwaco]

The Lee 358-158-SWC feeds perfectly in my Winchester 92 when crimped into the front lube ring.


.

[Crawdaddy]

I cant help you with a load for your rifle but would like to say- WELCOME!

[barneyboy]

Cheers rollmyown.

[barneyboy]

Cheers Crawdaddy

[barneyboy]

Thanks for that Paul , will definitely stick with the heavier weights . Was thinking of even going to 180 gns .

[barneyboy]

One of the reasons I was contemplating the Westcastings was that they cater for higher velocity loads. Do Hawkesbury also offer this .

[1Shirt]

All good advice given. I also like the heavies, my favorite is a 190 ranch dog, out of my 94 Win.
1Shirt!

[barneyboy]

Cheers

[Wills Point Pete]

Since we do not know the twist rate of your rebored '92 it would be best to buy boolits in small batches. Some will not fling the heavier bullets point on. If you can find some cowboy type boolits , the RNFPs with the big meplats they will feed well and are quite effective on anything from rabbits (do y'all still have trouble with them?) to deer sized game.

Assuming your '94 is in good shape you can use any max load although, given the old girls age, it would probably be best to keep most of the loads on the mild side. The longer barrel of the carbine will move your boolit out enough to where you won't often need the max loads. It is a real pain peening the locking lugs and their slots back into shape. Tap tap tap, file file file...Try, retry. What can I say, I was young and dumb back then and didn't know that deer don't walk around with gun magazines in their pockets and so did not care about that last hundred or so feet per second.